Egypt’s Hossam Hassan reveals AFCON 2025 ambitions
Egyptian football legend and current coach of the record African champions, Hossam Hassan has revealed his side wants to win the CAF TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations 2025 in Morocco and has what it takes to achieve that.
Speaking during an exclusive interview to CAFonline.com, the three-time AFCON winner was emphatic about the plans of the record champions and insisted they have the knowhow to go all the way, even if they have not won the coveted trophy since 2010.
Cafonline.com : You were a great player, winning three Africa Cup of Nations titles. How do you pass that winning spirit on to your team?
Hossam Hassan : Everyone in the Egyptian national team already has a winning mentality, which is fantastic. Thank God, I managed to win titles with the Egyptian national team as a player in 1998, 2006, and 2008. We will do everything possible to reach the top and lift the trophy again this year. Achieving that requires tremendous effort from every member of the team. Egypt is always among the favourites in any competition because of its rich history, particularly in the Africa Cup of Nations, where we hold the record with seven titles.
What are Egypt’s ambitions in Morocco this year?
As I said, we always play to win, which demands a lot from the players. The Egyptian squad has top players at both club and national level, and they are highly motivated for this championship.
What do you think of your Group B opponents?
I have great respect and admiration for them. All teams in the group are strong and have important, professional players. African football has developed a lot in recent years, but we will give our all to win the title and make the Egyptian people happy.”
How do you view the evolution of the Africa Cup of Nations?
“I thank CAF and its committees for their work in developing the tournament, both in terms of marketing and technical standards. African football has improved greatly in recent years, and all countries are striving to perform well in the continent’s premier championship. Egypt has notably hosted some of the most successful editions to date. Morocco also has tremendous organisational potential, and I am confident it will deliver an exceptional tournament.”
What message would you like to send to Egyptian fans?
“I thank our fans for their continuous support of the national team, and God willing, we will do everything possible to lift the trophy. The Egyptian national team has always been a source of joy for supporters, and we promise to give our all to make them proud.”
The narrow misses in 2017 and 2021 should certainly be serve as a springboard for this generation of Egyptian players hoping to right the wrong with the help of coach Hossam.