Javier Aguirre believes that Egypt can compete with the very best despite the national team’s dismal performance at the World Cup.
On Thursday the Mexican was announced as Hector Cuper’s successor as boss of the Pharaohs — the Argentine axed after he led Egypt to three defeats in Russia, leaving them bottom of Group A, one of the weakest groups in the tournament.
Aguirre officially started his duties on Friday as he attended his first Egyptian Premier League match in the opening round of fixtures of the new season; a 1-1 draw between Al-Ahly and Ismaili.
The former coach of Mexico, Japan and Atletico Madrid was impressed with what he saw and declared that the game in the country is in a healthy state.
“Egyptian football is one of the best, if not the best, in Africa,” Aguirre said. “The Egyptian team is capable of competing against any team.”
Egyptian football fans are still coming to terms with the poor showing at the World Cup. The Pharaohs went into the tournament on a high and fancied to make it through to the knockout stages for the first time in their history. But the media circus over Mohamed Salah’s fitness and losses to Uruguay, Russia and Saudi Arabia condemned them to bottom place in Group A and left many thoughts as to what might have been.
It was no surprise that Cuper, appointed to take over Uzbekistan on the same day his successor was confirmed in Cairo, did not have his contract extended.
“Egypt did not show what they are capable of at the World Cup but they did not have any luck either,” said Aguirre who will receive a bonus of $500,000 if he leads Egypt to the 2022 World Cup and will also be rewarded in the event off an African Cup of Nations title next year.
With the domestic season kicking off, the new man is looking forward to seeing plenty of local talent in action over the coming weeks.
“We have a very good base founded by Hector Cuper and we will definitely choose from that base,” Aguirre said. “Now in front of me is the opportunity to see many of my players. I will also be watching many videos as I look to build my squad and this has to start now, especially as we have a game next month.”
On Sept. 7, Aguirre, who will be given an Egyptian assistant next week, gets his first taste of action with a vital African Cup of Nations qualifier against Niger. After a loss to Tunisia in the opening qualifier in June last year, there is pressure on Aguirre to start with a win.
Not only that but the new boss has been told that he will not get the one thing that most coaches dream of and deem necessary to achieve success on the international stage — more time with the players. Amer Hussein, the head of the competitions committee at the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) said last week that there will be little room in the schedule of the Egyptian Premier League for friendlies or team gatherings over the next few months.
“Aguirre may request more with the squad but it is unlikely to happen,” an official at the EFA told Arab News. “The games are coming very quickly at home. He can watch many games but he will not get much time to spend with the players.”
While Cuper’s tenure may have ended on a sour note, the experienced Argentine did deliver success during his time.
“Overall Cuper was a successful coach and took Egypt to the final of the 2017 African Nations Cup and then a first World Cup for 28 years,” said the official.
While there is a demand for something similar from the new man, there are also expectations that Aguirre will bring a different style to team from his predecessor. Frustration among fans in Russia with Cuper’s defensive tactics reached a boiling point after the three defeats. Aguire has already indicated that he will not follow Cuper’s defense-first philosophy.
“I respect the way he played but my way of playing is completely different,” Aguirre said. “There will be a total change in the way of thinking and a strong pressing of the opposition when the ball is lost.
“I have great dreams and ambitions for Egypt.”
Javier Aguirre sets sights on putting smile back on face of Egypt national team
Javier Aguirre sets sights on putting smile back on face of Egypt national team
- The Mexican has promised Egypt will not produce the drab, defence-first football of Hector Cuper's time as coach
- First priority is qualification for next year's African Cup of Nations
‘20 years of engagement’ — inaugural Formula 4 championship success signals bright future for motorsport in Saudi Arabia
- Peter Thompson, founder of the Formula 4 Saudi Arabian Championship and Meritus.GP team principal, spoke about the Kingdom’s first motorsport academy and his hopes for the future
RIYADH: Last year welcomed the inaugural season of the FIA-certified Aramco Formula 4 Saudi Arabian Championship.
The series, which aims to provide the first step on the ladder towards Formula 1, was the culmination of years of collaboration between various investors and partners, led by the Kingdom’s first motorsport academy, Meritus.GP.
The championship’s mission?
To produce local driving talent, strengthen Saudi national race engineering capabilities and advance motorsport in alignment with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
Five Saudi drivers emerged, with standout victories by Omar Al-Dereyaan and Faisal Al-Kabbani, both from Riyadh. Other graduates included race winner Oscar Wurz, who has since won the 2025 Central European Formula 4 Championship.
Arab News spoke with Peter Thompson, founder of Formula 4 Saudi Arabia and Meritus.GP, about the season’s success and his hopes for the future.
How did Meritus.GP build the Formula 4 Saudi Arabian Championship?
The Formula 4 Saudi Arabian Championship was the result of more than 20 years of engagement, exploration and groundwork in Saudi Arabia, in anticipation of a potential FIA-certified junior single-seater championship in the Kingdom.
Long before the first Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, we were on the ground exploring circuit development opportunities, assessing infrastructure readiness and evaluating whether Saudi Arabia could host a round of one of the Asian championships operated by the team. Throughout this period, we maintained long-standing relationships within Saudi motorsport circles including former Meritus.GP driver Raad Abduljawad and his brother Mohammed Abduljawad.
A defining moment came with the introduction of Formula 1 to Saudi Arabia. The Jeddah Corniche Circuit quickly became a visible symbol of this ambition, providing confidence that Saudi Arabia could support not only Formula One, but also a structured ladder of junior single-seater racing.
When did Meritus.GP receive formal institutional approval to begin Formula 4 Saudi Arabia?
More than three years of focused groundwork preceded the first race. During this period there was no formal government mandate, no guaranteed institutional backing and no commercial certainty that the project would proceed or be viable.
Then, in December 2022, a formal No-Objection Letter was issued by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, under the leadership of its then-CEO Sattam Al-Hozami, which allowed the project to progress from concept to reality.
Recognizing the benefits F4 would bring to the Kingdom, Mohammed Abduljawad became an investor in June 2023, and Formula 4 Saudi Arabia moved into full delivery mode.
What were the objectives of the proposal presented to Saudi Aramco?
The proposal positioned Aramco Formula 4 Saudi Arabia as a long-term national development platform aligned with Vision 2030.
Its objectives included creating a structured FIA driver pathway from grassroots to Formula One, as well as developing Saudi engineers, mechanics and officials in motorsports.
How did the championship support Saudi drivers, and what was the impact on local talent?
A core objective of Formula 4 Saudi Arabia was to create a genuine, fair and internationally credible environment in which Saudi racers could develop.
Saudi drivers competed alongside international peers under identical technical and sporting conditions, allowing performance and development to be measured objectively.
They ended up achieving race wins, podium finishes and measurable progress across the season, demonstrating that when provided with the right structure, Saudi talent can compete at international level.
How has Formula 4 Saudi Arabia engaged with Saudi education and skills development?
Education and skills transfer formed an important part of the championship’s wider mission.
During the season, Meritus.GP engineers and senior staff visited Saudi education and research institutions such as KAUST, Alfaisal University, University of Tabuk and the Japanese College in Jeddah to discuss career pathways in motorsport engineering, data analysis, and systems integration. These engagements were designed to connect academic study with real-world high-performance engineering environments.
What level of investment was required and how did you ensure equality of performance?
Approximately $6.5 million was invested prior to the first event.
Was there any pre-season training to help Saudi drivers prepare?
During August and September 2023 Saudi drivers participated in a structured pre-season academy program at Meritus.GP’s training facility in Sepang, Malaysia.
What role did sports psychology and driver well-being play in the championship?
Driver well-being and mental performance were treated as integral components of driver development.
Formula 4 Saudi Arabia appointed a dedicated sports psychologist to support drivers throughout the season, focusing on mental preparation, confidence building, coping strategies, performance consistency and adaptation to high-pressure racing environments.
