Former Italy coach Antonio Conte has placed the Arab duo Haitham Hassan and Ayoub Boudi at the top of the list of talents that caught his eye at the World Cup, praising their maturity and character despite their young age, and confirming that they are among the standout discoveries of the tournament.

In a lengthy interview with Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport, Conte opened up about his thoughts on the tournament, discussing its stars and tactical trends. The Italian coach said that despite his temporary absence from the pitch, he never stops following every detail of the game: 'Passion is ingrained in me, and I love studying tactical developments and always keeping up with the latest news.'

Conte paused at the semi-final clash between England and Argentina, which pitted two of the most prominent players he has coached, Harry Kane and Lautaro Martinez, describing Kane as 'a pure striker but also an outstanding playmaker.'

Regarding Martinez, he said: 'There is an Inter Milan with him and another Inter without him. His movement in Argentina's third goal against Egypt was astonishing: he advanced, shielded the ball, gave Enzo Fernández time, then delivered a precise cross—not something you expect from a pure striker. He and Álvarez put the team's interests above everything else.'

When asked which names impressed him most in the tournament, Conte said without hesitation: 'Three players impressed me greatly: Boudi from Morocco, Olay from Ivory Coast, and Hassan from Egypt.'

The Italian coach reserved special praise for the Arab duo, emphasizing that Moroccan Ayoub Boudi showed remarkable tactical maturity, a great ability to link between the lines, and intelligent reading of spaces, while Egyptian Haitham Hassan possesses courage, personality, and the ability to make a difference in the final third thanks to his smart movements and quick decisions.