Egypt coach Hossam Hassan gives instructions to Egypt players during the nation’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match against Belgium. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Egypt is not at the FIFA World Cup 2026 to make up the numbers and showed its potential and quality players in Monday’s 1-1 draw with Belgium, ​coach Hossam Hassan said, after it came agonisingly close to its dream of a first win in the showpiece event.

The Pharaohs went ahead with a brilliant 20th-minute strike from Emam Ashour and were a handful for the Belgians, who ‌levelled in the 66th minute when record scorer Romelu Lukaku, a little over 20 seconds after entering the game, forced an own goal ‌from Mohamed Hany.

“I’m not the one to talk about Egypt’s stature. The ‌players ⁠are top quality, and we have two of the best players ⁠in the world with us. They give us motivation,” he said of captain Mohamed Salah and striker Omar Marmoush.

“We are definitely not here just to make up the numbers. The win was ​in our hands today,” he added.

Playing in its fourth World Cup, Egypt is chasing its best-ever showing and got its campaign off to an impressive start in Seattle, registering 14 goal attempts and going toe-to-toe with one of the top-ranked sides.

“This was our priority, our number ‌one focus. We were not thinking about anything else. But ​the draw is a win, actually - a draw against such a rival, a big rival. They have big, big players,” Hassan said.

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Hassan defended his decision to substitute captain and goal machine Salah when the scores were level and praised him and Marmoush for what he called excellent performances.

“We ‌do not rely on a single player but on a collective 26. Salah, Marmoush, they give it their all; they were really, really giving everything with their ferocious transitions,” he said.

Egypt’s best run at the World Cup was in 1990, when it came away with two draws and a defeat, with coach Hassan himself in the side.

Egypt’s participation in this World Cup went beyond the tournament, he ‌said, and was part of a drive to reinvent the national team and make it believe ​it can be a contender in world football.

“We are 120 million people in Egypt so of course we need to have a strong ⁠squad, of course we have ambition, of course we need to represent all of ⁠these people,” he said.

“I told them that we have to have a new national identity for our national squad… we try to work on ‌the mindset of the players, prepare our players and try to build their confidence that they are a strong team,” he added.

Egypt faces New Zealand and ​Iran in its other Group G matches.

Published on Jun 16, 2026