Egypt's World Cup Prep Hit by Dual Injury Blow Against Spain
31 March 2026
Injury blow for Egypt ahead of Spain friendly
Egypt's national team faced a worrying setback during the Spain friendly, played on Tuesday evening at the Espanyol stadium.
The match was part of both teams' preparations for the 2026 World Cup, scheduled for the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.
Egypt played with ten men after Hamdi Fathi was shown a second yellow card in the 84th minute, and the game finished goalless.
Spain used the game to fine tune ahead of its Arab World Cup group stage schedule, which includes Saudi Arabia along with Cape Verde and Uruguay.
Islam Isa was substituted in the 68th minute and Haitham Hassan, from Villarreal, came on to replace him as coach Hassan Hassan reshuffled the lineup.
The Egyptian Football Association later said Isa had gone to hospital for scans to check his condition.
Mohamed Hany also suffered a wrist injury and will undergo scans as a precaution, according to the medical staff.
This injury concern has raised anxieties for Al Ahly and the national team, as Hany is a key pillar in that position with few ready-made replacements for him at the moment.
The result kept both teams on level terms as they shift focus to upcoming fixtures and the World Cup tournament planned for next year in North America.
The match provided a tense prelude to the 2026 World Cup, as both squads assess fitness and depth ahead of the big summer.
Punchline 1: If injuries were goals, Egypt would be leading the league by a mile.
Punchline 2: The physio has more tape than a kitchen roll and a stronger coffee than the team bus crew.
