Egypt coach Carlos Queiroz has called three players to complete the Pharaohs’ 28-man squad for the 2021 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), which is set to be played from 9 January to 6 February in Cameroon.
Queiroz named Smouha striker Marwan Hamdi, 25, and Pyramids FC defender Mohamed Hamdi, 30, and winger Ibrahim Adel, 20, to join Egypt squad that will take part in the 2021 AFCON finals next month.
On Wednesday, the 68-year-old Portuguese coach announced a 25-man squad for the tournament but delayed naming the three players who would complete the list.
The record seven-time winners of the African championship will kick off their Nations Cup campaign in Group D against Nigeria on 11 January before facing Sudan and Guinea-Bissau.
The Pharaohs final squad obviously included the team’s skipper and Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah, 29, who is joined by Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny, 29, as well as the up-and-coming foreign-based players such as Galatasaray striker Mostafa Mohamed, 24, and Stuttgart winger Omar Marmoush, 22.
Aston Villa winger Mahmoud Trezeguet, 27, was also named in the squad, having recently recovered from a lengthy injury layoff.
Ahly midfielder Amr El-Sulaya, 32, who nurses a calf injury sustained before the team’s participation in the African Super Cup earlier this month, was also included.
The squad witnessed the notable exclusion of of two Egypt internationals: Ahly playmaker Magdi Afsha, 25, and Zamalek’s defensive midfielder Tarek Hamed, 32.
Zamalek’s Mostafa Fathi, 27, who was given ample time in the Arab Cup in Qatar this month, was also passed.
There was speculation that the tournament, which was delayed due to coronavirus, might be delayed again because of the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 variant but the Confederation of African Football (CAF) eventually decided to hold it as scheduled.
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