Egypt sealed their place at next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico with a 3-0 win over Djibouti in Casablanca on Tuesday, extending their unbeaten run in the African qualifiers and topping Group A with 23 points.
Ibrahim Adel opened the scoring in the eighth minute before captain Mohamed Salah struck twice, in the 14th and 84th minutes, to secure Egypt’s fourth appearance at football’s biggest stage and their second in eight years.
“I thank the players, they were up to the responsibility, led by Mohamed Salah, Mohamed El-Shennawy, Mahmoud Trezeguet, and the rest of the team,” Hassan told MBC Masr after the match. “Everyone completed each other; this is the spirit that defines champions.”
Salah’s double lifted his international tally to 61 goals, leaving him just seven short of Hossam Hassan’s all-time scoring record for Egypt. But the coach brushed off personal comparisons, saying his focus remained on the team’s success.
“These are not my calculations, our concern is Egypt,” he said. “Salah deserves all the praise. He’s achieved a lot in world football, and his goals for the national team have been vital. Reaching the World Cup for the second time is a great achievement for him and for all of us.”
Egypt have now qualified for the World Cup four times, in 1934, 1990, 2018, and 2026, becoming the third African nation to book their ticket after Morocco and Tunisia.
Hassan said the milestone reflected collective effort and national resilience.
“From my first day, my goal has been to make Egyptian fans happy,” he said. “I always picture them in the stands, following every moment. They deserve this joy.”
In a separate interview with ON Sport, the coach said the qualification carried emotional weight for the team and its supporters.
“Egypt deserves this happiness,” he said. “Many generations have come and gone, and not all got the chance to reach the World Cup. Four qualifications are too few for a country of our footballing history.”
Hassan also praised the backroom staff and technical team, stressing that success required “strong cooperation and constant belief.”
“Without a supportive system, there can be no success,” he said. “What matters to me most is that the Egyptian people are happy.”
Egypt’s next and final qualifier will be a home game against Guinea-Bissau on Sunday, now a formality following the Pharaohs’ early qualification.
Team director Ibrahim Hassan, Hossam’s twin brother, echoed the coach’s gratitude and optimism for the team’s future.
“We will work hard in the coming days,” he said. “We promise the Egyptian fans that the best is yet to come.”
The qualification carries a historic footnote for the twins, who also represented Egypt as players at the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Now, 36 years later, they have returned as the technical leaders guiding the nation back to football’s grandest stage.
For Egypt’s modern stars —Salah, Trezeguet, and goalkeeper El-Shennawy —it will be their second World Cup appearance after Russia 2018, symbolising a bridge between generations of Egyptian football excellence.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
Short link: