Egyptian international Haissem Hassan reflected on his team’s historic progression to the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup following their penalty shootout victory over Australia. This marked Egypt’s first-ever win in a World Cup playoff match.
“Honestly, it’s incredible because you know you’ve brought joy to 120 million people across Egypt. Celebrations will be happening all over the country,” the forward told FIFA in an interview. “Knowing that you’ve made so many people happy makes you happy too.”
He described the match as an emotional rollercoaster. “We started with a goal, then they equalized. Both teams had chances. In the end, everyone knows that in a penalty shootout, you either advance or get eliminated. The pressure was immense, but thankfully, we managed to win. We’ve made history for Egypt. Today is a perfect day.”
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