The Egyptian national team's exit from the World Cup was not a passing event, but a moment of mixed emotions for the fans, who felt both disappointment at losing the dream of reaching the quarterfinals and pride in the honorable performance delivered by the 'Pharaohs' on the world's biggest football stage.

Egypt exited the World Cup in the round of 16 after a 3-2 loss to Argentina, despite leading by two goals until the 78th minute.

The 'dramatic' exit scenario left Egyptian fans disappointed, as hopes were pinned on achieving a historic feat beyond the round of 16. This feeling was deepened by the refereeing decisions and VAR technology during the match, which became a focal point of criticism in global media and social media platforms.

Nevertheless, Egyptian fans expressed pride and honor in what the players gave, who did not hold back in showing fighting spirit during the matches.

On the official level, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly praised his country's team during the weekly cabinet meeting, saying: 'We are proud of you... and we thank you all for the joy and happiness you brought to Egyptians, Arabs, Africans, and various countries around the world.'

For its part, the Egyptian Football Association saluted the technical, administrative, and medical staff and the players of the national team, 'who delivered an honorable performance and reflected the spirit and determination of Egyptian football, and were the best ambassadors for Egypt at the world's biggest football event.'

The association added in a statement on Wednesday: 'Despite the end of the team's journey in the tournament, the pride in what our players have achieved will remain, as they showed commitment and a fighting spirit that earned everyone's respect, and presented an honorable image of Egyptian football.'

The statement clarified that 'what was achieved in this tournament represents an important step in the development of Egyptian football, and that the next phase will see continued work, in cooperation with state institutions, to implement a comprehensive national project to develop football, expand the base of practice, discover talents, and build new generations that continue to raise Egypt's name in continental and international forums.'

Meanwhile, circulated video clips showed Egyptian fans in the United States celebrating the performance of the national team players despite the exit, as they greeted them with chants and songs in front of the residence, which social media users interacted with.

Another segment of the public expressed their rejection of this honorable participation being just an exception, but rather a norm, considering that qualifying for the World Cup or reaching advanced stages is no longer a dream but has become the natural state for Egypt.

The celebration of the team's performance continued through many calls demanding the renewal of head coach Hossam Hassan's contract to lead the 'Pharaohs' until the 2030 World Cup.

Egypt's national team bid farewell to the World Cup in the round of 16 after a 3-2 loss to Argentina (Egyptian Football Association)

Many considered that the image the team presented represents an important step in the development of Egyptian football, and that it should be the foundation for what is to come.

In this context, others interacted with the Egyptian Football Association's statement, noting that the achievement places double responsibility on the association, and that the public expects real actions to develop Egyptian football.

Sports critic Ayman Haridi said, 'The Egyptian fans' praise for the team's performance in the World Cup, especially in its thrilling match against Argentina, stems from a development in public awareness that saw a positive change in performance and a professional mentality on the pitch, after the "Pharaohs" left behind the concept of honorable representation and their presence in major tournaments became a show of strength and competitiveness for all, as evidenced by the epic they delivered against the Argentine players with their leader Messi.'

He added to Asharq Al-Awsat: 'The technical development of the Egyptian national team and its reflection on the fans, who described the players as heroes, confirms that confidence in their national team has returned among the fans, which makes them await more achievements in the coming years.'

For his part, sports critic Ahmed Khairy believes that the Egyptian national team brought the fans back together again after a period of frustration due to successive failures, both technical and administrative, so it was natural for the fans' feelings to be mixed between sadness and pride.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat: 'I think this variation in reactions reflects a degree of football maturity among Egyptian fans. The evaluation of the team is no longer linked only to the final result, but there is now an appreciation of performance, development, and the magnitude of the achievement compared to previous circumstances and ambitions. This is a positive indicator of the development of football awareness among a large segment of fans.'

Regarding the Egyptian Football Association's statement on expanding the base of practice and building new generations, Khairy points out that the real measure of these statements will be the practical steps the association will take. He continued: 'If the association is truly serious about implementing a national project to develop Egyptian football, it must begin by turning the success achieved by the national team in the World Cup into a clear action plan, including developing the youth sector, qualifying coaches, and improving the talent discovery system in various governorates.'

He continued: 'If the football association succeeds in investing the current fan momentum to launch a real and sustainable project to develop the game, it will have turned the moral achievement into a strategic gain for the future. But if things stop at the level of statements, the state of optimism will quickly dissipate, and the fans will return to the cycle of frustration they experienced in previous years.'

It is noteworthy that the Egyptian Football Association affirmed in its statement 'its full commitment to defending the rights of the Pharaohs team after the refereeing injustice it suffered against Argentina,' stressing its keenness to take all procedures permitted by the regulations to preserve justice and the integrity of competition.