New Zealand match offers historic chance for Egyptian football, former captains say

CAIRO: Egypt’s upcoming World Cup 2026 match against New Zealand presents a golden opportunity to make history, according to former team captains.

The two sides are scheduled to meet on Monday in Vancouver, Canada in Group G with Egypt on one point after their draw against Uruguay, and New Zealand also on a single point after their 2-2 draw with Iran.

A victory for Egypt would bring several historical landmarks: first, it would be their first World Cup win in 92 years, and second, it would secure their place in the knockout stages for the first time in their history.

Several former Egyptian national team captains and experts revealed to Arab News their confidence in the Egyptian team’s ability to win, provided they continue to maintain the level of performance they displayed in their first match against Belgium.

“I wasn’t surprised by the strong performance of the Egyptian national team in the match against Belgium. Our coach, Hossam Hassan, has a great ability to utilize the players, so we were better than Belgium and we deserved to win,” Taher Abu Zeid, former minister of sports and one of Egypt’s previous captains, said to Arab News.

He confirmed that all the players displayed their best technical performance, and if they maintain this level of performance at the next match, they will advance to the knockout stages.

Ismail Youssef, who captained the Egyptian national team at the 1990 World Cup in Italy — and is nicknamed “Tigana,” — advised the national team players to focus on the New Zealand match and the threat the opponents bring.

He said: “The players must be aware of set pieces and corner kicks, as New Zealand are known for their aerial strength and tall players. our coach, Hossam Hassan, has a great