Thousands of Egyptians celebrate their national team after its best-ever World Cup performance

Thousands of fans welcomed the Egyptian national football team upon its return from the World Cup in North America, after the team achieved a historic milestone by reaching the Round of 16 for the first time in its history, before being eliminated by defending champions Argentina. Thousands of Egyptians gathered outside Alexandria International Airport on the North Coast to greet the players and coaching staff, waving national flags and holding banners celebrating this achievement, which came in Egypt’s fourth appearance in the World Cup finals. One banner read, “The men of Egypt have honored us,” while others held up pictures of team captain Mohamed Salah with the caption, “Thank you.” Large images of national coach Hossam Hassan, draped in the Palestinian flag, were also widely displayed in tribute to his supportive stance toward the Palestinian cause. The national team’s all-time top scorer had previously waved the Palestinian flag around the stadium on multiple occasions during the tournament and defended Palestinian rights during press conferences. Egyptian television networks broadcast live footage of the team’s plane arriving at the airport, accompanied by patriotic songs and chants. The team traveled in an open-top bus, with players waving to the crowds and exchanging greetings before proceeding in a celebratory convoy. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi is scheduled to receive the national team, along with the technical and administrative staff, on Saturday. Egypt broadcast the team’s welcome ceremony in New Alamein to promote the area, which the country hopes will attract more investments and tourists, and to facilitate security arrangements given the expected influx of thousands of fans coming to greet the team. Egypt may have left the tournament feeling a sense of injustice due to certain refereeing decisions that it believed favored Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, after a painful 3-2 defeat in the Round of 16. Egypt had led 2-0 until the final 10 minutes but concluded its campaign with a sense of pride after its best-ever run in the World Cup finals. The Egyptian Football Association had anticipated the team’s return by announcing the renewal of Hossam Hassan’s contract and that of his brother Ibrahim Hassan, to “continue the national team’s technical project and build on the historic achievements attained by Egyptian football in recent years.” The association did not disclose the duration of the new contract, but local reports indicated it would extend until 2030. Hossam Hassan had previously stated that he had been working with the national team without a formal contract since February 2026. Hossam Hassan, 59, took charge of the Egyptian national team in February 2024, leading them to the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 semi-finals and securing qualification for the 2026 World Cup for the first time in eight years. After becoming the first Egyptian to participate in the World Cup both as a player and a coach, Hossam Hassan guided his country to a victory over New Zealand in Group C, allowing Egypt to finish second and advance to the knockout stages for the first time. Egypt then defeated Australia on penalties in the Round of 32, setting up a clash with Argentina in a match aimed at reaching the quarter-finals. However, the Egyptian team squandered a 2-0 lead with 11 minutes remaining, conceding three goals and exiting the tournament despite delivering its most impressive World Cup performance in history. During his tenure with the national team, Hossam Hassan secured 20 wins, against six defeats and nine draws.