Dismissal of Hossam Hassan... Was Mohamed Salah the password?

The Egyptian Football Association, on Saturday, ended Hossam Hassan’s career as head of the coaching staff of the first team, a few months after he led the “Pharaohs” to the round of sixteen in the 2026 World Cup, and in a decision that brought back to the forefront his differences with the team’s captain, Mohamed Salah, especially since the dismissal came days after the latter’s meeting with the Federation’s president, Hani Abu Raida, in Turkey, amid conflicting accounts regarding the real reasons behind the ouster of the coach, whose contract was renewed until 2030.

According to Egyptian press reports, the decision to leave Hossam Hassan and his brother Ibrahim Hassan was taken within the federation since Thursday, November 5, after the crises surrounding the technical staff reached a stage that prompted officials to search for a change in the technical leadership. Initial estimates were to keep the device in place until the end of Malawi's two matches in the qualifiers for the 2027 African Cup of Nations, before the decision was accelerated and the appointment of Ali Maher was announced as his successor.

This development brought to light the tense relationship between Hossam Hassan and Mohamed Salah, the features of which appeared during the confrontation with Angola last September 25, when the coach decided to replace the national team captain in the sixtieth minute of the match, which ended in a goalless draw, and then announced that the change came for technical reasons.

The decision raised questions about the relationship between the two men, especially after Salah left the national team camp and missed the next confrontation against South Sudan, which ended with Egypt winning by five goals without a response. While press reports linked the departure to a dispute with the coach, the technical staff provided a different explanation, stressing that the player’s absence came by prior agreement due to the match being held on an artificial field, out of concern for his safety.

The controversy escalated when Abu Rida headed to Türkiye in late October, where he met Salah on the sidelines of an official visit to the Turkish Football Federation. The meeting came at a time when questions were increasing regarding the continuation of the national team captain in the next camp, and the extent of Hossam Hassan’s ability to contain the tension inside the locker room.

The timing of the visit added more uncertainty to the coach's future, after the return of the Federation President to Cairo coincided with the acceleration of talk about the departure of the technical staff. Egyptian coverage dealt with the meeting as an important milestone in the developments of the crisis, without providing conclusive evidence that Salah requested the dismissal of his coach or stipulated his departure in order to continue with the national team.

But the Egyptian Federation presented a completely different story. Mustafa Abu Zahra, a member of its board of directors, denied the existence of any role for Salah in decision-making, stressing that selecting and dismissing technical staff is the responsibility of the board of directors alone, and that the captain of the national team does not interfere in these decisions.

Abu Zahra explained, in statements reported by Al-Watan and Masrawy, that Abu Raida’s visit to Turkey came in response to an official invitation from the Turkish Federation, and that Salah’s meeting was part of the usual communication with the national team’s players. He also denied that Al-Ittihad had asked Hossam Hassan or his brother Ibrahim to travel to Türkiye to meet the player.

The reasons for dismissal, according to Egyptian coverage, go beyond the boundaries of the relationship between the coach and the team captain. Hossam Hassan has faced a series of crises in recent weeks, including reports of tension in his relationship with some players, including goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy, in addition to the three-match ban imposed by FIFA on the Hassan twins, following their protests against arbitration decisions during their confrontation with Argentina in the round of sixteen of the 2026 World Cup.

The pressure increased after Hossam Hassan's family disputes were transferred to the media, leading to the decision of the Supreme Council for Media Regulation in Egypt, on Wednesday, November 4, to prevent him from appearing in the media outlets subject to the Council's jurisdiction, against the backdrop of the controversy related to his dispute with his ex-wife. Reports indicated that the decision does not include press conferences related to his work with the national team.

In the midst of these developments, the team's media coordinator, Mohamed Murad, announced his departure from his position, then published a message calling for the support and continuation of Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan, in an additional indication of the division surrounding the future of the technical staff.

The official statement of the Egyptian Federation came to put an end to the coach’s career, based on a review of recent events and circumstances and their negative effects on the general image of the team, while emphasizing the priority of stability in the next stage.

Abu Zahra revealed that the federation will be committed to paying Hossam Hassan’s dues, including any penal conditions stipulated in the contract, and that the coach received the decision to end his mission through official administrative channels, and accepted it calmly, wishing the team success.

The most notable irony appears to be that the dismissal came shortly after the coach’s contract was renewed until 2030, as a reward for leading Egypt to the 2026 World Cup and qualifying for the round of 16, before losing to Argentina with a score of 3-2. During his career, Hassan led the national team in 38 matches, during which he achieved 21 victories and 10 draws, compared to seven defeats.

As for Ali Maher, who took over the job permanently and not temporarily, he faces a quick test with the approaching matches against Malawi on November 13 and 17, as part of the qualifiers for the 2027 African Cup of Nations.