CASABLANCA, Morocco – Egypt national team head coach Hossam Hassan has vowed that if the Pharaohs want to return to the pinnacle of African football, more players must move to European leagues.
Following Egypt’s recent run at the 2025 AFCON tournament, Hassan reflected on the tactical and physical gaps between North African giants and the evolving landscape of African football.
The Pharaohs were knocked out by a dominant Senegal in the AFCON semi-final in Tangier. They face Nigeria in the third- and fourth-place playoff in Casablanca on Saturday.
In their 2025 AFCON squad, they had three Europe-based stars: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool, Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush, and Mostafa Mohamed, who plays for Ligue 1 side Nantes.
Three other players ply their trade in the Gulf region, with the rest drawn from the local league. While expressing satisfaction with his squad’s resilience, the legendary striker-turned-coach insisted that local dominance is no longer enough to guarantee international success.
Hassan pointed to the current composition of his squad as a primary area for growth. He noted that while the talent pool in the Egyptian Premier League is deep, the transition to the elite European stage provides an ‘added value’ that cannot be replicated at home.
HOSSAM HASSAN ON HOW EUROPEAN FOOTBALL IMPROVES AFRICAN PLAYERS
“Any player playing in Europe becomes more mature physically and tactically. Our team has the least number [of exports]. We need more players playing in European leagues,” Hassan told journalists.
He believes even with a limited number of European-based stars, the team remained highly competitive. “With the three players we have in Europe, we were able to get to the semifinal,” he added.
Despite the push for exports, Hassan emphasised that the players remaining in Egypt must face the highest level of competition possible. He challenged Egyptian clubs to prioritise deep runs in the CAF Champions League to bridge the gap.
Reflecting on the team’s recent matches, Hassan was candid about the team’s clinical struggles but praised their grit. In the clash against Senegal, he noted that their one shot on target was not good enough but added that Sadio Mane’s solitary goal had been born from what he called a ‘half-chance’.
“It wasn’t a clear chance. Overall, I’m satisfied with our own performance. We don’t have our fans [behind us at the stadium], yet despite all of this, we made it to the semi-final. I think we played well.”
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has also made the same call following the team’s early exit from this edition of the AFCON.
RELATED STORY: Egypt’s Hossam Hassan slams unfair scheduling after AFCON exit