Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan believes his side is starting to reap the rewards of a long-term rebuilding process ahead of their crucial Group G meeting with New Zealand.
The Pharaohs earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Belgium in their opening match and know that victory over New Zealand would significantly strengthen their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
Rather than focusing solely on the immediate challenge, Hassan used his pre-match press conference to reflect on the journey that has brought Egypt to this point. The former striker highlighted the steady progress made across multiple competitions and insisted the current squad is the product of years of work.
With Egypt chasing a first-ever World Cup victory, Hassan remains convinced that his team is moving in the right direction.
Hassan reflects on Egypt's development
"Our work started long before the World Cup.
"We went through the World Cup qualifiers, the AFCON qualifiers, the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and then the friendly matches against Saudi Arabia, Spain and Brazil. There has been clear development in the team."
"Even before I became coach, I wanted Egypt to play better football.
"This kind of progress takes time. It means introducing new generations and making additions to the squad, which is not easy when most of your options come from the domestic league."
"I am not working just for a short period.
"I am working for the future. I want Egypt to play football that reflects the stature of Egyptian football and meets the ambitions of the Egyptian people."
Preparation and ambition
"Arriving here early gave us the opportunity to prepare better and with greater comfort.
"We were able to prepare the players mentally and physically, which is very important."
"I don't talk about surprises.
"I focus on my work and on doing what is necessary to deal with our opponents. We study their strengths and weaknesses and try to ensure the players are fully prepared."
"We respect every team because this is the highest level in world football.
"But at the same time, I have confidence in ourselves and in our ability to deliver performances that reflect the ideas and philosophy that my staff and I are working to implement."
Chasing a first World Cup win
"We drew in the first match and we want to win and secure these points.
"This is our ambition for tomorrow, this is the ambition of the Egyptian people, for Egyptian football and for African football as well. We are representing all of these people and we really hope to perform."
"We want to present something very positive.
"We want to show that we have talent, not as something new, but as something that the African national squads have always had as a tradition throughout generations of footballers in Africa."
