Ahmed Shobier, former Egypt national team goalkeeper, recalled his memories of participating in the 1990 World Cup in Italy, and spoke about his son Mustafa's brilliance in the current World Cup, the comparisons between them, and his hope that his country would continue its historic run in the tournament.

Egypt's national team is preparing to face Australia in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, after the team qualified for the knockout stages of the tournament for the first time in its history, following a second-place finish in Group Seven, which also included Belgium, Iran, and New Zealand.

Mustafa Shobier guarded Egypt's goal in all three group stage matches in the current World Cup, which saw the team win 3-1 over New Zealand, and draw 1-1 with both Belgium and Iran. It is worth noting that the global website 'Transfermarkt' selected the 'Pharaohs' goalkeeper in the ideal lineup for the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.

In an interview with the official website of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), Shobier said: 'The 1990 finals remain one of the greatest milestones in my career and its memories are wonderful, but the hardest part for me was not the participation in the tournament; it was qualifying for it.'

Shobier, who played Egypt's three matches in the Italian World Cup against the Netherlands, Ireland, and England, added: 'We faced Algeria in the final round of qualifiers, and they were a very strong opponent. We managed to score a difficult goal just four minutes into the match at Cairo International Stadium, then we endured tough moments for long periods until the referee blew the final whistle.'

He explained: 'As for the World Cup itself, I believe we were close to qualifying for the second round at least, but lack of experience played a role in not achieving that.'

Egypt had drawn 1-1 with the Netherlands - then European champions - and 0-0 with Ireland in the first two matches, before losing 0-1 to England in the final round.

Shobier noted: 'The England match in particular remains the most engraved in my memory, because it is one of the best matches I played in my career. But unfortunately, I cannot forget the mistake I made in dealing with one of the crosses, before England defender Mark Wright headed it, hitting our defender Hisham Yakan and going into the net. Every time I remember that moment, I feel sad.'

He continued: 'On the other hand, what makes me happiest is the great appreciation I received during the tournament; the selections of several newspaper polls placed me among the best goalkeepers in all group stage matches. These are beautiful memories that I cannot forget.'

Asked whether he had ever imagined that the name Shobier would appear in the World Cup again after 36 years, and in the same position, the Egyptian media personality replied: 'That never crossed my mind at all. Yes, I knew that Mustafa Shobier is a good goalkeeper with great potential, but I did not expect my name to be repeated in the tournament after all these years, and in the same position.'

Regarding his feelings when watching his son guarding the 'Pharaohs' goal in the current World Cup, Shobier revealed: 'By nature, I do not show my emotions; I keep them inside. But at that moment, many feelings mixed inside me. Pride, honor, happiness, love, crying, and anxiety.'

He noted: 'I admit that anxiety and tension were greater than my feeling of fear for him, because I know the size of the responsibility and pressure that the Egypt national team goalkeeper bears. But Mustafa is a competent person and handles responsibility well.'

Shobier revealed: 'Mustafa's brilliance against Belgium did not surprise me; after he performed excellently in the two friendly matches against Spain and Brazil, I felt he would have a good tournament. As for the comparison between us, I do not like it, whether as a father or a former goalkeeper.'

He affirmed: 'Football has changed a lot between 1990 and 2026, science and technology have entered, and the requirements of the goalkeeper position are completely different. Therefore, I see that Mustafa is certainly much better than me. He is a great goalkeeper with a distinct vision of the field, and he plays better with his feet, and he also has great confidence.'

Regarding the advice he made sure to give his son in the World Cup, Shobier explained: 'I don't say much; I always suffice with one word: (Enjoy). I repeat it constantly, whether before local league matches or in the World Cup as well. I always pray for him and ask him to enjoy football, because I believe that when a player enjoys what he does on the field, he shows his best.'

Shobier stressed: 'I hope Mustafa keeps a clean sheet, especially in the upcoming match against Australia. I also hope the match does not go to penalty kicks, because they are exhausting and difficult for all of us.'

He affirmed: 'Of course, I hope he achieves a greater achievement than I did. If he plays against Australia, he will become the goalkeeper with the most appearances for Egypt in the history of the tournament, having played 4 matches. I wish him and any goalkeeper representing the team success.'

Shobier was the only Egyptian goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in the match against Ireland at the 1990 World Cup.

He hinted: 'I expected Egypt to qualify for the knockout stages, because the team includes high-level players with great potential. Therefore, I was confident in their ability to qualify, and I hope they continue their journey and achieve more achievements.'

Shobier concluded his statements by saying: 'I expect that the match against Australia will be difficult, not technically, but the biggest challenge will be physical, given the physical strength of the Australian players. However, I trust our players and their ability to play a good match and achieve qualification, and I wish them success.'

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