Ivory Coast Coach Fae: "Egyptians Love Gifts... They Make Mistakes, Fall, and Feign Falling Since the Dawn of Time"

Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae ignited controversy with sharp remarks directed at the Egyptian national team, suggesting that Egypt's experience in capitalizing on opponents' errors and feigning fouls on the pitch was a decisive factor in the match's outcome.

In a press statement, Fae said, "I believe what hurt us were those mistakes in crucial moments. As you know, they love gifts; as soon as you give them one opportunity, they punish you."

The Ivorian coach added that the Egyptian team has been known for this approach for a long time. He elaborated, "We know Egypt well; since the dawn of time, the Egyptian national team has been like this, complaining and feigning falling. They have the experience and master it."

Fae continued, warning about the impact of such actions on the flow of games. He stated, "If the referees fall into their trap, we will not be able to control the situation."

He concluded his remarks by asserting that the events were not a surprise to him. "The frustrating thing," he said, "is that we knew this team would not play seriously, and that they would wait, make mistakes, fall, and feign falling."

It is worth noting that the Ivorian national team exited the Africa Cup of Nations after a 3-2 loss to Egypt in the quarter-finals.