Egypt is Africa's oldest national football team and has a rich history marked by both continental dominance and sporadic appearances on the world stage. The team, known as "The Pharaohs," boasts a record seven Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) titles, solidifying its place as one of the continent's footballing powerhouses. However, success at the FIFA World Cup has been more elusive, with only three appearances in the tournament's history.
The first Egyptian national football team was constituted in 1920, the first African football team created to compete in the Summer Olympics in Belgium. The opening match of their campaign was a loss against the Italians. The Egyptian Football Federation was formed the following year and joined the FIFA in 1923. Egypt's home matches have been played at Cairo International Stadium since 1960.
Early World Cup Appearances
Egypt has qualified for the FIFA World Cup three times: in 1934, in 1990 and 2018.In 1934, Egypt defeated Mandatory Palestine to qualify for the World Cup, becoming the first African nation to achieve that. In their only match at the tournament, they lost to Hungary 2-4.
In the qualification process for the 1938 World Cup, Egypt withdrew. They did not enter 1950 qualification. In 1954 qualifying, they faced Italy but failed to qualify.
Africa Cup of Nations Triumphs
Egypt first participated in the first Africa Cup of Nations tournament in 1957. In their first game, a semi-final, they faced Sudan, winning 2-1; Egypt won 4-0 in the final. From 1958 to 1961, the country had a political union with Syria, which saw them play under the name of the United Arab Emirates. FIFA attributes these records to Egypt, as the team consisted solely of Egyptian footballers.
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They withdrew for the 1958, and one year later, Egypt were AFCON champions again. They lost their first final in the Africa Cup of Nations in 1962. In the 1970 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted again in Sudan, Egypt were in Group B along with Ghana, Guinea, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, known as Congo-Kinshasa at the time. In their opening match, Egypt defeated Guinea 4-1 and drew Ghana 1-1, before defeating Congo-Kinshasa 1-0. Egypt topped the group, thus advancing to the next round, where they faced Sudan. Egypt eventually lost their first game in the AFCON by a score of 2-1, then in the third place match, won against Ivory Coast 3-1.
Egypt failed to qualify for the AFCON for the first time in 1972 after being eliminated by Morocco by an aggregate score of 5-3. However, Egypt returned for 1974, hosting the event, eventually finishing in third place. Two years later, in Ethiopia, they were in Group A with the hosts, Guinea, and Uganda. Egypt defeated Uganda 2-1, but drew against Uganda and Ethiopia. Egypt advanced to the final round, and lost all matches. This is the first Africa Cup of Nations tournament that Egypt lost three consecutive games.
Egypt reappeared for the 1980 African Cup of Nations, defeating Ivory Coast and Tanzania, but losing to hosts Nigeria 1-0. In 1986, Egypt hosted; they lost to Senegal 1-0. However, Egypt went on to win their two remaining games in the group stage, 2-0 against the Ivory Coast and Mozambique. Egypt advanced to the final for the first time since 1962, eventually winning.
Egypt won their fourth title in 1998, defeating South Africa in the final. From 2006 to 2010, Egypt established itself as the most successful African team by becoming the first nation to win three consecutive AFCON titles. In the 2006 final, they outlasted the slightly favored Ivory Coast in a penalty shootout, winning 4-2. The following two finals against Cameroon and Ghana both finished 1-0 in favor of Egypt.
AFCON Record
Egypt holds the record for the most Africa Cup of Nations titles, with a total of seven victories:
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- 1957
- 1959
- 1986
- 1998
- 2006
- 2008
- 2010
1990 World Cup
Egypt qualified for the 1990 AFCON, losing all group stage matches, thus making Egypt fail to obtain at least one point for the first time in the Africa Cup of Nations, while appearing in the World Cup that same year. After beating Algeria 1-0 in the playoffs, they were drawn in Group F, with Ireland, England and the Netherlands. They scored only one goal in the tournament; a 1-1 draw with UEFA Euro 1988 champions Netherlands gave the Egyptians their first point in the World Cup.
The team lost both of their matches in the 1992 AFCON. In the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia, Egypt defeated Gabon 4-0 and drew Nigeria 0-0. They lost to Mali 1-0 in the quarterfinals.
2018 World Cup and Beyond
Egypt qualified for the 2004 AFCON in Tunisia, and were placed in Group C with Algeria, Zimbabwe, and Cameroon. The 2006 Africa Cup of Nations was hosted in Egypt; the hosts were in Group A with Libya, Morocco, and the Ivory Coast. On 8 October 2017, Egypt qualified for the 2018 World Cup after topping Group E over Uganda, Ghana and Congo. In 2017, Egypt qualified for their third World Cup by defeating Congo in the final moments, with Mohamed Salah scoring a key penalty.
In the World Cup, Egypt was drawn with Saudi Arabia, Uruguay and the hosts, Russia in Group A. They started their first game against Uruguay, without Salah, who was injured in the UEFA Champions League final. Egypt lost 1-0, and goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy was voted man of the match. He refused the reward due to sponsorship by Budweiser. Salah returned to the starting lineup when Egypt faced hosts Russia. After being down 3-0, Salah scored Egypt's first World Cup goal in 28 years. Egypt's third and final match was a Red Sea derby against Saudi Arabia, also out of contention after two losses. Essam El Hadary became the oldest player in the World Cup at 45 years and 161 days.
In the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, hosts Egypt were knocked out by South Africa in the round of 16, despite three wins in the group stage. In the 2021 Africa Cup, Egypt advanced to the final after dire performances in the group stage and beating Ivory Coast on penalties after a 0-0 draw. Egypt then beat Cameroon 3-1 on penalties after a scoreless draw, to reach their 10th final, beating Ghana's record of final appearances.
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Key Players
Throughout its history, the Egyptian national team has been home to a number of legendary players. Here’s a table showcasing some of the most notable names:
| Player Name | Position | Years Active |
|---|---|---|
| Hossam Hassan | Forward | 1985-2006 |
| Ahmed Hassan | Midfielder | 1995-2012 |
| Essam El-Hadary | Goalkeeper | 1996-2018 |
| Mohamed Salah | Forward | 2011-Present |
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