Egypt's Big Three Tap for Nigeria Friendly—But AFCON Looms Large

Background

Mohamed Salah, the Liverpool star and Egypt captain, Omar Marmoush, a Manchester City forward, and Mustafa Mohamed, the Nantes striker, are reportedly at risk of missing the December 14 friendly with Nigeria at Cairo Stadium.

Egypt will play only one warm-up before heading to Morocco for the Africa Cup of Nations, which runs from December 21 to January 18.

Egypt are drawn into a demanding AFCON group that also features South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Angola.

AFCON Campaign and Schedule

Egypt open their campaign against Zimbabwe on December 22, then meet South Africa on December 26 and Angola on December 29.

Inside the Egypt camp there is a strong push to exclude the three stars from the Nigeria match because of their club commitments in England and France.

An Egypt source told Koora that talks with the clubs are ongoing and a decision will be taken in the coming days.

The national team is understood to be leaning toward resting the trio, particularly as they will miss much of the continental tournament.

Details of the camp: the training camp will start on December 1 after coach Hossam Hassan agreed to a six-day extension; players from Pyramids FC will not join due to two league games slated for December 3 and 6.

Training will take place at Cairo Stadium, with a travel window to Morocco around December 17 or 18; the final 28-man squad will be announced just before departure, including five standby players at the federation's expense.

Minister Ashraf Sobhi held a lengthy crisis-containment meeting with Hassan and Egyptian FA president Hany Abu Rida in the new administrative capital.

The meeting helped heal rifts and reaffirmed the federation's complete support for the national team as it aims to win Africa's top prize for the first time since 2010.

Egypt's long-term goal is to reclaim continental status by building a cohesive side blending experience with youth, sharpening physical and mental readiness, and refining the team's attacking identity.

Masses of Egyptians hope the current generation can end the drought and bring the AFCON trophy back to the most decorated side in Africa.

Hossam Hassan, nicknamed “the Colonel,” is one of the most prominent names in Egyptian football, with a career as both a player and coach spanning many clubs and a stint with Jordan's national team.

Known for his fiery, disciplined style and leadership, Hassan has long been admired by fans, and in 2024 he took charge of Egypt with the aim of restoring continental prestige and returning to the World Cup.

Hassan hopes to transfer his winning spirit to the next generation, leveraging his vast experience to shape a resilient, ambitious squad.

Punchline

Punchline 1: If they skip the friendly, the ball might finally learn to take a vacation too—without losing its way to the net.

Punchline 2: In football, calendars are stricter than a referee’s whistle—miss a date, and suddenly your career has a long-term injury called “Scheduling.”