Most Egyptians have opinion About Hossam Hassan.
For some, he is the greatest striker Egypt has ever produced. To others, he is the greatest fighter in football and the player who never stopped running, never stopped arguing and certainly never stopped scoring. Whether you like him or criticize him, one thing is always true: when Hassan plays, Egyptian football cares.
Now, decades after scoring one of the most important goals in Egyptian football history, the legendary Hassan is once again carrying the country’s hopes, but this time from the touchline rather than the penalty area as he leads the Pharaohs during their final FIFA World Cup campaign.
For younger fans, Hassan may just be Egypt’s current coach, but for the generations who watched him play, he is much more than that. His career is full of records, rivalries, controversies and unforgettable moments that shaped Egyptian football for more than four decades.
Hassan was born on August 10, 1966. He began his professional career with Al-Ahly in 1984, then moved to play for the Greek clubs PAOK, Neuchâtel Xamax in Switzerland, Al-Ain in the United Arab Emirates, Zamalek, Al-Masry, Tersana, and Al-Ittihad of Alexandria, according to what the Egyptian Football Association official said. Introductory account.
Few Egyptian footballers can claim success wearing the red and white, but Hassan did just that.
He remains one of the few players who became an icon at both Al Ahly and Zamalek Sports Club (SC). During his career with the club register He scored 168 goals in the Egyptian Premier League, making him the second-highest scorer in the league’s history. His 109 goals in the league for Al-Ahly still makes him tied with Mahmoud Al-Khatib as the club’s all-time top scorer. He also remains the top scorer in the Cairo derby matches, scoring nine goals against Egypt’s fiercest rivals.
Over the course of his football and international career, Hassan lifted 41 titles, including 14 Egyptian League titles. Along with his twin brother Ibrahim Hassan, he also became the only player to win the tournament CAF Champions League A difference of 15 years, first with Al-Ahly in 1987 and again with Zamalek in 2002.
But although his achievements with the club were extraordinary, Hassan became a true national hero in the Egyptian red shirt.
Between 1985 and 2006, he officially participated in 176 matches and scored 69 goals for Egypt, making him the country’s all-time top scorer. The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) also notes that a further 20 international matches and seven goals have been removed from FIFA’s official tally due to administrative issues, bringing his total to 196 matches and 76 goals.
His decisive moment came on November 17, 1989.
Against Algeria, Hassan scored the goal that sent Egypt to the World Cup 1990 FIFA World Cupending a 56-year wait to return to football’s biggest stage. It remains one of the most famous goals in the history of Egyptian sports.
Hassan went on to represent Egypt in seven African Cup of Nations tournaments, winning the title in 1986, 1998 and 2006. He won the title of top scorer in the tournament in the 1998 edition, with seven goals.
At 39 years old, Hassan became the oldest player ever to score in an Africa Cup of Nations when he scored against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the 2006 quarter-finals.
In 2001, after becoming the most capped international player at the time, then-FIFA President Sepp Blatter presented Hassan with the “Dean of World Players” badge in front of a large crowd in Cairo.
Since hanging up his boots in 2008, retirement did not mark the end of his football journey, and Hassan coached Al-Masry, Telecom Egypt, Zamalek, Ismaily, Misr El-Maqasa, Al-Ittihad of Alexandria, Pyramids, Smouha, and the Jordanian national team before being appointed coach of Egypt on February 6, 2024 after the departure of Rui Vitoria.
Appointment immediately Divided opinion. Some saw his unparalleled passion and winning mentality as exactly what Egypt needed, while others wondered if his fiery personality would translate into international success.
Throughout his career, he rarely took the easy path. It has been celebrated, criticized, admired and questioned, but never ignored.
Thirty-five years after Egypt qualified for Italy in 1990, the country’s most popular number 9 is once again chasing another World Cup dream. Only this time, he’s doing it from hiding.