Rui Vitoria, the coach of the Egyptian national football team, has unveiled the formidable 27-man squad set to represent the Pharaohs in the upcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2024, scheduled to take place in Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11.
Unsurprisingly, the iconic Mohamed Salah, Liverpool’s talisman, stands at the forefront of Egypt’s arsenal, bringing his world-class skills and leadership to the quest for continental glory.
Accompanying him is Al Ahly’s prolific goal-scorer, Mahmoud Abdel Moneim, popularly known as Kahraba.
While the list boasts the expected stars, including the seasoned Mohamed Elshenawy of Al Ahly and Ahmed El-Shenawy from Pyramids FC as goalkeepers, some notable exclusions have raised eyebrows.
Players such as Abdallah Saïd from Pyramids FC, initially part of the preliminary 55-man list, did not make the final cut. Additionally, the absence of talents like Mahmoud Hamdy (Zamalek SC), Hussein El Shahat, and Mohamed Magdy (both from Al Ahly) has surprised observers.
However, the inclusion of Ahmed Nabil Koka, a 22-year-old forward from Al Ahly, marks a noteworthy and timely debut in the national squad.
Egypt, keen to avenge their narrow defeat against Senegal in the 2022 final, is drawn into Group B for AFCON 2024, alongside Ghana, Mozambique, and Cape Verde.
Here is the complete list of the 27 selected players who will represent Egypt in AFCON 2024:
Goalkeepers:
1. Mohamed Elshenawy (Al Ahly)
2. Ahmed El-Shenawy (Pyramids FC)
3. Mohamed Abou Gabal (National Bank of Egypt SC)
4. Mohamed Sobhi (Zamalek SC)
Defenders:
1. Ahmed Hegazy (Al-Ittihad Club)
2. Mohamed Abdelmonemem (Al Ahly)
3. Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly)
4. Ali Gabr, Osama Galal, Ahmed Samy, and Mohamed Hamdy Sharaf (Pyramids FC)
5. Omar Kamal Abdelwahed (Futur FC)
6. Ahmed Fatouh (Zamalek SC)
Midfielders:
1. Hamdi Fathi (Al-Wakrah SC, Qatar)
2. Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal, England)
3. Marwan Attia, Emam Ashour, Ahmed Nabil Koka (Al Ahly)
4. Ahmed Sayed “Zizou” (Zamalek SC)
5. Mahmoud Hamada (Al-Masry)
Attackers:
1. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, England)
2. Mostafa Fathi (Pyramids FC)
3. Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan (Trabzonspor, Turkey)
4. Omar Marmoush (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany)
5. Mostafa Mohamed (Nantes, France)
6. Mahmoud Abdel Moneim » Kahraba » (Al Ahly)
7. Ahmed Hassan “Kuka” (Bendikspor, Turkey)
🚨 OFFICIEL : La LISTE de 🇪🇬 L’Égypte pour la CAN 2024 ! 🌍🏆 pic.twitter.com/vK097WMJiM
— Coupe d’Afrique des Nations 2023 🏆🇨🇮 (@CAN2023off) December 30, 2023
