Egypt’s national team appears to be under an ACL curse at the Africa Cup of Nations, with another star player falling victim as left-back Mohamed Hamdi suffered a serious knee injury during the Pharaohs’ round-of-16 clash with Benin.
The match, held on Monday as part of the ongoing tournament in Morocco, ended in a 3-1 victory for Egypt, securing their place in the quarter-finals.
However, Hamdi went down during a contested ball in midfield, clutching his knee, and was stretchered off before being rushed to a hospital in Agadir.
Medical examinations confirmed a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), requiring surgery and placing his chances of participating in next summer’s World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada at severe risk.
The injury continues a troubling pattern for Egyptian football. In 2017, striker Marwan Mohsen tore his ACL during a quarter-final against Morocco, forcing him to miss extended play, though he later recovered to represent Egypt at the 2018 World Cup.
During the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon, right-back Akram Tawfik suffered the same injury in Egypt’s opening 1-0 loss to Nigeria, prompting multiple adjustments in the squad before he eventually recovered and moved to Qatar’s Al Shamal.
The round-of-16 match also saw winger Mahmoud Hassan “Trezeguet” sustain an ankle ligament tear, further compounding Egypt’s injury woes as they pursue continental glory.
Despite these setbacks, Egypt advances to the quarter-finals, where they will face the winner of the Burkina Faso vs Ivory Coast tie on Saturday.
The team must navigate the rest of the tournament while managing the physical toll of injuries that have repeatedly struck key players, particularly the recurring ACL affliction that seems to shadow the Pharaohs at critical moments.
