Egypt’s first game of the FIFA World Cup 2026 ended in a 1-1 draw against Belgium, with Emam Ashour being crucial for the team. He considered the development of Egyptian football.

Hossam Hassan, the Egyptian coach, was confident his team would strive to honour their country. The team’s performance met his standards, demonstrating drive and focus to leave a long legacy.

Egypt’s first goal of the tournament came from Ashour, who was emotional. It makes me upset, he said, we might have won. Though he drew, he underlined the need to maintain faith and fight.

He praised the dedication of the squad and the vision of his coach. It’s a privilege to wear the Egypt shirt. Strong attitude shown, we battled for our nation and team. For the following games, we will concentrate on enhancements.

Mostafa Shobeir, the goalkeeper, lamented lost opportunities to win. We want to create a significant legacy and hope to reach the knockout round, he added.

Younger players like Hamza Abdelrakim are rising as well. He said, We wanted all three points, but we learned from this match and appreciate the coach’s trust.

Following the draw, Egypt will play New Zealand in Vancouver on June 21.