Advertisement
Hossam Hassan urges Egypt to be fearless ahead of Argentina World Cup clash
07th July, 2026 05:52 PM
Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has called on his players to approach their FIFA World Cup Round of 16 encounter against Argentina with confidence, insisting they should not be intimidated by the reigning world champions on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.
The North Africans have already made history by reaching this stage of the tournament for the first time in the modern World Cup format, and they now face what is widely regarded as their toughest challenge yet against Lionel Messi and his teammates in Atlanta.
Possible upset
While acknowledging that many football followers expect Argentina to progress, Hassan believes his side can produce an upset if they remain focused on their own strengths instead of dwelling on the reputation of their opponents.
“If we ran a poll right now about who will win tomorrow, we all know the majority would favour them because we’re facing one of the game’s giants in Argentina,” said Hassan. “But in the Egypt camp, we have a different conviction and we’d answer that poll differently. Tomorrow’s match won’t be easy for us but it won’t be easy for them either. We have enormous respect for Argentina but we have a goal and we intend to achieve it.”
Egypt fine form
Egypt head into the knockout clash unbeaten after four matches in North America, a run that has boosted belief within the squad. Hassan said the experience of competing on football’s biggest stage has prepared his players for moments like these.
“We’re ready for the match – and how could we not be? We’re playing in the Round of 16 at the World Cup against Argentina, the world champions, and against legendary players like Lionel Messi. So yes, we respect Argentina but we fear no-one because you suffer if you spend too much time thinking about the opposition.”
The former striker explained that since taking charge of the national team, he has consistently encouraged his players to trust their own style of football instead of being distracted by the stature of rival teams.
“Since taking charge of Egypt, I’ve tried to get the players to focus on themselves, on their style of play and how they impose it on the pitch. We’ve worked on doing things our way without worrying about a country’s reputation or the names on the back of their shirts.”
Hassan pointed to Egypt’s 2-1 friendly loss to Brazil in early June as an example of the mentality he wants his squad to maintain.
“We respected them enormously but we didn’t overthink it,” said the coach. “That’s why we’ll carry on with our way of doing things.”
The Egyptian manager stressed that his team is motivated not only by their own ambitions but also by the hopes of supporters across Africa and the Arab world.
“We have a prime objective in this match, one shared not only by the Egyptian supporters but by all Arab and African people because we’re representing them all here. We have to show the development of Egyptian football out there on the pitch, both tactically and in terms of character, as well as our determination to reach the next round.” He said.
Rare opportunities
Hassan also reminded his players that opportunities to compete at a World Cup are rare and should be embraced.
“We’re at the World Cup, and chances like this don’t come around often for players or for coaches,” he asserted. “We have to seize this opportunity to shine and show everyone what we’re made of.”
Despite Egypt’s record seven Africa Cup of Nations titles, the country has rarely enjoyed success at the World Cup. Hassan believes the current squad has the chance to change that narrative.
“African and Arab football has enormous potential but we’ve been slow to show it so now we’re trying to make up for that. We want to live up to our supporters’ expectations tomorrow.” He added.
With confidence high after an unbeaten start to the tournament, Egypt will hope their fearless approach can help them produce one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against the defending champions.
