Egypt coach Hossam Hassan sets sights on eighth TotalEnergies CAF AFCON title

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has declared his ambition to guide the Pharaohs to a record-extending eighth TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title as they prepare to compete in Morocco.

Speaking after Monday night’s draw in Rabat, Hassan emphasized the quality of his squad and the responsibility they bear as one of the tournament’s most successful nations.

Egypt, seven-time AFCON champions, have been drawn into Group B, where they will face South Africa, Angola, and Zimbabwe.

The group presents a mix of familiar foes, with Egypt holding a long-standing rivalry with South Africa, dating back to AFCON 1996, when Bafana Bafana won their first and only title at Egypt’s expense.

Zimbabwe, returning for their sixth AFCON appearance, and Angola, who reached the quarter-finals in 2008 and 2010, will also be aiming to make an impact.

The Pharaohs will play their group matches in Morocco, a country believes will provide the right conditions for a successful campaign.

“This Africa Cup of Nations is going to go well because the infrastructure in Morocco is superb,” he stated, praising the facilities provided by the host nation.

“We’re delighted to be one of the qualified teams, and we want to win the eighth title,” said Hassan.

Egypt’s hopes will largely rest on Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, regarded as one of Africa’s greatest players.

Alongside him, Omar Marmoush, who has been making waves following his recent move to Manchester City, is expected to play a crucial role in Egypt’s attack.

“We have been lucky enough to have Mo Salah, one of the best players in the world. I’m delighted to have players like him and [Omar] Marmoush. We want to honour the fans and Egyptian football here in Morocco.”

Despite their historic dominance, Egypt has not lifted the AFCON trophy since 2010, when Hassan Shehata led the team to a third consecutive title.

Since then, the record champions have come close but fallen short, including losing two finals in 2017 and 2021.

For Hassan, a former Egyptian legend now managing the national team, the mission is clear: to restore Egypt to the top of African football.

“We have won the championship thanks to the great players who have represented this country throughout history,” he said.

“Now, we have another great team with Salah and Marmoush. Their presence is a positive pressure on the squad, and I promise Egyptian fans that we will see many talented players shine at this AFCON.”

With the top two teams from each group and four best third-placed teams advancing to the knockout stage, Egypt’s primary goal will be securing qualification from Group B before targeting the latter stages of the tournament.

Potential match-ups in the round of 16 could see Egypt face the likes of Senegal or Cote d'Ivoire, two of the continent’s heavyweights. However, Hassan remains focused on the task at hand.

“We respect all our opponents, but our focus is on playing strong, disciplined football,” he said. “We want to bring the AFCON trophy back to Egypt.”

With 11 months to prepare, Egypt will be one of the teams to watch when the tournament kicks off on December 21, 2025.