Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan addressed media ahead of the team's opening World Cup 2026 group match against Belgium. He acknowledged Belgium's quality — singling out Doku, De Bruyne and Lukaku — while stressing that his staff has done thorough scouting on every Belgian player.

Hassan insisted the Egyptian threat extends well beyond Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, hinting at lesser-known squad members who could make an impact. The noon kickoff presented a logistical challenge; Egypt specifically scheduled training sessions in Spokane at the same hour to acclimate players to the heat and unusual timing.

Hassan is attending his first World Cup as a coach after playing at Italia 90 alongside assistant Ibrahim Hassan, who was named the tournament's best right back — an experience he says gives the technical staff a calm, informed perspective. Egypt qualified without a defeat and built their preparation through high-profile friendlies against Brazil, Spain, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

The coach declined to promise a specific result but pledged maximum effort, framing the target as progression from the group rather than a single match against Belgium.

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan spoke ahead of the team's opening World Cup 2026 match against Belgium, acknowledging Belgium's quality while insisting Egypt have done their homework on every player — Doku, Lukaku, De Bruyne included. He was careful not to single out Mohamed Salah as the only attacking threat, pointing to Omar Marmoush and a group of younger players he believes will surprise opponents.

Hassan noted that Egypt qualified without a single defeat and have tested themselves against Brazil, Spain, and Russia in recent friendlies. On the noon kickoff, he said the squad adjusted their sleep and pre-match meal routines during training camp in Spokane to match that schedule.

He drew confidence from Qatar's draw with Switzerland and Morocco holding Brazil, arguing football's margins have shifted and no result is certain. The stated goal is the Round of 16, meaning all three group games carry equal weight — not just the Belgium opener.

Hassan declined to make promises on a specific result, but committed to maximum effort from the entire coaching staff and squad.

Egypt head coach Hossam described the draw against Belgium as a significant positive result against one of the World Cup's top contenders, stressing that Egypt dominated long stretches of the match and confined Belgium to their own third for much of the game. He emphasized that Egypt created the clearest chances both before and after Belgium's equalizer, and felt his side deserved more than a point.

Substitutions, including that of Salah, were driven by the heat and tactical freshness needs rather than injury — the coach noted he is ready to make changes as early as five minutes in if required. The successful containment of De Cuyper through Mohamed Hani was the product of detailed video study and positional training drills applied consistently to every opponent.

Egypt's improvement over the past two years — reaching the World Cup and the AFCON final without a defeat — reflects a deliberate system built on squad depth, tactical identity, and collective responsibility rather than reliance on individual stars. The coach highlighted young Hamza Abdel Karim as a future cornerstone of the national team, predicting a prominent role at Barcelona.

All focus now shifts to the match against New Zealand.