World Cup 2026: Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed shockingly left out of Egypt squad for global showpiece

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has sparked major debate after dropping Nantes forward Mostafa Mohamed from the preliminary 2026 World Cup squad.

The exclusion of the Mostafa Mohamed stands out as one of the most surprising calls in the early squad list, especially given his previous importance to Egypt’s attacking setup in recent international campaigns.

The North African football heavyweights are gearing up for the World Cup scheduled from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico, where experience will be key in making an impact at the tournament.

Mostafa’s omission is even more striking considering his status as one of Egypt’s established forwards in Europe. However, his difficult club season appears to have played a decisive role in the coaching staff’s evaluation.

He managed just four goals in 24 appearances in Ligue 1 during a challenging campaign for Nantes, which also ended in relegation from the French top flight.

While form concerns may explain the decision, the move still comes as a major talking point in Egypt, where expectations around squad selection are always intense ahead of major tournaments.

In contrast to Mostafa’s exclusion, attention has shifted to the inclusion of uncapped teenager Hamza Abdelkarim, who plays for Barcelona U-19.

The youngster has been rewarded for his impressive performances at youth level and is now part of the preliminary squad as Egypt look to inject fresh energy into their attacking department. His call-up is being seen as a bold statement of intent by the coaching staff, underlining their willingness to trust emerging talent on the international stage.

Egypt will be led at the tournament by captain Mohamed Salah of Liverpool, who will partner with Omar Marmoush of Manchester City in attack as the Pharaohs prepare for a demanding World Cup campaign.

Coach Hossam Hassan is expected to trim the squad down to 26 players following the final pre-tournament friendly against Russia national football team in Cairo on May 28, which will serve as the last opportunity for fringe players to impress.

Egypt’s build-up also includes a high-profile friendly against Brazil national football team on June 6 in Cleveland before their World Cup opener against Belgium national football team.

They will also face New Zealand national football team in Vancouver and conclude their Group G fixtures against Iran national football team in Seattle.

With the final squad still to be confirmed, Mohamed’s omission remains the headline talking point, while Egypt’s selection of youth talent signals a potential shift in direction as they prepare for the global stage.

Egypt squad:

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy (Al Ahly), Mostafa Shobeir (Al Ahly), El Mahdi Soliman (Zamalek), Mohamed Alaa (El Gouna)

Defenders: Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly), Tarek Alaa (Zed), Hamdy Fathy (Al Wakrah), ‌Rami Rabia (Al Ain), Yasser Ibrahim (Al Ahly), Hossam Abdelmaguid (Zamalek), Mohamed ​Abdelmonemn (Nice), Ahmed Fatouh (Zamalek), Karim Hafez (Pyramids)

Midfielders: Marwan Ateya (Al Ahly), Mohanad ‌Lasheen (Pyramids), Nabil Emad (Al Najma), Mahmoud Saber (Zed), Ahmed Zizo (Al Ahly), Emam Ashour (Al Ahly), Mostafa Ziko (Pyramids), Mahmoud Trezeguet (Al Ahly), Ibrahim Adel (Nordsjaelland), Haissem Hassan (Real Ovideo)

Forwards: Omar Marmoush (Manchester City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Aqtay Abdallah (Enppi), Hamza Abdelkarim (Barcelona U19)