Ibrahim Hassan reveals brother Hossam suffered angina attacks while managing Egypt

Egypt national team director Ibrahim Hassan has revealed that head coach Hossam Hassan suffered several angina attacks during training camps, matches and qualifying campaigns, including one occasion when he had to be saved at the last moment.

Ibrahim made the disclosure in response to reports suggesting that Hossam could soon leave his position as Egypt manager.

In a post on Facebook, Ibrahim criticised what he described as unjustified hostility towards the pair and said people should remember the joy the national team had brought to supporters.

“Fear God. Why do you want to break the happiness of good people and children who have learned the shirt and badge of their national team, and the colours of the Egyptian flag?” he wrote.

“Ask Egyptians living abroad about their children, who had almost forgotten the colours and appearance of their flag. Remember how the people came together and celebrated during and after every match, and remember the respect the whole world has shown Egypt’s national team.

“Remember Hossam Hassan, who is devoted to and loves his country, and fights to make it happy. Who among us has made no mistakes or faced no difficulties in life? Despite all the personal circumstances he has experienced, his work and the name of his country come first.

“Why are we being targeted in this way? Before every camp, a fierce campaign is launched against us.”

Ibrahim also questioned the criticism from former colleagues and sections of the media.

“Why the hostility from colleagues with whom we once ate from the same plate and carried the same symbol, the Egyptian flag?” he said. “Why do most media professionals show such hostility and launch unjustified attacks over every little thing, while playing down every success? Why do we forget the principles on which the Egyptian people were raised?”

He said those seeking to replace him and his brother should recognise that their success could create opportunities for other Egyptian coaches.

“This is advice and a message to colleagues who want to take our places after our success,” he said. “We will be the ones to create opportunities for you, so that decision-makers can feel confident and not be afraid, and so we can forget about signing foreign coaches. If we fail, you will not get that opportunity.”

Ibrahim said Hossam later underwent surgery to have stents inserted and returned to the operating room a month afterwards. He was initially told the second procedure would take only an hour, but his release was delayed.

“We were later told everything had gone safely,” Ibrahim said. “Days afterwards, when I visited the doctor for tests, he explained why Hossam’s operation had taken so long and how difficult it had been because it involved the heart arteries and was extremely complicated.”

He added that Hossam had been unable to walk before a friendly against Brazil, but insisted on appearing on the pitch so the players would not notice his condition or be affected by it.

Only Egypt team doctor Mohamed Abou El-Ela knew about those details, Ibrahim said.

Egypt are preparing to face Malawi in rounds three and four of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign this month.

Neither Hossam nor Ibrahim will be on the touchline for those matches after FIFA suspended both men for three matches following events during Egypt’s game against Argentina at the 2026 World Cup.