Thousands of fans welcomed the Egyptian national football team upon its return from participating in the World Cup in North America, after achieving a historic feat by reaching the round of 16 for the first time in its history, before exiting the tournament with a loss to defending champions Argentina.

Thousands of Egyptians gathered outside Al-Alamein International Airport on the North Coast to welcome the national team players and coaching staff, waving national flags and banners celebrating this achievement, which came in Egypt's fourth appearance at the World Cup finals.

One banner read 'Egypt's men have honored us,' while others held pictures of Mohamed Salah, the team captain, with the word 'Thank you' written on them. Large images of national coach Hossam Hassan wrapped in the Palestinian flag also appeared, celebrating his supportive stance for the Palestinian cause.

The team's all-time top scorer had raised the Palestinian flag and paraded it around the stadium on more than one occasion during the tournament, and also defended Palestinian rights during press conferences.

Egyptian television networks broadcast the moment the team's plane arrived at the airport, accompanied by national songs and chants. The team boarded an open-top bus, and the players waved to the fans and exchanged greetings before the bus set off in a celebratory procession.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi will receive the national team, the coaching staff, and the administrative staff tomorrow, Saturday.

Egypt moved the team's reception ceremony to New Alamein to promote the area, which it relies on to attract more investments and tourists, as well as for ease of security, with thousands expected to come to greet the team.

Egypt may have left the tournament feeling somewhat wronged by some refereeing decisions it considered favorable to Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, after losing a painful 3-2 match in the round of 16.

Egypt had been leading 2-0 until the final ten minutes, but ended its participation with a sense of pride after its best-ever run in the history of the finals.

The Egyptian Football Association had preempted the delegation's return by announcing the renewal of the contracts of Hossam Hassan and his brother Ibrahim Hassan, in order to 'complete the technical project of the national team and build on the historic achievements made for Egyptian football in the recent period.'

The association did not disclose the duration of the new contract, but local reports said it would extend until 2030. Hossam Hassan had previously stated that he had been working with the national team without a formal contract since February 2026.

Hossam Hassan (59) took charge of the Egyptian national team in February 2024, leading it to the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, in addition to qualifying for the 2026 World Cup for the first time in eight years.

After becoming the first Egyptian to participate in the World Cup as both a player and a coach, Hossam Hassan led his country to a win over New Zealand in Group G matches, with Egypt finishing second and qualifying for the knockout rounds for the first time. Then they beat Australia on penalties in the round of 32, setting up a meeting with Argentina in a match aimed at reaching the quarter-finals.

But the Egyptian team squandered a 2-0 lead with 11 minutes left in the match, conceding three goals and exiting the tournament despite delivering its best performance in World Cup history. During his tenure with the national team, Hossam Hassan achieved 20 wins, six losses, and nine draws.

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