Players of the Egyptian national team, led by coach Rui Vitoria, have been granted a 24-hour break starting today, Monday.
This brief respite aims to allow the players to spend time with their families and friends, intending to break the monotony before their departure on Tuesday to Côte d’Ivoire in preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations.
The break commenced after the friendly match against Tanzania held yesterday, Sunday.
The players will return to their accommodation later today for an overnight stay before embarking on their journey tomorrow.
The Egyptian national team has its sights set on reclaiming the Africa Cup of Nations title after a 13-year hiatus, seeking to add the eighth star to Egypt’s football legacy.
Their next official match is against Mozambique in the Africa Cup of Nations.
The final squad for the tournament consists of 27 players, including:
Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy, Ahmed El Shenawy, Mohamed Abu Jabal, Mohamed Sobhi.
Defense: Ahmed Hegazi, Mohamed Abdel Monsef, Ali Gabr, Yasser Ibrahim, Ahmed Samy, Mohamed Hani, Omar Kamal Abdelwahed, Ahmed Fattouh, Mohamed Hamdi.
Midfield: Hamdi Fathi, Imam Ashour, Mohamed Elneny, Marwan Attia, Ahmed El Sayed Zizo, Mohanad Lashin, Mahmoud Hamada.
Forward: Mohamed Salah, Mostafa Fathi, Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet, Omar Marmoush, Mostafa Mohamed, Mahmoud Kahraba, Ahmed Hassan Koka.
Drawn into Group B for the Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt will face Ghana, Cape Verde, and Mozambique in the group stage.
The tournament in Côte d’Ivoire is scheduled to commence on January 13, 2024, and conclude on February 11.
Egypt holds the record for the most appearances in the Africa Cup of Nations, having participated 25 times, missing out only on the 2012, 2013, and 2015 editions.
With seven titles to its name, Egypt leads the historical standings, followed by Cameroon with five, Ghana with four, and Nigeria with three.
Ivory Coast, Algeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have each won the tournament twice.
The Pharaohs aim to seize their eighth black star, building on their previous victories in 1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, and 2010.
