World Cup Story Feed / 世界杯事情流
World Cup Story Feed / 世界杯事情流
In the final group stage match against Iran, Salah played for over sixty minutes before voluntarily requesting to be substituted. The back of his thigh muscles were tight. At the post match press conference, Hassan did not provide a timeline for his return, only stating, "The injury is not serious. He assured me he can recover as soon as possible."
In the final group stage match against Iran, Salah played for over sixty minutes before actively requesting a substitution. He felt tightness in the back of his thigh. At the post-match press conference, Hassan did not provide a timeline for his return, only dropping a single line: "The injury is not serious. He assured me he can recover as quickly as possible."
"He assured me." Since when does a head coach get to vouch for the hamstring of a top-salaried superstar? The 59-year-old Hassan used that one sentence to firmly grasp control of the injury narrative.
Three months ago, Liverpool officially announced Salah's departure at the end of the season. His eight-year Reds career came to an end, with the official statement maintaining a dignified tone. But beneath the surface, he had been pushed out of head coach Slot's plans. Starting last December, he was benched for three consecutive Premier League matches and was completely omitted from the squad for the Champions League match against Inter Milan. Salah subsequently spoke out on social media, a move ESPN characterized as an "explosive interview directly slamming the club and manager." Before leaving, he left a message: "I want to see Liverpool return to that heavy metal attacking team that makes opponents afraid." The implication was clear: the current Liverpool is not that team.
In a single Premier League season, he played 27 matches, scoring 7 goals and providing 7 assists. The stats weren't a complete collapse, but Slot's system just couldn't accommodate him. One man unwanted in the Premier League became a savior in North America.
At the end of June, Egypt came from behind to beat New Zealand 3-1, securing their first-ever World Cup victory. New Zealand scored first. Then Zizo equalized and set up the second goal. In the 67th minute, Salah scored his 68th international goal, and in the 82nd minute, he provided an assist from a corner kick for Trezeguet to seal the win. The xG was 1.96 to 1.21, with 56% possession. This match was won through tactical design.
After the game, Hassan revealed in English: "He plays a new version. I let him play a new position, very free, very creative." Hassan never intended to tame Salah; he simply dismantled the component and reassembled it. He moved him away from the wing, giving him ample freedom to roam. Liverpool needed Salah to sprint repeatedly down the flank; Hassan's system didn't require him to do that dirty work. A 34-year-old winger who had publicly clashed with his manager in the Premier League found his breath again on the national team's tactical board.
But Hassan's truly meticulous work wasn't on the tactics board; it was in front of the microphones at press conferences.
Looking at his six press conferences from March to June, on the surface, he praised Salah every time, but every statement diluted Salah's irreplaceability. He would first say, "Salah is very important to the team," then pivot to "But all 26 players are very important to me." One man was diluted into one twenty-sixth. When Salah was substituted against Iran due to injury, "he assured me" snatched the decision-making power right out of the player's hands. Going further back, he substituted Salah citing weather conditions. Ostensibly for protection, but whoever presses the substitution button holds the power. When asked if Salah was an automatic starter, Hassan denied any conflict, called him a role model, but stopped short of guaranteeing him a starting spot.
Meanwhile, names like Zizo, Marmoush, and Sabeer were repeatedly brought up by him. Most fans wouldn't recognize any of them. But that's precisely the point: repeating these names shifts the spotlight to supporting actors, washing away the concept of "Salah's team" and rebranding it as "Hassan's team."
Salah probably didn't anticipate that his adversary within the Egyptian national team wasn't just a coach, but a pair of twins.
In February 2024, the Egyptian Football Association announced two appointments on the same day: Hossam Hassan as head coach and Ibrahim Hassan as team director. They are twin brothers, played together in the 1990 World Cup as players, and have barely been apart. One manages tactics, the other manages the dressing room. Salah is not facing a single authority figure; this is a dual-core system bound by blood. In such a structure, no one can truly be the boss.
When Egypt lost a friendly to Brazil, Hassan wasn't criticized. He had already set the record straight: Egypt would not play beautiful football; they would only play the kind of football that ensures survival. Putting together the three group-stage matches revealed Hassan's full hand.
Egypt 1-1 Belgium. Hassan specifically devised a plan to neutralize Doku, and Belgium's attacking core was effectively contained. Egypt had 46% possession, 14 shots with 3 on target. Ashour scored first in the 20th minute, but an own goal by Hany in the 66th minute leveled the score. After the match, Hassan made a significant statement: "A population of 120 million needs a strong national team." He was subtly comparing them to Belgium's 11 million people, and it sounded inspiring.
But it's not that simple. Egypt's entire squad is valued at €116 million, while Belgium's is €558 million. Population is rhetoric; market value is the real hand. A squad assembled from 120 million people is valued at only one-fifth of a nation of 11 million. A large population doesn't equate to a wealth of talent; the market doesn't recognize ID cards.
Egypt 3-1 New Zealand. Hassan adjusted the set-piece defensive setup at halftime. Despite conceding first, an xG of 1.96 proved they created more than enough solid chances. The comeback was a victory of efficiency.
Egypt 1-1 Iran. Qualification was basically in hand, so Hassan decided to manage the game. 61% possession looked respectable on paper, 15 shots with 3 on target, but their xG was only 0.81, far lower than Iran's 1.83. They held the ball but couldn't produce meaningful threats. Salah was substituted due to tight hamstrings, and in the final moments, Egypt played with one less man but held on defensively to secure the 1-1 draw.
Three matches unbeaten, advancing as group runners-up – this was the first time in Egypt's history that they went through the group stage without a loss.
Possession statistics are for the media; xG is for data analytics companies. Hassan only pays attention to the scoreboard. Egypt has no intention of playing beautiful football; their sole purpose is to survive.
July 3rd, AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Midday heat.
World Cup Round of 32: Egypt vs. Australia. Australia's entire squad is valued at approximately €118 million, almost identical to Egypt's €116 million. Two teams with very similar valuations, set to battle in the North American scorching heat for a place in the next round.
Before the match, Hassan was asked about his contract expiring after the World Cup. He didn't give a direct answer but instead talked about the team's generational transition. He wouldn't touch that question. If he wins, he is the hero who brought Egypt back to the World Cup. If he loses, everything he has been desperately holding down – Salah’s hamstring, his press conference phrasing, the appetites of 120 million people – will all come back to haunt him.
In the summer of 1990, Hassan participated in the Italy World Cup as a player. Egypt didn't win a single match in the group stage, and he didn't score a single goal. After that World Cup, it took Egypt 28 years to return to the main tournament. Now, eight years later, he has returned in a different capacity – as head coach. Three group matches unbeaten, the team's first World Cup victory in the books.
The midday sun in Dallas is still climbing higher.