Egypt’s Football Association has officially announced the exclusion of Ahmed Nabil Kouka, the Al Ahly player, from the squad participating in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) due to injury.
In a statement, the association revealed that Kouka underwent medical examinations, which confirmed a knee ligament injury, rendering him unable to join the AFCON competition.
The continental tournament is scheduled to take place from January 13th to February 11th in Côte d’Ivoire.
The association emphasized that Kouka’s medical tests unequivocally showed ligament damage, leading to his unfortunate exclusion from the AFCON roster.
The AFCON 2023 final squad for Egypt is as follows:
Goalkeepers:
1. Mohamed El-Shennawy (Al Ahly)
2. Ahmed El-Shennawy (Pyramids)
3. Mohamed Abu Jabal (National Bank of Egypt)
4. Mohamed Sobhi (Zamalek)
Defenders:
1. Ahmed Hegazi (Al Ittihad Jeddah)
2. Mohamed Abdel-Monem “Dunga” (Al Ahly)
3. Ali Gabr (Pyramids)
4. Osama Jalal (Pyramids)
5. Ahmed Sami (Pyramids)
6. Mohamed Hani (Al Ahly)
7. Omar Kamal (Modern Future)
8. Ahmed Fathouh (Zamalek)
9. Mohamed Hamdi (Pyramids)
Midfielders:
1. Hamdy Fathi (Al Wakrah)
2. Emam Ashour (Al Ahly)
3. Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal)
4. Marwan Attia (Al Ahly)
5. Ahmed Syed “Zizo” (Zamalek)
6. Mahmoud Hamada (Al Masry)
Forwards:
1. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
2. Mostafa Fathi (Pyramids)
3. Mahmoud Hassan “Trezeguet” (Trabzonspor)
4. Omar Marmoush (Eintracht Frankfurt)
5. Mostafa Mohamed (Nantes)
6. Mahmoud Abdel-Moneim “Kahraba” (Al Ahly)
7. Ahmed Hassan “Kouka” (Antalyaspor)
The final list notably witnessed the exclusion of 28 players from the initial roster, including prominent names such as Abdullah El Said (Pyramids), Hussein El Shahat (Al Ahly), and Ramadan Sobhi (Pyramids).
The changes in the squad composition reflect the rigorous selection process as Egypt prepares to compete on the African stage.
