Egypt celebrated a landmark 3-1 win over New Zealand early Monday, the national team’s first-ever victory in a World Cup match. Coach Hossam Hassan led the on-field celebrations in Vancouver, waving Egypt’s flag alongside his brother Ibrahim Hassan, a former star and now the team’s director.
Hassan is widely regarded in Egypt as the country’s greatest footballer, ahead even of Mohamed Salah. He made 177 appearances for the national team, scored 69 goals, and won three Africa Cup of Nations titles. As a player at the 1990 World Cup, he was a leading figure in a squad that drew twice, but his coaching career had been modest until he was given the country’s most coveted job in 2024.
After the match, Hassan said his goal throughout his career had been to make Egyptians happy. “I told the players before the match that the fans deserve to be happy, because the Egypt national team and football are the greatest source of joy for the Egyptian people,” he said. “I love the land of Egypt. My goal was to see the Egypt national team present at the World Cup and competing strongly. We respect all opponents, but we are not afraid of any team.”
Egyptian media reacted euphorically, writing, “If we stop dreaming, we die,” and calling it “a night of pharaohs and kings.” Salah scored Egypt’s second goal and reached 68 international goals, just one shy of Hassan’s national record. He said he could not find words to describe the achievement and called it “the greatest achievement in Egyptian football history at the World Cup.” President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi also congratulated the team, saying the victory was Egypt’s first ever in World Cup play and a promising start for the rest of the tournament.
