Ibrahim Hassan: Egypt’s national team is head and shoulders above the rest of the Arab world… and the behaviour of the Spanish fans is disheartening | Goal.com
Ibrahim Hassan, manager of the Egyptian national team, spoke about the behind-the-scenes story of the goalless draw against Spain, emphasising that the Pharaohs put in a strong performance despite the difficult circumstances surrounding the match.
The match ended in a goalless draw in Barcelona, following the Pharaohs’ 4-0 friendly victory over Saudi Arabia in Jeddah.
In comments to On Sport, Ibrahim Hassan explained that the coaching staff, led by Hossam Hassan, relies on a thorough analysis of opponents, noting that the team had successfully built on the positives achieved during the recent training camp, which was reflected in their performance on the pitch.
He noted that preparations for the matches against Saudi Arabia and Spain were not easy, given the frequent changes in accommodation and the cancellation of the Spain match on more than one occasion, before it was rescheduled at the last minute, which placed significant pressure on the team, particularly as they had to play two tough away fixtures and travel between them.
He emphasised that the Egyptian national team “outperforms all Arab teams”, adding that all opponents aim to secure a positive result against them.
It is worth noting that the Egyptian national team is ranked 29th in the latest FIFA rankings and is third in the Arab world behind Morocco (8th) and Algeria (28th).
Ibrahim Hassan revealed the behind-the-scenes negotiations for high-profile friendly matches, confirming that there was a plan to face Argentina and that negotiations were close to completion before they stalled, after which arrangements were made to face Spain, even after it was confirmed that the match would be held outside Egypt.
He confirmed that the Pharaohs’ coaching staff had received some coaching offers from national teams, but had postponed considering them until after the World Cup, because “the twins put the Egyptian national team first”.
He concluded his remarks by expressing his displeasure at the behaviour of the Spanish fans, stating that the booing during the Egyptian national anthem was distressing, but emphasised at the same time that the national team players responded on the pitch with a strong performance and a positive result, calling for respect for the flags and national anthems of all nations.
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