Former Egypt international Mido has urged Pharaohs head coach Hossam Hassan to make a tactical adjustment ahead of the quarter-final showdown against Ivory Coast at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, warning that failure to do so could result in elimination.
Egypt are set to take on the defending champions on Saturday, January 10, with kick-off scheduled for 9 pm Cairo time, in what promises to be a fiercely contested encounter.
Speaking on his Awdet El-Lebs programme on Al-Nahar channel, Mido described Ivory Coast as a dangerous opponent, while also pointing to the physical condition of the Egyptian squad.
“Ivory Coast is a worrying team, and there are injuries in the Egyptian national team, and the players exhausted their energy against the Benin national team for 120 minutes,” he said.
The former striker stressed the need for a change in Egypt’s tactical approach, particularly in midfield, insisting that relying on a single defensive midfielder would be costly.
“There must be a change in the way we play because they have great speed. If we play with one defensive midfielder, we will lose and it will be tactical suicide. Hossam Hassan must play with two defensive midfielders in order to protect our defense line,” he warned.
Mido went on to outline his preferred midfield combination, highlighting the importance of balance between defensive stability and attacking support.
“We must play with Marwan Attia and Emam Ashour in midfield. Emam is capable of moving us forward, and he has no substitute in the Egyptian national team. He has received a number of qualifying minutes so that we can push him forward in the next match,” he added.
He further called for an attacking setup that maximises Egypt’s strengths, particularly in the final third.
“We must play with a number 9 striker and push forward Mostafa Mohamed, in addition to pushing forward Mohamed Salah and Marmoush. Mostafa Mohamed is the only player capable of converting crosses into goals, and if we beat the Ivory Coast national team, we will reach the final of the Africa Cup of Nations,” the former Egypt star added.
