Egypt are set to play Australia in their first-ever World Cup knockout match on Friday at Dallas Stadium. Both teams advanced as runners-up in their groups, with Egypt finishing behind Belgium on goal difference in Group G and Australia trailing the USA in Group D. The winner will face either Argentina or Cape Verde in the round of 16.
Egypt's Key Players
Mostafa Shobeir is the undisputed No.1 goalkeeper and one of the younger members of an ageing squad. Mohamed Hany, a 30-year-old right-back, has played every minute of the tournament, contributing to Egypt's unbeaten start. Mostafa Ziko sparked a comeback against New Zealand with a powerful header and has scored three goals in five appearances.
Mohamed Salah, widely considered Egypt's greatest ever player and a Liverpool icon, has yet to reach his peak form at this World Cup but scored against New Zealand. He was a doubt for the Australia match due to a hamstring injury sustained in the 1-1 draw with Iran. Trezeguet, whose real name is Mahmoud Hassan, played for Aston Villa from 2019 to 2021 and now plays for Al Ahly. His nickname stems from comparisons to former France striker David Trezeguet.
Young Talents and Depth
Omar Marmoush, a talented forward, had a difficult season at Manchester City but is expected to play a key role against Australia. Hamza Abdelkarim, an 18-year-old forward who recently signed for Barcelona, has been used sparingly. Haissem Hassan, the only squad member born outside Egypt, grew up in Paris and plays club football in Spain but has yet to feature at the World Cup.
