Hassan: At Halftime, I Told the Players We Wouldn't Return Unless We Were Determined to Win

Egypt's national football coach, Hossam Hassan, reportedly told his players at halftime against New Zealand that they wouldn't return to the pitch for the second half unless they were determined to secure the victory their fans deserved.

His stern words had the desired effect, as the Egyptians went on to win 3-1, marking their first World Cup victory and topping Group G with four points.

Hassan was under pressure to guide Egypt to their inaugural World Cup win, given the team's previous record of five losses and two draws across their three prior World Cup appearances in 1934, 1990, and 2018 – a statistic that weighed heavily on a nation boasting a record seven Africa Cup of Nations titles.

“At halftime, I told the players we wouldn't go back out unless we were determined to win and draw confidence from the pride we feel from the crowd's support,” Hassan stated.

“We needed time to build confidence, leverage our strengths, and consider the path to the knockout stages, as well as the hard work of previous generations who tried to create these opportunities. I wanted this generation to forge its own future, to define its own path. We also want to continue developing at the national league level and across African football,” the Egyptian national team head coach further commented.

“Mohamed Salah works incredibly hard on the field, and that's something you should know,” Hossam Hassan declared.

“Perhaps I am the first coach to allow him to play in a position that truly suits his abilities and qualities. We've worked on so many things, and I'm sure we'll see even more from him,” the specialist added.

Egypt is set to play their final group stage match of the 2026 World Cup against Iran in Seattle.