Egypt's national team pledges to build on World Cup success in meeting with president

CAIRO – 11 July 2026: Egypt's national football team pledged to build on its historic 2026 FIFA World Cup achievement as players met on Saturday with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

During a reception honoring the squad in New Alamein City, several players stressed to El-Sisi that the team would spare no effort to achieve further success, the Presidency said in a statement.

Captain Mohamed Salah thanked El-Sisi for his support, saying there was no greater honor than the recognition the team received.

Defender Ramy Rabia said the players had remained united throughout the tournament and expressed gratitude for the reception and recognition.

Forward Omar Marmoush said the team would give everything to make history, while defender Mohamed Hany described the presidential reception as one of the happiest moments of the players' lives, adding that the recognition would motivate them to achieve more.

Sports Minister Gohar Nabil described the recognition from El-Sisi as the highest honor for athletes, while Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly told the team they had "brought a wave of positivity" to the Egyptian people through their World Cup campaign.

Egyptian Football Association President Hany Abou Rida noted that Egypt has qualified for the FIFA World Cup four times, including twice during El-Sisi's tenure.

Goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir, meanwhile, thanked the president for the recognition and pledged that the team would continue to raise Egypt's profile on the international stage.

El-Sisi honored the players and coaching staff with the Merit Cup and honorary decorations in recognition of the team’s "heroic" performance and outstanding technical level during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the statement said.

The honors also recognize their determination, perseverance and discipline.

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.