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A 1-1 draw against IR Iran was enough to secure a place in the knockout stage for the first time in Egypt’s history

The milestone was achieved through determination, driven by a united group and their coach, Hossam Hassan, who has been widely praised by the Egyptian public.

Hassan, reflecting on a historic night in Seattle, said “We’re proud to have gone unbeaten in the group stage, even though it was tough, as I’ve said since the beginning. It’s an honour to progress to the next round. I’d like to thank my players because they’ve brought immense joy to our fans.

“We’re ready to face anyone,” added the coach. “We’re capable of playing our brand of football and adapting while respecting every opponent. We won’t fear anyone. The World Cup is a unique competition and, of course, we’ll have to take on strong sides. We’re prepared for every scenario. Anything is possible in football.”

One of the heroes behind the achievement, who brilliantly saved a first-half penalty from Mehdi Taremi spoke to FIFA. “This is a dream for us,” he explained. “We’re so grateful to have qualified. It was such a tough game, but we knew how difficult this group would be. All our matches have been tricky so far. What matters is that we’ve got through, which is what we wanted. We know we’ve made history, so we’re very proud. It’s an incredible feeling which is hard to put into words.”

The goal to break the deadlock was tucked home by Mahmoud Saber, who cut an emotional yet focused figure after the game in Seattle as he turned his attention to the upcoming showdown with Australia. “I feel so proud to be here at the World Cup on the biggest stage in football,” he explained.

“We’ve picked up a significant result tonight and are thrilled to be through to the knockout stage, knowing we’ve made every Egypt fan happy. It’s a real privilege to have scored at the World Cup. Now we’ll study Australia closely and try to be ready to face them.”