Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has expressed pride in his players following the Pharaohs’ 1-0 defeat to Senegal in the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking after the match, Hassan praised the commitment and effort shown by his squad throughout the tournament, despite their journey coming to an end at the last-four stage.
Addressing the media during the post-match press conference, the Egypt coach admitted the disappointment of elimination but stressed that he was fully satisfied with his team’s performance.
“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,” Hassan said.
The Egypt coach went on to highlight the physical demands placed on his team during the competition, pointing to scheduling challenges and limited recovery time. While acknowledging that mistakes occurred, he was clear that responsibility lay with him rather than the players.
“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,” he explained.
The defeat to Senegal on Wednesday means Egypt’s quest for an eighth AFCON title will have to wait.
