While praise poured in for Egypt's head coach Hossam Hassan and his players after they succeeded in reaching the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, the ceiling of ambitions rose among the Egyptian public, who were not content with celebrating the current achievement but raised the bar of their dreams even higher.

Egypt qualified for the round of 16 for the first time, after defeating Australia 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw in regular and extra time. It was the Pharaohs' first victory in knockout rounds in their World Cup history.

Athletes and analysts praised the Egyptian achievement, affirming that Hossam Hassan succeeded in restoring the fighting spirit to the team despite the challenges and injuries faced by the players.

Social media platforms in Egypt witnessed widespread celebration by users of the technical staff and players, with the name of head coach Hossam Hassan topping the trending list, along with several of his players, most notably Mohamed Salah, Haitham Hassan, Mohamed Hany, and Emam Ashour.

Tweeters praised the abilities of player Haitham Hassan in his first World Cup appearance, and the experience of Pharaohs captain Mohamed Salah, and his penalty kick in Panenka style. Despite criticism directed at right-back Mohamed Hany for an own goal, many praised his performance throughout the match and tournament.

Fans expressed pride in the national team, praising the technical staff's ability to overcome difficulties and reach this advanced stage of the tournament.

Egypt's national team and technical staff celebrate the win (Egyptian Football Association)

Many fans also affirmed that the team is capable of competing with the big teams again if it continues with the same tactical performance shown during the tournament.

While some fans considered reaching the round of 16 a 'dream come true,' others expressed their dreams of more success and achievement in the tournament, surpassing the next rounds to go as far as possible.

The Pharaohs will face Argentina next Tuesday, July 7, in the round of 16 of the World Cup. This match was anticipated by fans even before the Australia match and occupied part of their comments; they demanded maintaining the same fighting spirit against Messi and his teammates to ensure continuity in the tournament.

Sports critic Mustafa Saber considered the praise for Hossam Hassan and the players 'deserved' because the team did not just achieve a victory, but 'achieved a historic achievement by reaching the round of 16 of the World Cup for the first time.'

He added to Asharq Al-Awsat: 'Egypt showed a strong character in the Australia match, especially in handling penalty kicks after years in which they were a clear weakness. I believe the team proved it can continue, but competition for further rounds requires technical stability and continuation of the same spirit.'

The technical staff of Egypt's national team received great praise after reaching the round of 16 of the World Cup (Egyptian Football Association)

Saber points out that the match against Argentina will be completely different technically and mentally: 'It is necessary to stop the danger of Argentina's stars and reduce the spaces between the lines because they are adept at exploiting any defensive mistake. Players must also not be physically exhausted after the Australia match that extended to 120 minutes. Most importantly, the mentality must change so that players enter any match with the aim of winning, regardless of the opponent's name, and not just settle for an honorable performance.'

For her part, sports critic Rania Abdel Wahab believes that what Egyptians are experiencing today cannot be reduced to a match result or qualification to a new round; rather, it is a full restoration of their right to dream, after three previous World Cup participations that left no memorable achievements.

She adds to Asharq Al-Awsat: 'This team seems like a phenomenon that is hard to explain by numbers alone; a group of players brought an entire people back to dreaming, and perhaps they themselves were in dire need of this dream. We feel their ambitions on the field are greater than the ambitions of millions of Egyptians watching from behind screens.'

She continues: 'Hossam Hassan was the first to believe in this team. He believed in himself and his players, and relied on national spirit and unity around the Egyptian jersey as two weapons no less important than any tactical plan or technical superiority. He created an exceptional atmosphere inside the camp, the effect of which spilled over into the Egyptian street. The team once again became the talk of homes, cafes, and squares, and Egyptians returned to eagerly awaiting the next match with the same passion that many thought had disappeared forever.'

Regarding the Argentina match, the sports critic points out that this encounter 'requires neither excessive confidence nor killing the fans' enthusiasm with calls for excessive realism. What is needed is for these feelings and ambitions to be transformed into energy on the field and perseverance until the last moment.'

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