Former Egypt goalkeeper Ekramy El-Shahat has openly criticised Mohamed El-Shenawy following Egypt’s defeat to Senegal in the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Pharaohs were eliminated after suffering a narrow 1-0 loss to the Teranga Lions, a result that sparked debate over El-Shenawy’s role in the decisive
goal scored by Senegal.
Speaking as a guest on the “El-La’eeb” programme on MBC, El-Shahat expressed his disappointment with the national team’s first-choice goalkeeper.
“I am very sad about Mohamed El-Shenawy, especially in the Senegal match. I had previously defended him in the last match against Ivory Coast, but I do not find a justification for defending him, as his capabilities are supposed to be much greater than that,” he said.
The former shot-stopper pointed to what he described as a recurring technical flaw in El-Shenawy’s goalkeeping.
“The recurring problem with El-Shenawy is that he sits on his knees without making a real attempt to save, which is what happened in the Ivory Coast match when the first goal was scored, and it was repeated in the same way against Senegal,” El-Shahat noted.
He went on to compare the goals conceded in both matches, arguing that the Senegal strike should have been dealt with more effectively. El-Shahat explained that Ivory Coast’s goal came amid heavy traffic inside the penalty area, which could offer some justification, whereas Senegal’s goal was struck from distance with a clear line of sight, yet El-Shenawy failed to react.
El-Shahat further stressed that his criticism was rooted in El-Shenawy’s lack of response, insisting that the ball was within reach and did not warrant such an outcome.
