Hossam Hassan: "We've Only Lost One Match in the Last 21 – That's a Record"

Hossam Hassan, head coach of the Egyptian national team, confirmed that absences significantly impacted the Pharaohs' lineup during the third-place playoff against Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations, noting that the team was missing almost half of its key players in that match.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Hossam Hassan stated: "Today we were missing half the team; seven players were unable to play. Yesterday, we worked in training and set our plan based on Marwan Attia and Salah Mohsen playing, then after dinner, we learned of the decision to suspend them before we went to sleep."

He added: "The absences we had today could have been painful for any team."

Regarding Egypt's squad being predominantly local players, Hassan commented: "All our players are from the Egyptian league; we have local talent with the exception of Marmoush, Salah, and Mostafa. I am happy that our players are from the local league, and I hope we will have more professional players."

Hassan also spoke about a record achieved by the Egyptian national team: "We have played 21 international matches, and thankfully, we have only lost one game, which is a record for all of Africa."

It is worth noting that the Nigerian national team defeated Egypt 4-2 on penalties after the regular time ended in a goalless draw (0-0).