Rabat — Legendary former Egypt captain Ahmed Hassan has praised the organisation and rising standards of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, describing the tournament as “top-notch” as Africa’s flagship football competition continues to gain momentum following the successful completion of Match Day One.
Hassan, a four-time Africa Cup of Nations winner, is in Morocco in his role as a CAF Ambassador, bringing his vast experience and insight to a tournament he once dominated with the Pharaohs.
“The organisation has been excellent,” Hassan told CAFOnline in an exclusive interview. “Our Moroccan brothers have done a fantastic job. From a technical point of view, the level of play is improving with every match, and you can see teams getting stronger on the pitch. Overall, everything has been going very well.”
Widely regarded as one of Africa’s greatest footballers, Hassan was a central figure in Egypt’s historic AFCON hat-trick triumphs in 2006, 2008 and 2010. Reflecting on that golden era, he emphasised the importance of unity, mentality and pride in wearing the national jersey—qualities he believes remain crucial for success at the highest level.
“We had immense passion for the Egyptian jersey and a deep understanding of what it meant to represent the national team,” he said. “That made a huge difference. Winning also gives you a psychological advantage—once you start lifting trophies, you want more. Our group was constantly motivated to compete and to win.”
Hassan acknowledged the quality within Egypt’s current squad, noting their near-misses in recent finals in 2017 and 2021, while stressing that collective strength will be key to reclaiming continental glory.
“This generation is very talented and has many outstanding players,” he said. “They came close but were unfortunate not to win the title. The opportunity is still there, and I am proud to have been part of the generation that won three successive AFCON titles.”
While Mohamed Salah continues to lead Egypt as one of world football’s biggest stars, Hassan cautioned against overreliance on individual brilliance.
“Salah is a world-class player, without question, but football is a team sport,” he noted. “Success comes when everyone plays for the jersey, for the team and for the country.”
The CAF Ambassador also highlighted the growing influence of forward Omar Marmoush, describing him as a key creative threat capable of unlocking tight matches.
Looking ahead to Egypt’s Group B clash against South Africa on Friday—six years after the Pharaohs were eliminated by the same opponents on home soil—Hassan expressed confidence in his former side.
“The next game against South Africa will be tough—they are a strong team—but we are still Egypt,” he said. “If we are worried about them, they should be a hundred times more worried about us.”
Egypt face South Africa on Friday at 16:00 at the Grande Stade d’Agadir in a crucial Group B encounter.
