Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi awarded the national team players and members of the technical and administrative staff the Medal of Merit and honorary decorations, in recognition of their heroic performance and high technical level during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the determination and discipline they displayed.

This came during el-Sisi's reception today in New Alamein City of the Pharaohs' national team players and the technical and administrative staff.

A commemorative photo was taken gathering the president with the players and the technical and administrative staff. In a speech he delivered during the meeting, el-Sisi affirmed his pride and appreciation for the honorable performance of the national team, noting that this positive impression prevailed among Egyptians, Arab countries, Egyptian and Arab communities abroad, and the world.

The Egyptian president praised the high values upheld by the team, considering that what was achieved is the fruit of effort and sincerity in the name of Egypt. He pointed out that sports are not only about winning and losing, but the most important thing is the people's respect for what the team has presented, stressing that the team represented Egypt's youth honorably and created an atmosphere of joy among citizens during the tournament.

El-Sisi highlighted the performance of the national team, which reflected the Egyptians' ability to succeed, stressing the Egyptian people's love for sports and football, and their possession of many talents capable of reaching the level of current stars. He called for 'impartial scouts' to discover young talents, affirming the state's readiness to support competencies and give them opportunities, in addition to supporting the national technical staff.

He concluded his speech by emphasizing the importance of continuing hard work and effort, maintaining sportsmanship, and building new generations of players to build on the achieved success. The meeting concluded with lunch with the national team players and the technical and administrative staff, where the players expressed their gratitude for the meeting and the president's appreciation, affirming their determination to continue working hard to achieve further accomplishments.

He again expressed his thanks and appreciation to the national team, noting that the Egyptian people expect more from the team in the future.