Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has attributed the Pharaohs’ semi-final defeat to Senegal at AFCON 2025 largely to physical fatigue and a lack of adequate recovery time, insisting these factors played a decisive role in the 1-0 loss.
Speaking during the post-match press conference, Hassan explained that his team were stretched by the tournament schedule, which left little room for proper rest ahead of the crucial clash.
He stressed that Egypt had only two days to recover before being forced back into action, a situation he believes significantly affected the players’ performance levels.
“God’s will be done, and I am completely satisfied with the players. They worked hard and gave their all throughout the tournament until today. The Egyptian national team only had two days of rest and played on the third day. We returned from our trip and were unable to carry out the recovery periods as required. I feel sorry for the players because of the pressure of the matches,” he said.
Hassan also pointed to what he described as a lack of fairness in scheduling, noting that Egypt faced additional logistical challenges compared to their opponents. According to the coach, travel demands and changes in accommodation compounded the fatigue already affecting his squad.
“Nevertheless, I am satisfied with the players, and any mistakes that occurred are my responsibility as the technical director, not the players’ responsibility. During the tournament, fairness should have been observed in the number of rest days between the teams. We came from a trip, and the place of accommodation was changed, while the opponent we faced today was in the same place throughout the tournament,” Hassan explained.
While rejecting the idea that he was offering excuses, the Egypt coach maintained that extra recovery time could have altered the outcome of the semi-final. He argued that the physical condition of his players, rather than a lack of quality or effort, was the main reason Egypt fell short against Senegal.
“I am not making excuses, but throughout the history of the Egyptian national team, no one dares to repeat its achievements and seven titles, and if we had the opportunity to get an extra day or two of rest, the situation would have been different,” he concluded.
