Egypt Coach Hossam Hassan Proudly Waves Palestinian Flag at World Cup After Penalty Win

Egypt national football team coach Hossam Hassan expressed pride in raising the Palestinian flag during the 2022 FIFA World Cup after Egypt's dramatic penalty shootout victory over Australia. In an interview on ON channel's program "With Mona Al-Shazly," Hassan said his gesture was spontaneous and driven by personal conviction. He emphasized the importance of empathy for Palestinians, stating, "It is shameful if we are not human and do not feel the pain of Palestine, after all that happened to children in the past two years before our eyes."

Hassan explained that he felt a responsibility to show support for Palestinians while in the United States, where many Palestinians watch Egypt's matches and wave their flags amid destruction. Despite criticism, he stood firm, declaring before the round of 16 match against Argentina, "Anyone who does not feel the suffering of the Palestinian people is not humane and unworthy of being called a human."

Regarding Egypt's 3-2 loss to Argentina in the round of 16, Hassan described his protests against the referee, including making an X sign with his hands, which he said was a FIFA-sanctioned anti-discrimination gesture signaling that he would not tolerate further refereeing errors. He said the referee nearly sent him off but reconsidered. Hassan also recounted his surprise when Lionel Messi approached him after the intense match, but he chose not to engage, interpreting Messi's tears as a sign that Egypt had challenged Argentina significantly.