Egypt U-20 head coach, Osama Nabih, has confirmed that the Pharaohs are fully prepared to participate in the upcoming 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The Egyptians, who are the host country of the tournament, have been paired alongside South Africa, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Zambia in Group A.
Ahead of the tournament, Nabih, speaking to the pres,s said that the players and technical staff are united, striving to achieve their goal.
“Of course, winning the tournament on home soil and in front of our fans is the biggest goal, but the most important goal for us is to reach the last four and qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile,” he said.
He pointed out that the current generation of the Egyptian national team has distinguished technical and physical capabilities and has the ambition to qualify for the World Cup, despite the absence of some players who play professionally in Europe, with only Omar Khedr, a player from Aston Villa, and Amr Khaled Bebo, a player from Swiss club Aarau, joining the squad.
“We always cite the example of the team led by Hassan Shehata, which won the Africa Cup of Nations three times in a row. This is what I always tell the players: they are capable of achieving this achievement. The issue of professionals does not hinder us, and our confidence in the group of local teams is great.”
He stressed that there are strong teams competing strongly for the title, most notably Morocco, along with Nigeria, Senegal, and Ghana, explaining that moving the tournament to Egypt instead of Côte d’Ivoire is a wonderful thing.
“I thank all the officials who contributed to bringing the tournament to Egypt. It’s true that some believe this could put pressure on the players, especially since they are young, but we hold regular meetings with them and prepare them to play in front of the fans and give their best.”
He concluded by saying, “I hope the fans will support us with all their might in the continental championship matches.”
Egypt will face South Africa in their opener at the Cairo International Stadium.
