Former Zamalek star, Tamer Abdelhamid, emphasized that the upcoming match for the Egyptian national team against Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations is a “matter of life or death.”
He urged Roy Vitoria, the team’s coach, to better prepare the players for the upcoming games.
In a phone interview with presenter Hani Hathout on the program “Al-Match” on “Sada El-Balad” channel, Abdelhamid stated, “May God have mercy on Egyptians for the draw with Mozambique, out of compassion for the great Egyptian people, not as a result of effort or divine blessing for negligent players.”
Describing it as a “moral failure,” Abdelhamid expressed his disappointment with the lack of commitment and laxity demonstrated by the Egyptian national team.
He stressed that the upcoming match against Ghana is a pivotal moment, stating, “It’s a matter of life or death, and the players must understand that they bear the responsibility for the entire nation.”
Highlighting the disparities in potential between the Egyptian and Mozambican teams, Abdelhamid acknowledged that Mozambique’s players displayed greater motivation and fought harder on the field.
Despite the significant gap in capabilities, the draw with Mozambique was deemed avoidable.
Abdelhamid underscored the need for Roy Vitoria to instill better psychological preparation and motivation in the players for the upcoming match.
He called for intervention from mission head Khaled El-Darandaly and Hossam El-Badry to address the players, emphasizing that the ambition of the Egyptian national team should not be treated as a game.
Regarding key players, Abdelhamid emphasized the leadership roles of veterans like Mohamed El-Shennawy, Mohamed Elneny, Mohamed Salah, and Hamdi Fathi.
He criticized Mohamed Salah for not participating in the match and hailed Mostafa Mohamed as the shining star in the game.
He also attributed a significant role to the Egyptian media in awakening the national team players.
