AFCON 2021: The A-Z Of Egypt’s Journey

Egypt’s AFCON history

Seven – time African Champions Egypt,
will trade tackles with the rest of the Continent – come January, in an attempt to reclaim the AFCON title that has eluded them for over a decade.

Egypt, located mostly in the northern part of the African Continent, has a total area of 1,002,450 square km, making it the 31st largest country in the world.

The country is made up of 102.3 million inhabitants, with a quarter of the population inseparable from the so called beautiful game.

This will be Egypt’s 26th appearance. Egypt is equally the country with the most AFCON editions, having hosted five times. Three of them ended with Egypt being crowned champions.

The most recent 2019 edition hosted by Egypt, however, ended in a dismal performance, as they lost to South Africa via a one – nil margin in the quarter finals.

Egypt’s AFCON History

Nicknamed the Pharos, Egypt’s senior men’s national team has been head and shoulders the best on the continent as per statistics.

The country’s first triumph at the AFCON finals came at the tournament’s inception way back in 1957, when they mauled Ethiopia four – nil.

Two years on; 1959, Egypt claimed her second successive AFCON title as hosts with a two – one leapfrog over Sudan.
The emergence of other countries like; Ghana, Tunisia, Ethiopia and Cameroon meant Egypt was left in the cold from 1962-1986.

A revitalized Egyptian side in 1986 then pulled clear and became the first African team to get a third crown in the competition.

Egypt was back for more, as champions in 1998 before that superlative run dubbed a historic hat – trick of wins from 2006-2010 placed the team miles apart from their competitors.

The Golden Era

From legendary coach Hassan Shehata, to the country’s most capped player, Ahmed Hassan, goalkeeper Essam El Hadary and others, that team holds the most potent argument of Egypt’s
golden era and more.

It was an astonishing period of success defined by revolutionary, possession-based football, and the Dream team managed to drop some of the top African Nations including the Lions of Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire and Ghana.

AFCON 2021 Road

Egypt’s draw against Kenya on match day five in group G of the qualifiers clinched qualification, and was enough to see them clinch one of the two qualifying places in Group G. That result also helped Comoros take the other spot.

Egypt are drawn in group D of next year’s tournament along with three-time African champions Nigeria.
Other teams in the group are Sudan and Guinea-Bissau, who have been transformed from minnows to qualifying three times in a row. A total merge of the African Nations Cup in that group sums up to 12 titles, making it the most illustrious in the competition.

Players To Watch

Egypt has always been a reservoir for some fine – fleet – footed players. 2019 CAF player of the year – Mohamed Salah is a joy to watch and the ‘Egyptian King’ will be looking for his first AFCON title.
Ahly shot – stopper Mohamed El Shenawy is equally one for the notebook in the Egyptian squad, fresh from winning this year’s CAF Champions League with Egyptian juggernauts Al Ahly.

Mahmoud Ahmed Trezeguet who plays his club football for premier league side – Aston Villa was a king – pin in the 2019 AFCON edition. The 27 – year – old has improved since then and he is pivotal in whatever plans coach Queiroz has for the side.

Former Stoke City winger – Ramadan Sobhi was inspirational to Pyramid’s CAF Confederation Cup run last term. The 23 year old has been highly rated from his boyhood days at Ahly.

The man at the helm of the Pharos is Former Bafana Bafana mentor Carlos Queiroz.
The 68-year-old became the first-ever Portuguese to coach the Egyptian national team and he would be assisted by Diaa El-Sayed (assistant manager), Mohamed Shawky (coach), and Essam El-Hadary (Egypt goalkeeping coach).