Earlier on Saturday, the 54-year-old tactician announced his final squad for the prestigious continental tournament, which runs from 24 June to 8 July in Morocco and qualifies for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“We are in good shape now. We played several games, and also we watched a lot of players. We selected the final 23-man squad after many experiences to achieve our target and win the African title,” Micale said in a press conference on Saturday.

“I would like to thank Zamalek, Enppi, Smouha and Arab Contractors clubs for their cooperation with the Olympic team as they allowed our players to be continuously in action,” the coach added.

The Defending champions Egypt, who beat Ivory Coast in the 2019 final, have been drawn with Mali, Gabon and Niger in Group B.

The Young Pharaohs will kick off their campaign in the continental tournament by facing Niger on 25 June.

Group A includes Morocco (hosts), Ghana, Congo and Guinea.

Egypt seeks to qualify for the Olympic football tournament for the 13th time, which Micale says is achievable. 

“The main target is first to qualify for the Olympics; then we can discuss the medals. Our full concentration now is on the tournament in Morocco. We have full confidence in our team to win a medal in the Olympics,” the Egyptian Olympic team coach explained.

“We should prepare well mentally. Firstly, we faced the problem of the players’ lack of participation, but with collective work, we overcame that issue,” he concluded.

The top three teams from the Cup of Nations will represent Africa at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

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