CAIRO: Ahead of Egypt’s World Cup clash in Seattle against Belgium on Monday in the opening match of Group G, the ambassadors of the two nations have exchanged team shirts as a sign of their “strong friendship.”
The two nations have never met at the World Cup, but have faced each other in four friendly matches, with Egypt winning three.
Several Egyptian players have played in Belgium, including Ahmed Hossam “Mido” at Gent, and former national team captain Ahmed Hassan and Mahmoud Trezeguet at R.S.C. Anderlecht.
The photo of Egypt’s Ambassador to Brussels Ahmed Abu Zeid, and Belgium’s Ambassador to Cairo Bart De Groof, exchanging jerseys has been widely shared on social media.
The Belgian Embassy in Cairo wrote on its official page: “Two great teams will face each other on the 15th of June. As a sign of friendship and mutual respect between our countries, our Ambassadors have exchanged the national jerseys.”
Abu Zeid told Arab News that it was “a symbol of the strong friendship between our two countries.”
He said the match will coincide with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty’s visit to Brussels to participate in Egypt/EU Association Council meetings. Abdel-Aty will meet Belgian’s Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Prevot on his trip.
Fans are expected to gather in large numbers across Egypt’s cafes and popular clubs to watch the game tonight. Also, a massive fan zone is now open at the Green River in the New Administrative Capital, 45 km from Cairo.
