Pharaohs, Pensions, and a Mosquito Menace: Morocco Roasts the Hassan Twins After AFCON

Controversy around the Hassan twins

A Moroccan site takes a playful swipe at Egypt’s head coach Hossam Hassan and his twin Ibrahim Hassan, who both made headlines with their latest comments after the recent setback.

Hossam Hassan issued forceful statements following Egypt’s narrow defeat to Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final, arguing that fairness was compromised by travel arrangements before the match and by refereeing decisions.

He also claimed that some people tried to derail Egypt’s march to the final, suggesting that rivals admittedly envy the Pharaohs for their seven title wins in the past.

Ibrahim Hassan, organizational digs, and a mosquito verdict

Ibrahim Hassan, the twin, criticized some organizational aspects, saying the team did not stay in a hotel but in a pension, and that players could not sleep because of mosquitoes ahead of the Senegal match.

The Moroccan Hespress site published a piece with the headline that experts attribute external factors to sporting failure, feeding a victim mentality.

The satire features a cartoon where a Pharaoh-era man asks the two Hassan brothers about the Africa Cup, and one replies that the mosquitoes stole the crown while the other adds that it was left in the pension.

The report cites Mustafa al-Qarfi, who argues that explaining sporting failure with external factors falls under a cognitive bias known as self-serving bias, while Nada Al-Fadl explains the concept of External Locus of Control—believing events are controlled by external forces rather than one’s own effort or decisions.

It is noted that several teams criticized the refereeing during the tournament, with Egypt and Algeria among the prominent voices.

Cartoon and commentary aside, the discussion turns to why fans and experts turn to external explanations when results don’t go their way, which is a perennial theme in sports psychology.

Punchlines aside, if you want a lighter take: 1) If excuses were bullets, Hassan’s interview would be a full-auto spray—target not guaranteed. 2) If mosquitoes start collecting trophies, the only thing more persistent than a striker is a tiny insect with a big bite.