Ahmed Abu Muslim, former star of the Egyptian national team and Al Ahly, highlighted the evident rise of certain African teams, specifically Senegal and Mali, after the first round of the Africa Cup of Nations.
He attributed this surge to the opening of doors to professionalism and the recruitment of exceptional coaches.
In a television statement, Abu Muslim stated, “African countries now boast outstanding professionals, such as Guinea and Mauritania.
There is a noticeable leap in the continent’s national teams, while the crisis is evident for Arab teams like Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria.
We wish success to the Moroccan national team, a different team with a distinct culture, strong incentives, and morale, positioning them as contenders for the title.”
He continued, “The Moroccan national team arrived early in Ivory Coast to acclimate to the atmosphere and weather, ensuring thorough preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations.
They remain one of the favorites to win the tournament.”
Discussing Egypt’s performance against Mozambique, Abu Muslim noted, “Egypt has historically won African championships with fewer professionals.
Egyptian players, when moving to lower-tier leagues, experience a decline in their performance.
I observed that Hamdi Fathi’s physical condition noticeably declined after joining the Qatari league.”
Addressing Mali’s team, he remarked, “Mali is a remarkable team with excellent players. They stand out in terms of height and strength among their players.
I expected them to deliver strong performances before the tournament.
Some teams rely on individual solutions due to their experience, but there are exceptional teams that showcase distinctive collective play.”
Regarding Egypt’s team and the recent match against Mozambique, Abu Muslim highlighted, “Egypt struggled with defensive gaps against Mozambique.
Mustafa Mohamed stood out as one of the best players in the previous match, consistently improving himself and now excelling in set-piece executions.”
He concluded, “Mali is a distinctive team with exceptional attacking players, swift wingers, and stands out due to having professionals in top leagues.
South Africa has good elements, but Mali excels because they have players competing in stronger leagues.”
