Egypt World Cup 2026 Squad Quotes — Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush & Emam Ashour Make History

"I say to all the kids in Egypt and Africa: never stop dreaming, never stop believing."

Source: Mohamed Salah, acceptance speech after winning the CAF African Player of the Year award. The message from a boy from Nagrig village who became one of the world's best players has become his signature theme.

"You need to believe in yourself. Even when nobody else believes, you have to be the first one who does."

Source: Mohamed Salah, television interviews after his breakthrough seasons at Liverpool, reflecting on being released early in his European career at Chelsea and fighting his way back to the top.

"I would leave home at seven in the morning and come back at ten at night, just to train. Those journeys made me who I am."

Source: Mohamed Salah, interviews recounting his youth, when he travelled four to five hours each way, several times a week, from his village of Nagrig to Cairo to train with El Mokawloon.

"Age is just a number. What matters is the ambition in your heart."

Source: Essam El-Hadary, interviews at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where at 45 years and 161 days the Egyptian goalkeeper became the oldest player in World Cup history — and saved a penalty against Saudi Arabia.

"This qualification belongs to the Egyptian people."

Source: Hossam Hassan, press comments after Egypt sealed their place at the 2026 World Cup with an unbeaten qualifying campaign. The coach, Egypt's all-time top scorer with 69 goals, played at the 1990 World Cup himself.

"It's a dream come true to play in the Premier League for a club like this."

Source: Omar Marmoush, presentation interviews after joining Manchester City in January 2025. The Cairo-born forward's rise from Wolfsburg to City gave Egypt a second world-class attacker alongside Salah.