Egyptians hold lofty aspirations and great hopes for their star player and superhero, Mohamed Salah, as he leads the Pharaohs in pursuit of glory at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The national team carries the weight of Egypt’s illustrious football history, but the coveted trophy has eluded them for the past 14 years.
Egypt, the Undisputed Leader
Egypt stands as the undisputed leader of African football, having clinched the coveted title seven times, including three consecutive victories between 2006 and 2010.
The nation made an impactful entry into the tournament’s history by securing titles in 1957 and 1959 without facing significant opposition.
After a 27-year hiatus, Egypt triumphed once again in 1986 at the Cairo International Stadium before securing subsequent victories in 1998, 2006 (hosted in Egypt), 2008 (in Ghana), and 2010 (in Angola).
The current edition of the Africa Cup of Nations takes place in Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11, 2024.
According to South African network “SuperSport,” the Egyptian national team is a frontrunner for the championship in “Ivory Coast 2023.”
Vitoria Dreams of Pharaohs’ Return to Glory
Portuguese coach Rui Vitoria, at the helm of the Egyptian national team, dreams of reasserting Africa’s dominance and reclaiming their favorite title.
Armed with his achievements and experience with Lisbon’s Benfica and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr, Vitoria is determined to guide Egypt to success.
SuperSport, relying on statements from Morocco’s national team coach Walid Regragui to Agence France-Presse, listed Egypt among the top 10 teams capable of winning the current tournament.
The selected teams include Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Ghana.
The Road to the Eighth Star
The journey for the Egyptian national team to the Africa Cup of Nations final will not be a walk in the park.
The team faces formidable competition from Africa’s strongest contenders in their quest for the eighth continental title.
If Egypt tops Group 2, they will face one of the third-placed teams from Groups 1, 3, or 4 in the Round of 16.
In the quarterfinals, the Pharaohs would meet the winner of Group 6 against the runner-up of Group 4.
Advancing to the semi-finals, they would face the winner of Group 5 against the runner-up of Group 3, 2, or 6.
In the scenario of Egypt finishing as Group 2’s runner-up, they would face the winner of Group 1 in the Round of 16.
The quarterfinals would see them against the winner of Group 5 against the runner-up of Group 4.
Progressing to the semi-finals, they would meet the winner of Group 3 against the runner-up of Group 1, 2, or 6.
If Egypt qualifies as one of the best third-placed teams, they would face the winner of Group 3 or Group 4 in the Round of 16.
Advancing to the quarterfinals, they would meet the winner of Group 5 against the runner-up of Group 4.
Progressing to the semi-finals, they would face the winner of Group 2 against the runner-up of Group 6, 5.
Should Egypt top Group 4, they would face in the Round of 16 the winner of Group 3 or Group 4.
In the quarterfinals, they would face the winner of Group 1 against the runner-up of Group 3.
Advancing to the semi-finals, they would meet the winner of Group 2 against the runner-up of Group 1, 3, 4, 5.
The dream of securing the eighth star continues for the Pharaohs, and the football world eagerly watches to see if Mohamed Salah and his teammates can bring the African princess back home from the jungles of Ivory Coast.
