In a statement on his Instagram account on Saturday, Hegazi revealed that Egypt coach Hossam Hassan had excluded him from the team, refuting reports that he had excused himself from the game.

The 33-year-old Neom defender had been on the bench during Egypt's 3-0 victory against Cape Verde in the first round of the AFCON qualifiers, leading to speculation in the Egyptian media that he had opted out of the upcoming match against Botswana.

Reflecting on his long tenure with the national team and 100 international appearances, Hegazi emphasized his commitment to the team's interests and denied any negative behaviour.

Hegazi's exclusion raises questions about the readiness of the Pharaohs defense  for the Tuesday clash given the absence Mohamed Abdelmonem of Nice who was excused by the coach from joining the team in the international break.

However, in better news, defenders Rami Rabia and Mohamed Hamdi, who left the Cape Verde game due to muscle fatigue, were deemed fit for the upcoming match.

On Saturday, coach Hossam Hassan called up right back Ahmed Eid to join the Pharoahs squad for the Botswana.

The 23-year-old, who competes for Masry SC, previously represented Egypt’s U23 team in the Paris Olympics, showcasing impressive performances during the tournament.

Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed, and Eintracht Frankfurt winger Omar Marmoush will also sidelined due to injuries sustained during the previous match against Cape Verde.

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