Hossam Hassan: We have not and will not object to the refereeing decisions

Hossam Hassan, the technical director of the Egyptian national team, expressed the extent of his respect for the Argentine national team, at the press conference before the upcoming match that will bring the two sides together, as part of the round of 16 matches in the 2026 World Cup.

Hossam Hassan's statements

Hossam Hassan said in statements at the press conference before the match against Argentina: "Football has been my life since the beginning, and I never thought of any other profession for a single day; my dream has always been to see the Egyptian national team present the football that befits it, and to contribute to its development and to please the Egyptian and Arab fans."

Regarding the Argentine national team, he added: "The Argentine national team is a big team, possessing vast experience, and it is the holder of the World Cup title, but football knows no impossibilities; we have great ambitions, and we realize that the match will not be easy for either team."

He continued: "We respect the opponent, but we have boundless goals and ambitions, and we strive at least to live up to the expectations of our fans; the Egyptian national team is big in every sense of the word, and the Pharaohs are the owners of a civilization spanning seven thousand years, and we seek to have a major role in this tournament."

The Egyptian national team coach was asked about his opinion on FIFA's decision regarding the cancellation of the punishment for the American player, where he said: "We respect the decisions of the International Football Association, because FIFA's slogan is justice and respect; Engineer Lashin was previously subjected to suspension, and we saw that he did not deserve the punishment, yet we respected the decision, and we trust that the decisions of the International Federation serve the interest of everyone."

He added: "The Argentine press has the right to object to the refereeing decisions, but we respect all referees; in our match against Belgium, there were two incidents that we believe deserved two penalties, yet we did not object, because we hold all respect and appreciation for the refereeing, just as we respect the opponent's right to express their opinion."

Hossam Hassan concluded his statements, saying: "We utilized the past three days for the players' recovery and preparation for the match; we have our own style and character, and we studied the Argentine national team well, and identified some points that can be exploited; we greatly respect Argentina's capabilities, as they are the holders of the World Cup title, but in return we possess a clear character with which we will approach the match."