Egypt showed that it arrived at the 2026 World Cup willing to compete on equal terms. The African team drew 1-1 with Belgium in their debut in Group G, in Seattle, and made clear the progress of the work led by Hossam Hassan.
Emam Ashour opened the scoring for the Egyptians in the 20th minute of the first half. The midfielder, who was acting freely, received space at the edge of the area and hit a powerful right shot, with no chance for goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. It was his first goal with the senior team’s shirt.
Belgium pressed in the second half and equalized in the 66th minute. Romelu Lukaku had come on just a few seconds ago when he forced Mohamed Hany to score against his own goal after Thomas Meunier’s cross. Despite the goal conceded, Egypt maintained its defensive organization and remained dangerous on counterattacks.
Hossam Hassan, who played in the 1990 World Cup as a player, highlighted the group’s commitment. The coach stated that the team is not in the tournament just to complete the table and praised the tactical application seen on the field.
“I’m proud of my players. They put into practice the ideas we worked on over the last two years,” Hassan said after the match. He reinforced that the main objective remains to qualify for the round of 16.
The coach also commented on the quality of the squad, citing Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush as references, but highlighted the collective work. “We don’t depend on a single player. There are 26 athletes giving everything on the field”, he added.
Emam Ashour, scorer of the goal that put Egypt ahead, reflected on the historic moment. The performance of the midfielder, who also contributed to the scoring, symbolizes the arrival of a new generation capable of fighting with the European powers.
Egypt had a good chance to win, especially in the first half, but they struggled with Courtois and some inaccurate finishes. In the end, the point achieved against a traditional team was celebrated as a moral victory by the Egyptian fans present in the stadium and in the fan zones.
The team is now preparing for the second game of the group stage, against New Zealand, on June 22nd. A victory could put the Egyptian team in a good position in the fight for a place in the round of 16.