Egypt coach Hossam Hassan reveals selection criteria as Barcelona talent Abdel Karim earns call-up

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has reiterated that his squad selections will be based solely on sporting merit, insisting that he does not care about the club a player represents when making decisions for the national team.

The experienced coach said he is closely monitoring players across the Egyptian football scene, including emerging talents, as he continues to assess his options ahead of upcoming international assignments.

The Egyptian Football Association held a special celebration for the country’s national teams on Tuesday at the Goal Project in the 6th of October City, where Hassan addressed the media during a press conference.

Hassan stressed that he makes his decisions according to his conscience and believes every player has an equal opportunity to earn a place in the national team, regardless of age, reputation or club affiliation.

“All the players benefited from the national team in the World Cup. Mohamed Salah has played in the winger position throughout his life, but we employed him in positions 10 and 9, and we benefited technically from him very greatly,” Hassan said.

The coach also revealed that he has opened the door to young players, pointing specifically to Barcelona youngster Hamza Abdel Karim, who has been included in his plans for the Egyptian national team.

“I included Barcelona player Hamza Abdel Karim in the Egyptian national team’s roster, and I have my eye on all the young players,” he added.

Hassan insisted that his selection policy is not influenced by the stature of a player’s club, explaining that his responsibility is to identify those he believes deserve to represent Egypt.

“I will stand before God on Judgment Day, and my conscience is what makes the choice. I don’t care about the colors of the clubs’ jerseys, or names or age. I choose the players who deserve to be there,” he stated.

The former Egypt international also highlighted the positive impact of the national team on several players, noting that strong performances at international level have helped some footballers secure improved contracts with their clubs.

“There are players who renewed their contracts with their clubs because of their outstanding performance with the Egyptian national team, and there are players who are regaining their form with the national team, and others whose market value is increasing,” Hassan concluded.

Hassan’s comments underline his intention to maintain a merit-based selection policy as he continues to build an Egypt squad capable of competing at the highest level, while also giving opportunities to promising young players such as Abdel Karim.