Egypt have won a record six Africa Cup of Nations titles, but have not been so successful when it comes to the FIFA World Cup™. The last time the Pharaohs participated in a World Cup was in 1990 in Italy, so it is high time they qualified again.
From the cosmopolitan centre of Cairo and Alexandria to the hinterlands, Egyptians poured out of their homes en masse on 7 September, cramming into squares and cafes to watch their beloved national team’s vital FIFA World Cup”” qualifier against Congo DR in distant Kinshasa. The fact that the vast majority had been fasting — it being the seventh day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan – had no effect on the enthusiasm of the crowds, forced to gather in public as the game was not broadcast on national television. Their collective hope was best summed up by one fan, the aptly named Mohamed Ramadan, who shouted after the final whistle of the 1-0 win: “I pray to see my Egypt play in the FIFA World Cup’” just once before I die!”
This sort of desperation is a common feature among modern Egyptian football fans, who have never experienced anything resembling success on the global stage. The effusive Ramadan, now 58, was 40 the last time the Pharaohs graced a FIFA World Cup”‘ finals, at Italy ’90. He was not even born when they made their only other appearance, and a first for an African country, in 1934 also in Italy.
Their narrow victory over the Congolese left the defending African champions all but assured of a place in the final round of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa” qualifying campaign, and a 4-0 victory over lowly Djibouti in Cairo guaranteed their presence. In the next and final round, Egypt will simply need to avoid a last-place finish to book passage to the next Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) in Angola in 2010, where they would defend the prestigious tide they have won twice on the trot (2006 at home and 2008 in Ghana).
However, fans of the most successful side in African football history cannot quite bring themselves to feel confident about reaching the first FIFA World Cup”‘ finals on their home continent. Inconsistent performances in the past have left the Pharaohs with a reputation as poor travellers and victims of serial stage fright when the time comes to take aim at the world’s biggest arena. Despite winning a record six CANs(1957, 1959, 1986,1998, 2006 and 2008), Egypt’s two FIFA World Cup appearances – both winless, first-round exits – have left the country’s fervid and long-suffering fans with an inferiority complex when stacked up against their sub-Saharan rivals like Nigeria and Cameroon. But history is made to be rewritten, and the current star crop of Egyptian footballers is convinced such troubles are behind them. “This generation has a new outlook, and we believe we are ready to forget about our same old problems,” teased Middlesbrough’s Ahmed “Mido” Hossam, who, along with Mohamed Shawky (also Middlesbrough), Amr Zaki (Wigan), Hossam Ghaly (Tottenham), Essam Al-Hadary (Sion, Switzerland) and Mohamed Zidan (Borussia Dortmund), is part of a clutch of Egyptians who have opted to break with the traditional two-club hegemony of Cairo giants Al Ahli and Zamalek and try their luck abroad.
An out-of-control coaching carousel has hurt Egypt’s past fortunes at international level, with the Pharaohs playing under no fewer than 11 managers in the ten years beginning in 1994. “Mahmoud Al-Gohari was named coach just a few months before the 2002 FIFA World Cup™ qualifiers began, so we had no real time to become a ream,” said Mido, who missed out on the 2008 CAN in Ghana through injury. “The next time, before Germany 2006, Marco Tardelli took over just three weeks before our first game.”
MORE STABILITY
After a disheartening run of form and a shock loss to Libya, the Italian FIFA World Cup winner was replaced by Hassan Shehata in October 2004.
Initially expected to be a caretaker, Shehata turned out to be the stalwart the team needed, and he has held the reins ever since.
The former Egyptian U-20 coach, Shehata was also a standout striker for Egypt and Zamalek in his day, and he has built a reputation as a taskmaster with a gift for building teams in a tournament environment. As if any further evidence of his motivational skills was required after guiding the Phataohs to two continental triumphs, Shehata had previously led four separate second-division clubs (Menia, Sharquia, Suez and Arab Contractors, where he hoisted the Egyptian Cup after a win over Al-Ahli) into the Egyptian top flight. “The fact that we have had the same coach and the same technical staff
for a few years is a huge advantage for us this time around,” added Mido, who famously clashed with the coach during the 2006 CAN.
It also does nor hurt that Shehata has one of the best crops of players in the country’s history to choose from, and that he knows a good number of them intimately from his time coaching the U-20s. Zidan, Hosni Abd Rabo – top player at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana – Zaki, Mido and the country’s elegant and talismanic playmaker Mohamed Aboutrika are just a few gems at the coach’s disposal.
PHARAOHS RESURRECTED
One of the biggest problems Egypt have had in the past is a glaring inability to get results on the road. Their failed bid to reach France ’98 was largely down to their 1-0 defeat by Liberia in Accra, Ghana, despite hammering the George Weah-led side 5-0 at home. In the 2002 qualifiers, the ugly trend was laid bare again, with Egypt failing to win a single game on the road. Current captain Ahmed Hassan, who has earned almost 150 caps since making his debut in 1995, sums up the deficiency best: “It seems we were never fully aware of just how important it was to win on the road. We always seemed to think that getting draws away would be enough to keep us alive. But we have a new philosophy now. You can see it in the way we played against Congo in Kinshasa,” enthused the former Anderlecht midfielder after leading the team to two road wins in their last five qualifiers. “We went right for their throats; we took the game to them. Maybe in previous years we wouldn’t have had the confidence to do that.”
Amr Zaki, currently one of the hottest properties in Egyptian football after scoring 29 goals from 48 caps and beginning the English Premier League season in torrid form, is in total agreement with his captain. “In two successive CAN triumphs we’ve beaten some of the best teams in Africa, like Cote d’Ivoire and Cameroon, so the fans will be expecting us to do the same again on a bigger stage. Shehata has given us a winning mentality,” continued the muscular former Zamalek ace, known affectionately as “The Bulldozer”. “So now, even if we are playing a tough competitor on the road, we are confident enough to go right after them.”
The inspirational coach, who is credited as the missing piece in the Egyptian puzzle, fittingly has the last word about the current state of the side: “It’s absolutely right that we should not fear anyone because we ate the reigning champions of Africa. It is the other teams that should be worried about facing us.”
When Selecao captain Vinicius lifted the FIFA Futsal World Cup trophy at midday on 19 October 2008, it was a case of “mission accomplished”, as for the fourth time in the history of the event,
Brazil are the Futsal World Champions.
Paulo de Oliveira’s charges were impressive throughout the tournament on home territory, dominating their rivals at will from start to finish. The Brazilians won all seven of their first- and second-round matches en route to a remarkable record of 58 goals for and only four against.
Falcao & co. never looked in any danger in their semi-final clash with Russia either and there was never a shred of doubt about which team would reach the final. The showdown with arch-rivals and holders Spain was the only match that the FIFA Futsal World Cup hosts failed to win in normal time, but they proceeded to
claim the trophy in a six-metre shoot-out, sending the crowd at the Maracanazinho in Rio de Janeiro into raptures.
PULA-TOP SCORER
The tournament statistics and the individual awards reflected the new world champions’ superiority in almost every department. The top three players in the competition – Falcao, Schumacher and Tiago — were all Brazilian. Futsal superstar Falcao (“I feel fulfilled now”) and team-mate Lenisio also collected the Adidas Silver and Bronze Shoe respectively after finishing as second- and third-highest scorers. The hosts also boasted
the tournament’s best goalkeeper, Tiago. Runners-up Spain earned huge respect as Jose Venancio Lopez’s side were the only team capable of matching the Autiverdes. After claiming the trophy twice in a tow, the Iberians and veteran stars Javi Rodriguez, Kike and Marcelo had to settle for the runners-up spot, but captain Rodriguez at least had the minor consolation of accepting the Fair Play award on behalf of his team-mates.
Iran and Russia were the surprise packages of the event. The Asian champions were just one goal shy of reaching the semi-finals, as Italy edged into the final four instead. Iran skipper Vahid Shamsaee showed huge potential and was named as one of the ten best players by the FIFA Technical Study Group. His team-mate Mostafa Nazari also caught the eye and finished second in the running for the Best Goalkeeper award.
Oleg Ivanov’s Russians also confirmed their emergence as a new power in the game. Although the Eastern Europeans lost out to the Brazilians in the last four and then fell to Italy in the match for third place, the tournament’s leading scorer Pula and his team-mates enjoyed a highly impressive tournament. This young Russian team will have high hopes of being there or thereabouts at the next FIFA Futsal World Cup in four years’ time.
LAST GASP
Italy, runners-up in 2004 and again at the 2007 European Championship, once again claimed a place in the last four, falling only to European rivals Spain in the very last second of extra-time. Veteran 37-year-old keeper Alexandre Feller, captain Grana and the tricky Adriano Foglia were the mainstays and stars of the Italian team.
The tournament also threw up a whole host of promising newcomers. Ukraine, for example, emerged triumphantly from a group including Argentina, Egypt and Guatemala. Although the latter missed out on a place in the second round, the CONCACAF champions are unquestionably rich in promise.
Portugal and Argentina will not retain such fond memories of the event, however. The Europeans failed to make it beyond the first round, a major setback after their positive showings at previous FIFA World Cups” and European Championships. Argentina were also left frustrated after missing out on a spot in the last four, and they would certainly have been hoping for more following a creditable fourth-place finish in Chinese Taipei in 2004.
There were signs of hope for the remaining teams too. Czech Republic, Libya, Thailand and Cuba all had their moments, although they will be only too conscious of the hard work that still lies ahead of them if they are to close the gap on the futsal elite.
The Asian football continent covers a wide area, from Guam in the Pacific Ocean to Lebanon by the Mediterranean Sea in the West. It also extends as far as Uzbekistan in central Asia and Australia in the southern hemisphere.
Tokuaki Suzuki is one man who understands the scale of the continent after visiting many countries for the AFC Champions League reform project. The Deputy Chairman of the AFC Pro League Ad Hoc Committee is in charge of assessing the readiness of member associations and their professional leagues ahead of the start of the reformed ACL next year.
His inspection tour started with 21 candidate associations in April 2007, and the 46-year-old Japanese football official has made three or four repeat visits for further checks and meetings over a 15-month period. Those trips kept him out of Japan for 250 days last year -and also helped him lose weight. “I feel fitter and healthier,” said Suzuki, laughing. “I feel happier about the fact that some countries have actually established professional leagues. But it’s hard when you have to trim the list.” Suzuki, who was a midfield playmaker in his school days, believes that he has built new and strong relationships with the people in Asia. “When you have a different background in terms of religion, law or lifestyle, it is not always easy to make people understand why we need to introduce certain standards. But the more you meet them and talk to them, the better you get to know each other. Then we are able to exchange ideas and talk about football together. That’s nice, isn’t it?” Suzuki will be visiting the participating associations again from September onwards in order to carry out final checks and thus to help Asia become a little bit smaller.
