Egypt’s president awards players after World Cup performance
By Joel Masibo, July 12, 2026Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has recognised the country’s national football team, together with its coaching and backroom staff, following their memorable run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency.
At a ceremony held in New Alamein City on Saturday, July 11, 2026, Sisi presented the squad and team officials with the Merit Cup and honorary awards, praising their “heroic performance and outstanding technical level,” alongside the commitment, resilience and discipline they demonstrated throughout the competition.
Reflecting on the team’s achievement, Sisi said: “Sport is not merely about winning and losing; more importantly, the national team earned the respect of people who valued the team’s performance even more than victory itself.”
History
Egypt made history by advancing to the World Cup round of 16 for the first time, overcoming Australia in a penalty shootout after a 4-2 victory from the spot in the round of 32.
The tournament also marked another milestone for the Pharaohs, who claimed their first-ever World Cup match win with a 3-1 triumph over New Zealand during the group stage.
Their impressive journey concluded on July 7 in Atlanta, where they suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to reigning champions Argentina. Egypt had established a 2-0 advantage before Argentina mounted a late comeback, netting three unanswered goals, including the decisive strike in stoppage time.
Hossam Hassan disappointed
Meanwhile, Egypt coach Hossam Hassan was left raging about the officiating after his team’s elimination from the World Cup.
Speaking after the captivating clash, the head coach shifted blame to the officiating, calling several decisions by French referee Francois Letexier “unfair” and claiming the World Cup was “directed towards Argentina” following the defeat.
Hassan claimed his side was wrongly denied a second goal at 1-0, following a video assistant referee check, and that Egypt should have been awarded a penalty in stoppage time moments before Enzo Fernandes scored Argentina’s third.
“We have not seen respect or fair play. A penalty was ruled out, and a second incident that should have been checked for a penalty for us was not even checked by the VAR. A second goal was remarkably, for whatever reason, disallowed,” he lamented.