Egypt national football team
The Egypt national football team, nicknamed the Pharaohs, is Egypt's senior men's side; noted for its domestic talent, record success at the Africa Cup of Nations, and stars like Mohamed Salah.
Overview
The Egypt national football team, commonly nicknamed the Pharaohs, represents Egypt in international men's association football. It is governed by the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) and competes in competitions organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA. The team is a central part of sporting life in Egypt and has a large domestic following.
Characteristics and identity
Egypt traditionally wears red shirts for home matches and white for away fixtures. Home games are most often held at the Cairo International Stadium, a principal venue in the capital. The team is known for combining technically skilled playmakers with physically robust forwards and has produced several players who enjoyed success abroad.
History and achievements
Founded under the national football association in the early 20th century, Egypt is one of Africa's oldest footballing nations. It has enjoyed sustained regional success, winning the Africa Cup of Nations a record seven times. Egyptian teams made early continental contributions to the development of African football and have periodically qualified for the FIFA World Cup, including one of the earliest African appearances.
Notable players and coaches
- Mohamed Salah — an internationally recognized forward who has raised the profile of Egyptian football through performances in top European leagues.
- Historic stars such as Mahmoud El Khatib and Hossam Hassan are celebrated for their domestic and continental impact.
Uses and importance
Beyond competitive results, the national team plays a social and cultural role: it fosters national pride, encourages youth participation in sport, and acts as a talent pipeline for clubs at home and abroad. Matches draw large TV audiences and generate significant discussion across media and social networks.
Distinctive facts
Egypt's sustained success at the Africa Cup of Nations sets it apart from many peers in the region. The nation's footballing history includes pioneering moments for African representation on the global stage and continuing efforts to professionalize domestic competitions and youth development.
Tournaments
Olympics
The Egyptian team played its first international match at the 1920 Olympic Games. The highest international match defeat also occurred at the Olympic Games: In the match for 3rd place in 1928 against Italy (3:11).
| 1908 in London | not attended |
| 1912 in Stockholm | not attended |
| 1920 in Antwerp | Preliminary round |
| 1924 in Paris | Quarterfinals |
| 1928 in Amsterdam | Fourth |
| 1936 in Berlin | Round of 16 |
| 1948 in London | Round of 16 |
| 1952 in Helsinki | Round of 16 |
| 1956 in Melbourne | boycotted after qualification |
| 1960 in Rome | Preliminary round |
| 1964 in Tokyo | Fourth |
| 1968 in Mexico City | unqualified |
| 1972 in Munich | unqualified |
| 1976 in Montreal | unqualified |
| 1980 in Moscow | boycotted after qualification |
| 1984 in Los Angeles | Quarterfinals |
| 1988 in Seoul | unqualified |
Football World Cup
→ Main article: Egypt national football team/World Cups
| Year | Host country | Participation until ... | Last opponent(s) | Result | Trainer | Remarks and special features |
| 1930 | Uruguay | not attended | ||||
| 1934 | Italy | Round of 16 | 13. | James McRea | ||
| 1938 | France | retracted | ||||
| 1950 | Brazil | not attended | ||||
| 1954 | Switzerland | unqualified | Failed to qualify against Italy | |||
| 1958 | Sweden | retracted | ||||
| 1962 | Chile | retracted | ||||
| 1966 | England | retracted | All 15 African teams withdrew from the qualifiers as FIFA only allowed teams from Africa, Asia and Oceania one place at the finals. | |||
| 1970 | Mexico | not attended | ||||
| 1974 | FRG | unqualified | Failed to qualify in the 1st round to Tunisia, who also failed to qualify. | |||
| 1978 | Argentina | unqualified | Failed again in qualifying in the 4th round to Tunisia. | |||
| 1982 | Spain | unqualified | Failed to qualify in the 3rd round to Morocco, who also failed to qualify. | |||
| 1986 | Mexico | unqualified | Failed again in the semi-finals to Morocco in qualifying. | |||
| 1990 | Italy | Preliminary round | 20. | Mahmoud El-Gohary | After 2 draws against the Netherlands and Ireland and a defeat against England eliminated as last of the group. | |
| 1994 | USA | unqualified | Failed to qualify in the 1st round to Zimbabwe, who also failed to qualify. | |||
| 1998 | France | unqualified | Failed again to Tunisia in the 2nd round of qualifying. | |||
| 2002 | South Korea/Japan | unqualified | Failed to beat Senegal in the 2nd round of qualifying. | |||
| 2006 | Germany | unqualified | Failed in the 2nd round to Ivory Coast in qualifying. | |||
| 2010 | South Africa | unqualified | Failed to beat Algeria in a decider in the 3rd round of qualifying. | |||
| 2014 | Brazil | unqualified | Failed to beat Ghana in the qualifying play-off round. | |||
| 2018 | Russia | Preliminary round | Héctor Cúper | After 3 defeats eliminated as group last. | ||
| 2022 | Qatar |
African Football Championship
| 1957 in Sudan | Africa Champion |
| 1959 in Egypt | Africa Champion |
| 1962 in Ethiopia | 2nd place |
| 1963 in Ghana | 3rd place |
| 1965 in Tunisia | retracted |
| 1968 in Ethiopia | retracted |
| 1970 in Sudan | 3rd place |
| 1972 in Cameroon | unqualified |
| 1974 in Egypt | 3rd place |
| 1976 in Ethiopia | 4th place |
| 1978 in Ghana | unqualified |
| 1980 in Nigeria | 4th place |
| 1982 in Libya | retracted |
| 1984 in the Ivory Coast | 4th place |
| 1986 in Egypt | Africa Champion |
| 1988 in Morocco | Preliminary round |
| 1990 in Algeria | Preliminary round |
| 1992 in Senegal | Preliminary round |
| 1994 in Tunisia | Quarterfinals |
| 1996 in South Africa | Quarterfinals |
| 1998 in Burkina Faso | Africa Champion |
| 2000 in Ghana/Nigeria | Quarterfinals |
| 2002 in Mali | Quarterfinals |
| 2004 in Tunisia | Preliminary round |
| 2006 in Egypt | Africa Champion |
| 2008 in Ghana | Africa Champion |
| 2010 in Angola | Africa Champion |
| 2012 in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea | unqualified |
| 2013 in South Africa | unqualified |
| 2015 in Equatorial Guinea | unqualified |
| 2017 in Gabon | 2nd place |
| 2019 in Egypt | Round of 16 |
| 2022 in Cameroon | qualified |
African Nations Championship
- 2009: Withdrawn in the qualification
- 2011 - 2016: not participated
- 2018 - 2021: not qualified
Current squad
The table names the players who were in the squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
- Performance data status: 25 June 2018 (after the match against Saudi Arabia).
| Name | Birthday | Games | Gates | Association | Debut | |
| Goalkeeper | ||||||
| Sherif Ekramy | 01.07.1983 | 16 | 0 | al Ahly Cairo | 2013 | |
| Essam El-Hadary (C) | 15.01.1973 | 159 | 0 | Saudi Arabia | 1996 | |
| Ahmed El-Shenawy | 14.05.1991 | 5 | 0 | al Ahly Cairo | 2018 | |
| Defense | ||||||
| Mohamed Abdel-Shafy | 01.07.1985 | 55 | 1 | Saudi Arabia | 2009 | |
| Ayman Ashraf | 09.04.1991 | 5 | 1 | al Ahly Cairo | 2016 | |
| Ahmed Elmohamady | 09.09.1987 | 83 | 2 | England | 2007 | |
| Ahmed Fathy | 10.11.1984 | 131 | 3 | al Ahly Cairo | 2002 | |
| Ali Gabr | 10.01.1989 | 25 | 1 | England | 2011 | |
| Mahmoud Hamdy | 01.06.1995 | 1 | 0 | 2018 | ||
| Ahmed Hegazy | 25.01.1991 | 48 | 1 | England | 2011 | |
| Saad Samir | 01.04.1989 | 10 | 0 | al Ahly Cairo | 2014 | |
| Midfield | ||||||
| Mohamed Elneny | 11.07.1992 | 65 | 5 | England | 2011 | |
| Omar Gaber | 30.01.1992 | 23 | 0 | United States | 2002 | |
| Tarek Hamed | 24.10.1988 | 27 | 0 | 2013 | ||
| Sam Morsy | 10.09.1991 | 6 | 0 | England | 2016 | |
| Abdallah Said | 13.07.1985 | 41 | 6 | Finland | 2008 | |
| Trezeguet | 01.10.1994 | 29 | 2 | Turkey | 2014 | |
| Storm | ||||||
| Kahraba | 13.04.1994 | 25 | 3 | Saudi Arabia | 2013 | |
| Marwan Mohsen | 26.02.1989 | 25 | 4 | al Ahly Cairo | 2011 | |
| 15.06.1992 | 60 | 37 | England | 2011 | ||
| Shikabala | 05.03.1986 | 32 | 2 | Saudi Arabia | 2013 | |
| Ramadan Sobhi | 23.01.1997 | 27 | 1 | England | 2015 | |
| Amr Warda | 17.09.1993 | 20 | 0 | Greece | 2015 | |
Related articles
Author
AlegsaOnline.com Egypt national football team Leandro Alegsa
URL: https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/30401
Sources
- fifa.com : "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking"
- eloratings.net : "World Football Elo Ratings"
- superkoora.com : superkoora.com
- rsssf.com : "Egypt - Record International Players"