Egypt’s Hossam Hassan has spoken about Palestine as well as football during his team’s World Cup campaign, and did so again after the defeat to Argentina.
The Egyptian coach, already emotional after a match that he said was shaped by injustice, turned the press conference away from referees and tactics and returned to Gaza, a matter he has repeatedly included in the tournament’s conversations.
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“If there is anyone in the world who does not feel the pain of the Palestinian people, then he or she is not human,” Hassan said. It was not the first time that he made Palestine visible at this World Cup.
Hassan, Egypt’s top scorer with 60 goals, draped a Palestinian flag as he celebrated his team’s victory over Australia in the round of 32 in Dallas.
Hossam Hassan with the Palestinian flag after Egypt’s victory over Australia. | Photo credit: Getty Images via AFP
Hossam Hassan with the Palestinian flag after Egypt’s victory over Australia. | Photo credit: Getty Images via AFP
His words come against the backdrop of a war that has devastated Gaza since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. More than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, many displaced and living amid ruins, continue to face great uncertainty.
Palestinian health authorities say Israel’s military campaign has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians since the war began. However, these figures are disputed by Israel.
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Hassan said children in Gaza grow up wearing shirts of Messi, Argentina, Real Madrid and Barcelona, even while experiencing war.
«Many of those who listened to me did not necessarily feel the same, felt empathy for people who died. For children who were murdered. Children who died in a country where they wear Messi, Argentina jersey, Real Madrid and Barcelona jerseys. I urge you to let the Palestinian people live.»
Published on July 8, 2026
