CAN 2022: the Pharaohs want to win the final and Egyptian hearts
Egyptian Mohamed Salah, during CAN 2022. REUTERS - MOHAMED ABD EL GHANY
Text by: David Kalfa Follow
4 mins
The Egyptian team faces that of Senegal in the final of the 33rd African Cup of Nations (CAN 2022), on Sunday February 6.
In Yaoundé, the Pharaohs aim for an eighth coronation.
He would offer Mohamed Salah's group a love comparable to that which Egyptians devote to the golden generation of Mohamed Aboutreika, crowned in 2006, 2008 and 2010.
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They had sadly left their African Cup of Nations at home.
On July 6, 2019, the Egyptians were ejected in the round of 16 by South Africa.
Stupor and anger had taken hold of Cairo and even of the whole country.
Coach Javier Aguirre had been fired, the president of the Egyptian Federation Hani Abo Rida had tendered his resignation.
As for the players, they had been bombarded with criticism, those who had distinguished themselves during
CAN 2019
by demanding the reinstatement of their partner Amr Warda, accused of sexual harassment.
A comeback
After the defeat against Cameroon in the
2017 CAN
final and Egypt's lackluster participation in the 2018 World Cup (three defeats), it was a lot for its very demanding supporters.
But, fortunately for the Pharaohs, the Egyptians' passion for football and its stars seems limitless.
“
It's a team that still has Mohamed Salah and many players from Al Ahly and Zamalek, the two big clubs in the country
, recalls Amr Fahmy, journalist at beIN.
And then, with Carlos Queiroz
[the current coach, editor's note],
Egypt plays better during the knockout matches than it did with Hector Cuper during CAN 2017
”.
For him, the hiccup of 2019 has been forgiven: “
The team has really changed.
Many new players are at this CAN, like Mohamed Abdelmonem, Omar Kamal, Omar Marmoush, Amr El Solia, Mostafa Mohamed.
»
An analysis shared by Ali Ismail, of
the specialized site King Fut
: “
This generation is becoming more and more popular thanks to this CAN.
Not just because we reached the final (we made it in 2017 and nobody was happy with the selection).
But also because for the first time in a long time we see players from the Egyptian national team giving their all on the pitch and playing convincingly.
»
The heavy legacy of the Aboutreika generation
Still, if the Pharaohs are making a resounding comeback, they have not yet reached the degree of popularity of the golden generation led by Hassan Shehata, crowned African champion in 2006, 2008 and 2010. “
The first reason, it is obviously the fact that this team from Egypt has won three CANs in a row, which will probably never be achieved again by any other nation
, believes Ali Ismail.
The second reason was their style of play, because they had accustomed us to a very attractive/attacking style of football, which the current generation cannot do.
Third and most important: team spirit.
Aboutreika's generation was made up mainly of local players
.
A generation that has frustrated, even sometimes humiliated the Cameroon of Samuel Eto'o and the Ivory Coast of Didier Drogba, or is on a par with the Brazil of Kaka and Robinho.
"
What they did was apparently impossible on paper
," continues Ali Ismail.
And it is above all thanks to their chemistry on and off the pitch that the Egyptians loved them so much
”.
Win CAN 2022 and/or qualify for the 2022 World Cup
"
Aboutreika's generation is impossible to reproduce
" , slips Amr Fahmy.
We can't have another team like this.
Besides, the comparisons have stopped because the public knows well that each generation is different
”.
But when the polyglot reporter is asked if the Salah generation can become as popular as that of Aboutreika, he smiles: “
If we win the cup against Senegal, 'yes'!
»
And, in the worst case, Salah and his band will be entitled to a second chance to conquer hearts, in March: they will face the Senegalese in the play-offs for the 2022 World Cup. They can thus play their second World Cup in a row.
Aboutreika and company have never taken part in a single World Cup, they…
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