Barakat Unveils Egypt’s Locker Room Drama: Fathi, Salah, and a Controversial AFCON Final Penalty
5 March 2026
Mohamed Barakat, the Egyptian football icon and former Al Ahly star who later served on the Egyptian Football Association board, spoke candidly on the show, revealing behind-the-scenes details about Al Ahly and the national team.
Barakat said that coach Hossam El-Badry and his technical staff were treated unfairly by leaving the national team, alleging that the decision was premeditated by Ahmed Magdy, who led the three-member committee at the time, under the pretext that the team’s performance was not entertaining.
He asked, with a touch of irony, who came after El-Badry and what sort of football they delivered, implying that the standard of entertainment was not necessarily improved by the changes.
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The Fathi-Salah incident
On the national team front, Barakat recounted his disagreement with stripping the captaincy from Ahmed Fathi in favor of Mohamed Salah, saying Fathi had every right to feel upset and that he warned Hossam El-Badry this move could spark a major crisis, though the coach stood firm on his decision.
He also touched on the hosting letter for the Africa Final between Al Ahly and Wydad Casablanca, noting that the letter allegedly disappeared and that he apologized to Al Ahly fans, remarking that the trophy might have gone to them if the match had been held outside Morocco.
In a candid moment, Barakat admitted that the penalty he won against Ivory Coast—later missed by Ahmed Hassan in the 2006 AFCON final—was not a clear call, saying the contact was very light, but he capitalized on the moment.
Barakat’s account blends memory with critique, and the audience is left to weigh how much of what he described is a personal perspective versus a broader boardroom reality.
Punchline 1: If football drama had a soundtrack, this would be its most dramatic chorus—cue the whistle and the drama club. Punchline 2: In football, the only thing more entertaining than a goal is a controversy that lasts longer than the autographs after the match.
