The exit of the Egyptian national team from the World Cup was not a fleeting event, but a moment in which emotions mixed among the fans, who experienced both a sense of disappointment at losing the dream of reaching the quarter-finals, and celebration of the honorable performance delivered by the "Pharaohs" in the biggest global football event.

Egypt's national team bid farewell to the World Cup in the Round of 16, after losing 2-3 to Argentina, despite leading by two goals until the 78th minute of the match.

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

Nevertheless, Egyptian fans expressed pride and appreciation for what the players achieved, as they showed a fighting spirit during the matches.

At the official level, Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly praised his country's team during the weekly governmental meeting, saying: "We are proud of you... and we thank you all for the joy and happiness you brought to Egyptians, Arabs, Africans, and people 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 in the largest global football event."

The association added in a statement on Wednesday: "Although the team's journey in the tournament has ended, 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 explained that "what was achieved in this tournament represents an important step in the development journey of Egyptian football, and that the next phase will witness 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 to continue raising Egypt's name in continental and international forums."

In addition, circulating video clips showed Egyptian fans in the United States celebrating the performance of the national team players despite the exit, welcoming them with chants and songs in front of their accommodation, which social media users interacted with.

Another segment of the public expressed that this honorable participation should not be an exception but a norm, considering that qualifying for the World Cup or reaching advanced stages is no longer a wish but has become the normal situation for Egypt.

Celebration of the team's performance continued through numerous calls for 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 losing 2-3 to Argentina (Egyptian Football Association)

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

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

Sports critic Ayman Hariri said, "The praise of Egyptian fans for the team's performance in the World Cup, especially in their exciting match against Argentina, stems from an evolution in public awareness, which saw a positive change in performance and a professional mentality on the pitch, after the 'Pharaohs' bid farewell to the concept of honorable representation and became a force and a rival for everyone in major tournaments, as evidenced by the epic performance they delivered against the Argentine players in the presence of 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 has returned to the fans in their country's team, which makes them look forward to more achievements in the coming years."

For his part, sports critic Ahmed Khairy believes that the Egyptian national team has brought the fans back around it again, after a period of frustration due to successive failures, both technical and administrative, so it was natural for the fans' feelings to mix 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 appreciation for performance, development, and the magnitude of the achievement compared to previous circumstances and ambitions. This is a positive indicator of the evolution 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 taken by the association. He added: "If the association is truly serious about implementing a national project to develop Egyptian football, it must start by transforming the success achieved by the national team in the World Cup into a clear action plan, including developing the youth sector, training coaches, and improving the talent discovery system in various governorates."

He continued: "If the Football Association succeeds in capitalizing on the current public 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. However, 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 worth noting that the Egyptian Football Association confirmed in its statement "its full commitment to defending the rights of the Pharaohs national team after the refereeing injustice it suffered against Argentina," stressing its eagerness to take all procedures permitted by the regulations to preserve fairness and integrity of the competition.