World Cup 2026: Hossam Hassan proud despite Egypt’s heartbreak defeat against Argentina

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has praised his players despite their dramatic elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting their historic run to the Round of 16 has created a strong foundation for the future of Egyptian football.

The Pharaohs suffered a painful exit after surrendering a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 against defending champions Argentina at Atlanta Stadium. Enzo Fernandez scored the decisive goal deep into stoppage time after Lionel Messi inspired a late comeback from the South American giants.

Despite the disappointment, Hassan said he was proud of his team’s performance and believes Egypt proved they can compete with the world’s best.

“I am very happy with my team’s performance at the World Cup,” Hassan told reporters after the match.

“We have a good team that honoured African and Arab football. We do not fear any team. We will build on what we achieved at this World Cup because we have many goals for the future.

“Our ambition is to compete on equal terms with any team in the world.”

The 59-year-old coach highlighted the efforts of his squad, particularly the players from the Egyptian domestic league, for standing toe-to-toe with stars from Europe’s biggest competitions.

“I thank my players for their performance and I am very satisfied with them. The majority of my players compete in the domestic league, and they proved they can challenge players who perform in the biggest leagues in the world,” he added.

“We will earn our place among the world’s top football nations.”

However, Hassan was left frustrated by the officiating, claiming that crucial decisions contributed to Egypt’s defeat. The Pharaohs had a goal disallowed after a VAR review in the 58th minute, while the coach also argued that his team should have received a penalty before Fernandez scored Argentina’s winner.

“We were the better team and imposed our strategy on our opponents. It wasn’t fair. I don’t know why our goal was disallowed,” he said.

Hassan further questioned the decision-making process, suggesting that Argentina captain Lionel Messi’s presence influenced the outcome.

“The World Cup is all about marketing. They wanted Messi to remain in the tournament for as long as possible,” he claimed.

The former Egypt international also issued an apology to supporters but maintained that his players gave everything on the pitch.

“I apologise to the Egyptian people. We wanted to make you happy, but it was out of our hands.

“I’m sorry. I wanted us to go as far as possible, but in the end, we all saw what happened.”

Despite the painful defeat, Hassan believes Egypt’s World Cup campaign has shown the potential of the team and provided a platform to challenge the world’s leading football nations in the years ahead.