Ahmed Hassan, a four-time AFCON champion, expressed his frustration following Egypt’s disappointing exit in the round of 16 of the 2023 AFCON. The Pharaohs’ campaign came to a catastrophic end as they lost to DR Congo on penalties.

Throughout the tournament, Egypt failed to secure a victory in any of their games, managing only four draws during the regular 90 minutes of play. The team’s lackluster results and performances have faced criticism from local pundits, with Ahmed Hassan being the latest to slam head coach Rui Vitoria for Egypt’s display against DR Congo.

In an interview on DMC, Hassan lamented the situation, stating, “It’s a sad day for Egyptian football.” He expressed his perception that the team was under immense pressure, especially during the 120 minutes of play.

Hassan pointed out the various issues plaguing Egypt’s performance in the tournament, stating, “So many things have gone wrong for us in this tournament, and we got what we deserved given the way we played.” He highlighted the team’s reliance on penalties, citing three draws against what he referred to as “third and fourth-tier teams.”

Calling for solutions, Hassan emphasized the need to address the recurring problems from the start of the tournament. He critiqued the team’s performances as “very strange” and noted a consistent dependence on individual quality. The football legend concluded by expressing the urgency for the Egyptian national team to find effective solutions for future competitions.