Egypt national team coach Hossam Hassan has clarified that team captain Mohamed Salah requested to sit out Tuesday’s fixture against South Sudan, citing concerns over the artificial turf surface in Juba. Hassan made the revelation during a press conference on Monday, 28 September 2026, emphasizing that Salah's absence was pre-arranged with the coaching staff to spare him from playing on the artificial turf. The Pharaohs played out a scoreless draw against Angola in their opening fixture on Friday.
Hassan substituted Trabzonspor star forward Salah in the 60th minute of the Angola match, bringing on Hamza AbdelKarim in his place. Salah subsequently departed the national team camp the following day amid widespread reports suggesting he was frustrated by his substitution and the manager's post-match comments. However, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) issued an official statement confirming that Salah's absence was pre-arranged with the coaching staff.
Hassan stressed the importance of seeing Salah with the national team in the coming period, showing full confidence in all players. \"We need Salah for the upcoming matches, and the safety of any player is my top priority. My confidence in all the players is immense,” the coach concluded. Egypt are set to face South Africa on 4 October, but it is not clear yet whether Salah will be available or not.
Hassan also addressed his previous statement about Ahly's veteran goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shennawy, 37, when he described him as \"finished\". \"My remarks regarding Mohamed El-Shenawy were understood incorrectly. I respect everyone. When I spoke about El-Shenawy, I was referring to his previous shoulder injury, and I certainly did not intend to belittle any individual,” the 60-year-old coach said.
The coach's comments about El-Shenawy stirred controversy, with Ahly issuing a statement slamming the national coach and asking the Egyptian FA to take action. Hassan emphasized that all players are like his brothers and sons, and that he has complete confidence in El-Shenawy and all the team's goalkeepers.
Egypt is placed in Group B of the African qualifiers alongside South Sudan, Angola, and Malawi. The Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to take place in June 2027, hosted jointly by Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya. Hassan's team will look to bounce back from their draw against Angola and secure a win against South Sudan.
The Egyptian team's performance in the qualifiers has been inconsistent so far, with the draw against Angola being a disappointing result. However, Hassan expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance and vowed to work on improving their game in the coming matches. The team's next match against South Sudan will be crucial in determining their chances of advancing to the next round.
Key points
- Egypt coach Hossam Hassan clarifies Mohamed Salah's absence from South Sudan match
- Hassan addresses controversy over comments on goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shennawy
- Egypt looks to bounce back from draw against Angola in African qualifiers
