Former Egyptian Football Association coach Alaa Nabil stated that the exclusion of Mohamed Ismail from the national team roster is, in his opinion, due to the media pressure faced by the Pharaohs' coach, Hossam Hassan.
Nabil, speaking with journalist Sihem Saleh on the program "El Clasico" broadcast on ON E, noted that Hossam Hassan usually does not succumb to such pressures, but he believes that the ongoing media discussion about the player influenced the decision to exclude him from the team.
He added that Mohamed Ismail could have joined the squad if there had not been media pressures related to the coaching staff's decision, according to his perspective.
The Egyptian national football team, led by Hossam Hassan, will face Angola on Friday evening in the first round of the African qualifiers for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
The national team has entered a training camp this September to kick off its continental journey, facing Angola and South Sudan in the first two rounds of the qualifiers on September 25 and 29, followed by a match against South Africa on October 4.
Egypt's Squad for September Camp
The squad includes goalkeepers Mostafa Shobeir, El Mahdi Soliman, Mohamed Alaa, and Abdel Aziz Belhaouti. In defense: Mohamed Hani, Tarek Alaa, Rami Rabia, Mohamed Abdel Monem, Hossam Abdel Meguid, Hamdi Fathy, Ahmed Fattouh, and Karim Hafez. The midfield features Marwan Attia, Mohannad Lashin, Mahmoud Saber, Imam Ashour, Ahmed Sayed Zizo, Ali Mahmoud, Ibrahim Adel, Mostafa Ziko, Haitham Hassan, and star Mohamed Salah. In attack, Omar Marmoush and Hamza Abdel Karim are included.
