Wael Gomaa slams Egypt sporting leadership after Arab Cup exit

Former Egypt defender Wael Gomaa voiced his anger after the Pharaohs crashed out of the 2025 Arab Cup in Qatar at the group stage with no wins from three matches under coach Helmi Toulan.

Egypt’s reserve side lost 3-0 to Jordan in the final Group C game, finishing third with just two points from draws against Kuwait and the UAE.​

Speaking on television after the Jordan defeat, Gomaa said this outcome had been foreseeable given what he saw across the three games, adding that he hoped the person responsible for this “failure” would finally be held accountable. He complained that for years officials have avoided any real consequences, while only the fans are left to suffer and still dream of seeing their national team win.​

Gomaa stressed that everyone involved in what he called a “farce” should be held to account, whether they contributed deliberately or unintentionally, because Egypt’s name is too big in Arab football for such performances. Asked who he believes is to blame, he replied that the entire Egyptian sports system must pay the price, pointing to the top figure in sports governance in the country, whether at the football association or above.​

He argued that the mistake started from the very first decision, saying the person in charge should have protected the stature of the national team and forced the first-team coach to coordinate properly with the second-team coach. In his view, the joint choices of both staffs led Egypt directly to this bitter fate in the Arab Cup.