Egypt fans rally behind World Cup team before Argentina test

Egypt’s men’s national football team will face defending champions Argentina in Atlanta on Tuesday, a match that has turned the country’s first World Cup knockout run into a national moment. Al Jazeera reported that streets, cafes and public spaces across Egypt filled with flags, music and debate as fans prepared for the round-of-16 fixture.

The match follows Egypt’s round-of-32 win over Australia on Friday, which sent the team into new territory at the tournament. According to Al Jazeera, the run has lifted expectations around the side coached by Hossam Hassan and captained by Mohamed Salah.

In Cairo and Giza, fans discussed tactics and predictions in cafes, workplaces, markets and on public transport, Al Jazeera reported. The broadcaster described cars and balconies decorated with Egyptian flags, while cafes were set up for large crowds to watch the game.

Fans see a chance to extend a historic run

Ragab Mohamed, a construction contractor, told Al Jazeera that reaching the round of 16 was an achievement Egyptians could take pride in. Another fan, identified as Mahmoud, said while watching Brazil’s exit against Norway at a cafe in Giza’s Hadayek October area that Egypt had impressed during the tournament.

Mahmoud singled out Salah and Emam Ashour for praise, and said Hassan had been an unexpected strength for the team, according to Al Jazeera. He said the players had already given Egyptians reason to be proud, whatever happens against Argentina.

Adham Adel, a doctor in Giza, compared Egypt’s campaign with Morocco’s run at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Al Jazeera reported. Adel said he wanted Egypt to go further and reach the quarterfinals.

Vendors have also responded to the surge in attention. Al Jazeera reported that sellers of flags, whistles and other Egypt-themed items were active on squares and main roads, including Al-Haram Street in Giza, where Masoud al-Sayed said the mood reminded him of the era of Hassan Shehata’s national team.

Shehata coached Egypt during a dominant African run, when the team won three straight Africa Cup of Nations titles from 2006 to 2010, according to Al Jazeera. Fans cited by the broadcaster said the current side had revived a level of enthusiasm that had been missing for years.

Argentina remain the hardest opponent yet

Supporters interviewed by Al Jazeera acknowledged the scale of the task against Argentina. Mahmoud Rabie said the fixture would be Egypt’s most difficult match of the tournament, but argued that Hassan’s team had shown enough mental strength to make an upset possible.

Some fans pointed to goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir as a reason for confidence if the match goes to penalties, Al Jazeera reported. Others said the presence of Salah and Omar Marmoush gave Egypt attacking quality capable of troubling elite opponents.

Al Jazeera also reported that Hassan’s public support for Palestine after the Australia match added political weight to the occasion for some fans. The broadcaster said Israeli media criticized Hassan and the Egyptian team, while Israeli influencers urged people in Israel to back Argentina.

In Alexandria, Egypt’s second-largest city, Al Jazeera reported that flags lined the seafront and children carried national colors. One 11-year-old fan, Raghad, wore an Al Ahly shirt with Ashour’s number 22 and planned to watch the Argentina match at a cafe with her father.

For Egypt supporters, the game in Atlanta is both a test against the reigning world champions and a measure of how far Hassan’s team can take a campaign that has already changed expectations. Al Jazeera reported that millions of fans are expected to watch from cafes and streets across the country.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.