Hossam Abdelmaguid, a 25-year-old defender for Egypt’s national team, said playing at the 2026 World Cup fulfills a dream he had since childhood. He recalled, "The World Cup was a dream for me because my older brother used to talk to me about the tournament when I was a child. I remember telling him I would play in the World Cup" [1].
Abdelmaguid, who joined Zamalek’s first team in 2023 and recently helped them win the Egyptian league title, is preparing for his first World Cup appearance with Egypt at the tournament hosted in North America [1, 2]. Egypt is drawn into Group G alongside Belgium, New Zealand, and Iran [1, 2].
The Egyptian team aims to advance beyond the group stage and improve on past World Cup results, which include winning only one match. Abdelmaguid said, "This is what the fans hope from us, and it is their right. It is also our right to aim for the knockout stages" [1]. Key squad members alongside Abdelmaguid include Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush, and 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim [1, 2].
Abdelmaguid emphasized focusing on performance rather than distractions such as uncertainties surrounding Iran’s participation. He said, "I have not focused on this news and it has nothing to do with us. I could think about facing Iran and end up losing to Belgium" [1]. FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that Iran’s matches will remain scheduled to be played in the US, despite Tehran’s request to move them [1, 2].
Egypt’s defender also mentioned the physical challenge posed by the opposing group strikers, including Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku, New Zealand’s Chris Wood, and Iran’s Mehdi Taremi [1, 2]. Abdelmaguid added that team veteran Hossam Hassan motivates the squad, telling them that "we can do it," which boosts their confidence [1].
Abdelmaguid gave an interview on June 5, 2026, elaborating on his expectations and hopes for the World Cup [1, 2]. Preparation continues ahead of Egypt’s opening group match scheduled for the tournament.