Egypt's World Cup Dream: Shobier Steps In as Pharaohs Seal 2026 Qualification
8 October 2025
Egypt Clinches 2026 World Cup Spot
Safwan Al-Sagheer, Egypt’s goalkeeper coach, celebrated the Pharaohs’ qualification for the 2026 World Cup on Wednesday, crediting the staff led by coach Hossam Hassan for their relentless work and for delivering the dream to the Egyptian people.
Egypt’s World Cup appearance will be the fourth in its history, after 1934, 1990, and 2018, with the last showing coming in Russia 2018 under Hector Cuper.
In a decisive Africa Cup qualifying clash, Egypt defeated Djibouti 3-0 at the Arab Zouai Stadium in Morocco, moving to 23 points with one round left, five clear of Burkina Faso.
Ibrahim Adel opened the scoring in the eighth minute, followed by two goals from Mohamed Salah in the 14th and 84th minutes.
Safwan Al-Sagheer stated on television after the match that the coaching staff, led by Hassan, have focused solely on achieving another milestone for Egyptian football by qualifying for the World Cup. He added that the national team door remains open to all players, with selections based on the coaching staff’s vision to build a strong squad for the fans.
The decision to use Mustafa Shobier, the Al Ahly goalkeeper, came after Mohamed El-Shenawy complained of front-thigh muscle pain during halftime. The staff agreed to substitute him if the pain persisted, underscoring the emphasis on player safety.
Since taking charge, Hassan’s team has included several goalkeepers alongside El-Shenawy and Shobier, with an open-door policy and a focus on on-field contribution rather than titles alone.
Mohamed Salah and the squad
Mohamed Salah, the Nantes striker and Egypt captain, expressed joy at reaching the World Cup finals, noting that this is his first qualifying campaign as an active player and praising a talented generation and a coaching staff at the highest level. He added that the aim is to post strong results at the World Cup, not merely to make an appearance, and to leave a lasting impression.
The celebrations in the locker room featured Salah dancing with teammate Mahmoud Hassan “Trezeguet,” underscoring the euphoria of achieving this milestone.
Ibrahim Adel
Ibrahim Adel, winger for Al Jazira in the United Arab Emirates, said the team deserves a World Cup berth given its history, massive fan base, and top-level players. He emphasized the objective of strong performances in upcoming competitions while building a lasting legacy for Egyptian football.
The win was celebrated by the entire squad, with President of the Egyptian Football Association, Hany Abu Rida, pledging generous bonuses in recognition of the players’ commitment. Egypt has gone nine matches without a loss, winning seven and drawing two, and has not conceded in the last five games. The last goal conceded came against Botswana in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, highlighting the defense’s robustness under Hassan.
Punchline time: Our defense is so tight, even the ball files a restraining order against crossing the line. And if football had a comedy club, Egypt would be headlining the world’s longest encore—because this squad keeps delivering the punchlines and the goals.
