Hossam Hassan says reports of a rift with Mohamed El Shenawy are unfounded

Public Remarks Trigger Cairo Media Debate

The controversy began during a press conference held before Egypt’s opening qualifying match against Angola, where Hossam Hassan addressed persistent rumors regarding his relationship with the goalkeeper. According to match reporting, the manager stated that reports of a rift were completely unfounded. He explained that squad selections depend entirely on technical evaluations for each training camp, noting that El-Shenawy had previously experienced a period of limited playing time with his club before returning to regular action.

That press briefing drew immediate scrutiny across national sports programs. Former Al Ahly and Egypt star Hossam Ghaly subsequently appeared on ON Sport with presenter Saif Zaher, stating that Hassan’s remarks were not intended to diminish El-Shenawy. Ghaly acknowledged that the manager faced considerable internal criticism over the wording, yet argued that those quick to condemn him ignored his broader record, particularly leading Egypt to qualify for the World Cup. Ghaly described the national team boss as heavily pressured by critics eager to settle old scores.

Contrasting Views on Selection Standards and Squad History

While the coaching staff faced mounting external scrutiny, Ahmed Megahed entered the public discourse through a social media statement defending the player’s historic status within African and global competitions. Megahed pointed out that El-Shenawy stands alone in Egyptian football history as the only goalkeeper to represent the Pharaohs across the Africa Cup of Nations, the Olympic Games, and the FIFA World Cup. Megahed noted that El-Shenawy is the only player to win man-of-the-match honors at the World Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup, and the continental championship.

Megahed added context regarding domestic talent pipelines, emphasizing that Egyptian clubs—led by Al Ahly and followed by Zamalek—have served as the primary incubators for the national team throughout its history of more than one hundred years. This perspective contrasted with the immediate defensive stance taken by media figures like TV host Seham Saleh, who used her program “Al-Klassiko” on ON E to assert that Hassan holds deep professional respect for El-Shenawy. Saleh reported that national team director Ibrahim Hasan planned to coordinate a direct reconciliation meeting between the coach and the goalkeeper upon the squad’s return to Egypt.

On-Field Results and Standings in Group B

Amidst the administrative and media friction, the national squad shifted focus to the pitch for its second-round fixture against South Sudan. Playing away from home at Juba National Stadium on a synthetic turf surface and in front of a large crowd, Egypt secured a 5-0 victory. Mostafa Zico opened the scoring in the 35th minute, followed by a brace from Omar Marmoush in the 49th and 80th minutes. Ebrahim Adel added a third in the 76th minute, and Hamza Abdel Karim completed the rout with a stoppage-time goal in the 92nd minute.

The triumph in Juba elevated Egypt to the summit of Group B with four points from two matches, following their earlier scoreless draw against Angola in Cairo. Malawi occupies second place in the group with three points, Angola sits third with one point, and South Sudan remains at the bottom without a point. Referee Ahmed Imtiaz of Mauritius officiated the encounter alongside assistant referees Louis Ralph Fabian and Asouit Tiloc, with Jean Brandi Stevie serving as fourth official.

Upcoming Fixtures in the 2027 AFCON Qualifiers

Egypt maintains a packed schedule as the autumn international window progresses. The team is scheduled to face South Africa in an international friendly on October 4, 2026. Whether the planned mediation between the coaching staff and the goalkeeper takes place before those fixtures remains unconfirmed by official association channels.