El-Sisi urges impartial talent scouts as he lauds Egypt's 'heroic' World Cup performance

CAIRO – 11 July 2026: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi stressed the need for impartial talent scouts to identify young and emerging players as he received Egypt's national football team, along with its technical and administrative staff, on Saturday.

During the reception in New Alamein City, El-Sisi honored the players and coaching staff with the Merit Cup and honorary decorations, the Presidency said in a statement.

The honors come in recognition of the team’s "heroic" performance and outstanding technical level during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as well as their determination, perseverance and discipline, the statement added.

El-Sisi expressed his pride and appreciation for the team’s honorable performance, confirming that this commendation reflects the general sentiment shared by all who followed the national team’s matches across Egypt, the Arab countries and the rest of the world.

 

The president lauded the noble values embodied by the team, reflecting the authenticity of the Egyptian people, stressing that what has been achieved represents commendable effort and great dedication in the name of Egypt.

He emphasized that sport is not merely about winning and losing; more importantly, the national team earned the respect of people who valued the team’s performance even more than victory itself.

El-Sisi emphasized that the national team represented Egypt’s youth in an admirable and honorable manner, creating a sense of joy among citizens throughout their World Cup journey.

He hailed the seriousness of their performance and their appearance in matches as a great team devoted to sincere effort.

The president also commended the team’s performance, which reflected the Egyptians’ ability to achieve success.

He stressed that the Egyptian people have a deep love for sports, particularly football, and that the nation is rich in talents capable of reaching the same level of excellence as the current stars of the team.

Nurturing Talents

Meanwhile, the president affirmed the state’s readiness to support promising talents, grant them the opportunities they deserve, and back the national coaching staff.

The president underscored the need to continue hard work, exert effort, preserve team spirit, and build new generations of players to build upon the success already achieved.

Later, he joined the national team players and technical and administrative staff for lunch, where several players vowed to spare no effort to build on the team's achievement.

The president thanked the team on behalf of himself and the Egyptian people, saying Egyptians now look forward to even greater success from the national team.