Fiery Mic Drop: Essam Shalwy Reacts to Hesham Hassan’s Triple-National Dilemma

What’s at stake for Hassan

In a moment that sparked debate, Tunisian commentator Essam Shalwy weighed in on Hesham Hassan, the Real Oviedo midfielder, and his unsettled future with national teams.

Hassan’s three-country reality

Hassan holds Egyptian citizenship, spent time with France’s youth teams, and has Tunisian roots through his mother, which makes him eligible for Egypt, Tunisia, or France at senior level.

Recent reports said the Egyptian national team’s coaches reached out to Hassan in a bid to cap him for the Pharaohs, reflecting faith in his abilities under coach Hossam Hassan.

During the Barcelona–Real Oviedo La Liga clash, Shalwy stated on-air that neither Egypt nor Tunisia “needs” Hassan at the moment, a line that drew both exasperation and laughter from fans watching along the edge of their seats.

Hassan himself has said a decision isn’t final yet, noting he has not ruled out any option and remains open to discussions with all three countries.

Two thoughts from a cynic: if choosing a national team were as simple as choosing a jersey, Hassan would have a closet full of them; if timing were a sport, he’d surely be in extra time by now.

Punchline 1: Hassan’s passport has more stamps than a post office on deadline day. Punchline 2: The only thing more multi-national than him is the World Cup schedule—and even that can’t rush his decision.