War in Egyptian Football: Micale Responds to Hossam Hassan's Comments

The Egyptian football scene witnessed a prominent public debate between the Head Coach of the Egyptian national team, Hossam Hassan, and the former Olympic team coach, Brazilian Rogério Micale. Hassan explicitly criticized Micale regarding his salary and results, prompting Micale to respond with a lengthy statement described as "calm and reasoned."

Hossam Hassan's Criticisms: Salary and Results

Hassan's comments came after Egypt defeated Cape Verde in the Al Ain Friendly Cup. He expressed frustration over what he called "attacks" from analysts, insisting that opposition to his continuity exists because he is a local coach, despite leading the team to qualification for the 2026 World Cup and 2025 AFCON without a single loss.

• Salary Critique: Hossam Hassan said in the press conference: "I have benefited Egyptian football and I do not receive a high salary like Micale, who did not provide any players to the senior national team."

• Player Critique: Hassan described the national team's professionals as having "2 and a quarter professionals," referring to Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush (Manchester City star), and Mostafa Mohamed.

Micale’s Calm Response with Strong Messages

Rogério Micale issued a detailed statement in a calm tone, but which carried strong messages. He affirmed his respect for Hossam Hassan but rejected the comments challenging his professional record and salary:

Micale’s Message	Details and Achievements
Defense of Competence	"I was honored to lead the Brazilian national team to achieve its first Olympic medal in history, and to launch the careers of great players like Gabriel Jesus, Raphinha, Paquetá, and Richarlison."
Achievements with Egypt	"With Egypt, we reached the AFCON final and extended the match to extra time while playing with ten men. In the Olympics, we defeated Spain, who later won Gold, and finished the tournament in fourth place."
Player Promotion	He confirmed: "We promoted no less than 8 players to the senior national team."
Foreign Coaches	He stated that competence, not nationality, is the basis, citing Ancelotti with Brazil and Tuchel with England as clear examples that modern football values quality over passport.
Salary	He affirmed that his salary aligns with his global competence and experience, "as happens in any profession around the world."

Micale concluded his statement diplomatically, suggesting that the mention of his name could be considered a form of appreciation for the work he delivered.