Ahmed Hossam Mido has rejected calls for Hossam Hassan to leave his post as Egypt coach after the AFCON 2025 semi-final defeat to Senegal, arguing the real problem lies in the level of the domestic league.
The former Tottenham and national team striker said he was saddened by the 1–0 loss but insisted Hassan has done well and understands Egyptian football deeply.
Mido explained on television that there is now a clear gap between Egyptian players and those of other African teams because many rivals export large numbers of footballers to strong European leagues. In contrast, he described the Egyptian Premier League as technically weak and lacking competitiveness, which means it is not producing enough players ready for high-intensity knockout matches like the Senegal clash.
He pointed to repeated individual errors from footballers who do not play in strong competitions and called for a serious review and development plan for the league to start generating more talent.
Mido concluded that hiring a foreign coach would not solve Egypt’s issues and that the country instead needs a structured project to send 30–40 players to Europe, ultimately benefiting the national team.
