CAIRO: Egypt has put twin brothers in charge of its national football team with Hossam Hassan taking over as coach and Ibrahim Hassan as team director.
The Egyptian Football Association said Tuesday that Hossam Hassan — the country’s all-time top-scorer with 68 goals — will succeed Portuguese coach Rui Vitoria, whom it fired Sunday after the team’s disappointing performance at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Egypt, which has won a record seven Africa Cup titles, failed to win a game in the 34th edition of the tournament and was knocked out by Congo in a dramatic penalty shootout in the round of 16.
As a forward, the Cairo-born Hossam Hassan helped Egypt to three of those titles. He played mostly for hometown club Al Ahly, with a sojourn at PAOK in Greece and Swiss team Neuchatel Xamax. He also played for other Egyptian clubs before retiring in 2008.
He since coached many Egyptian clubs and the Jordan national team.
Ibrahim Hassan, a former defender, also played for Egypt and accompanied his brother at various clubs.
The Egyptian federation had said it was looking for a foreign coach to succeed Vitoria. French coach Herve Renard had been tipped to take over.
Vitoria, who was appointed Egypt coach on a four-year deal in 2022, failed to get the best out of the team. The Pharaohs drew all their Africa Cup group games by the same score of 2-2 against Mozambique, Ghana and Cape Verde before its loss on penalties to Congo.
After losing Mohamed Salah to a hamstring injury in the second group game against Ghana, and No. 1 goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy with a dislocated shoulder in the third against group winner Cape Verde, the Egyptian federation sacrificed a cow in an attempt the change the team’s luck.
But reserve goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal — whose saves almost won the title for Egypt in the previous edition — struck the crossbar with his spot kick in the penalty shootout before Congo counterpart Lionel Mpasi stepped up to fire Congo into the quarterfinals.
Congo has since progressed to the semifinals, where the Leopards face host nation Ivory Coast on Wednesday.
Egypt appoints Hossam Hassan as head coach and his twin brother as team director
https://arab.news/6xh7a
Egypt appoints Hossam Hassan as head coach and his twin brother as team director
- French coach Herve Renard had been tipped to take over the Egyptian national team
- Federation sacrificed a cow in an attempt the change team’s luck at Africa Cup of Nations
Football’s return to Syrian pitches brings fanfare — and friction
RIYADH: Just 10 days after the first anniversary of Syria’s Liberation Day, and one week after the historic performance of the country’s football team at the 2025 Arab Cup — where they reached the quarterfinals — domestic football returned as the Syrian Premier League kicked off its new season.
While league football has continued intermittently since a one-year suspension in 2011, this season represents a notable shift.
For the first time since 2017, the competition features 16 teams playing a full round-robin format — a return to structural normality after years of disrupted campaigns, withdrawals and operational challenges caused by conflict and deteriorating infrastructure.
Foreign players have also returned in significant numbers. A total of 25 overseas players are registered across the 16 clubs in what is now known as the “Prime TV” Syrian Premier League, following the broadcaster’s acquisition of domestic broadcasting rights for the season.
Yet despite the sense of renewal, the league’s reset has been far from smooth. Average attendances remain well below pre-war levels, while the season itself was delayed multiple times before eventually beginning in mid-December — a schedule that is now expected to extend deep into the summer months.
Concerns over facilities and fan safety have already sparked internal tension. The anticipated Matchday Two fixture between Tishreen and Hottin — also known as the Latakia Derby — was postponed by the Syrian Football Association until further notice. No official explanation was provided, but stadium readiness and crowd safety has been at the core of football discussion in Syria.
Supporters have also voiced their frustration over the newly announced ticket prices. Entry fees increased from 5,000 Syrian pounds ($0.45) to 15,000 SYP, a threefold rise announced by the SFA and widely cited as a factor behind subdued crowds.
Infrastructure remains a pressing issue. Historic venues such as Khalid Ibn Al-Walid Stadium in the city of Homs are still not cleared to host games due to pitch conditions and safety requirements, reinforcing the sense of uneven progress — advances made, but frequently offset by new obstacles.
Operational shortcomings were evident as early as the first game of the season. In the opening fixture between Al-Shorta and Hottin, a formal warning was issued to the former by the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee due to a breach in organizational arrangements for the match, including the failure to provide ball boys, which led to a five-minute delay to kick-off.
Political sensitivities have not been easy to navigate either. Al-Karamah were fined 1,500,000 SYP after fans directed verbal abuse at Al-Wahda player Milad Hamad, due to previous political posts made on his Facebook account.
Five days later, Al-Wahda announced Hamad’s suspension from all sporting activities pending review by the relevant committee at the SFA. “This decision comes in solidarity with all our beloved Syrian fans and as a reaffirmation of our commitment to the unity of our people and our land, and to the fact that the blood of our martyrs in the Syrian Revolution has not been shed in vain,” the club said in a statement posted via their official Facebook page.
Rebuilding a sustainable football system in Syria has proven complex. The league’s return has brought moments of excitement alongside renewed tension — a reminder that restoring domestic football is not simply about restarting competition, but about addressing the structures that support it. The Syrian Football Association was contacted for comment, but did not respond.
