About three months ago, the Egyptian national team's plane landed at Alamein Airport following their achievement in the 2026 World Cup. The twin brothers Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan stepped off wrapped in the Egyptian flag.
At that time, the scene resembled the beginning of a new era for the national team under the leadership of the twins, after reaching the Round of 16 of the World Cup for the first time. However, the following months witnessed a rapid shift, from public celebration and contract renewal until 2030 to a series of crises and criticisms.
Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan.. A record preceding the World Cup
The support for Hossam Hassan did not begin solely with the World Cup, as the national team arrived at the tournament with results that had already given the technical staff a degree of confidence.
Hossam Hassan led the national team to the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations, and the Pharaohs secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup without losing a single match in the qualifiers.
With these results, an impression began to form that the national team had regained part of its identity under the leadership of the Pharaohs' all-time top scorer, before the World Cup came and doubled this credit.
The World Cup creates the biggest moment in the twins' career
The World Cup was the major turning point in Hossam Hassan's relationship with the fans.
Egypt successfully advanced past the group stage for the first time in its history, then overcame Australia on penalties to reach the Round of 16.
The Palestinian flag.. Beyond football
After qualifying for the Round of 16, Hossam Hassan raised the Palestinian flag alongside the Egyptian flag, dedicating the victory to both the Egyptian and Palestinian people.
The scene spread among the fans, and Hossam transformed in moments from a coach who achieved a historic result into a figure enjoying public sympathy that transcends football.
Heroes' welcome.. Then a contract until 2030
Following the end of the World Cup participation, the team returned to Egypt amidst great celebration, and the Football Association began moving to maintain the stability of the technical staff.
In August, the Egyptian Federation announced the renewal of Hossam Hassan's contract until 2030, stating that the decision comes within a plan to provide stability and continue the national team's technical project.
Up to this point, everything was proceeding normally for the twins: brilliance, World Cup achievement, and renewed trust. But the first crack did not require a defeat.
El-Shenawy.. The first spark
Before the match against Angola last September, Hossam Hassan spoke about excluding Mohamed El-Shenawy from the national team squad.
The head coach said that El-Shenawy had gone through a period where he was "finished at his club," indicating that his current exclusion was for technical reasons.
The statements sparked widespread controversy, and days later, Hossam was forced to clarify his remarks, saying that his comments were misunderstood and that he did not intend to belittle El-Shenawy.
Angola.. The crisis shifts to Salah
Amidst this atmosphere, Egypt drew 0-0 against Angola in the opening match of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
In the 61st minute, Hossam Hassan decided to substitute Mohamed Salah, confirming after the match that the change was for technical reasons.
Salah leaves the camp.. Conflicting narratives
The next day, Mohamed Salah left the Egyptian national team camp and did not travel to play the match against South Sudan.
The Egyptian Football Association stated that Salah left due to the match being played on artificial turf, and that the technical staff preferred not to risk him.
However, other reports circulated about Salah's anger following the substitution, especially since he did not return to the camp for the friendly match against South Africa held at Cairo Stadium.
The crisis did not stop with Salah and El-Shenawy; yesterday, televised statements claimed that Ibrahim Hassan, the manager of the Egyptian national team, used abusive language towards Egyptian players during the Angola match.
