Egypt does not arrive intimidated for its duel against Argentina. Ibrahim Hassan, the Pharaohs’ technical assistant, lit up the run-up to the round of 16 with statements that went viral in the Arab and football world.
The former right back was forceful when explaining how he prepares his players to face the current world champion. “We don’t see Messi. We tell the players to go out and play without paying attention to the opponent,” he stated.
Hassan also made a direct statement before Tuesday’s game in Atlanta. “They have Messi but we have Mohamed Salah and 26 Messis of our own. I hope God rewards us,” said.
Ibrahim also revealed the methodology of Hossam Hassan, Egypt’s coach. “Hossam prepares each game like an exam”he explained, and added: “We tell them to play and give everything because we don’t know if we will return to a World Cup”.
Another of the central issues was the physical situation of Mohamed Salah, who was injured in the match against Iran. Ibrahim Hassan recognized the seriousness of the problem, although he highlighted the efforts of the striker and the medical team to accelerate his recovery.
“When Salah came out against Iran he had an injury and a great effort was made so that he could play against Australia. Normally this injury would take at least ten days to heal,” revealed the technical assistant.
The duel against Argentina, which advanced after beating Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time, represents the biggest recent challenge for Egyptian football. The Albiceleste arrives with Lionel Messi as the tournament’s top scorer and with its sights set on continuing its path to the title. Despite Argentine favoritism, Hassan made it clear that Egypt is confident in its possibilities.