Egypt’s renowned football coach Hossam Hassan dedicated the team’s win against Australia on Friday evening to the Palestinian people, waving their flag as crowds roared with jubilation.
“Good things happen because of good people, in Egypt and all over the world, and across the Arab world. I want to say one more thing – the Palestinian people, my heart and soul is with them, they are so happy for us, and I thank them. May God make them successful, make them victorious, and may God have mercy on the martyrs,” Hassan told reporters after the match.
The comments came on the same day Gaza marked 1,000 days since Israel launched its war, determined to be a genocide by leading rights groups, on the enclave. Over 90 percent of the enclave has been destroyed in the offensive, and over 73,000 people killed.
Following the match, which saw Egypt beat Australia 4-2 on penalties after an initial 1-1 draw, Hassan also carried the Egyptian and Palestinian flags side-by-side. The team then proceeded to collectively bow down in prostration.
The historic win was celebrated across the world, including in displacement camps and near bombed-out buildings in Gaza.
Video footage from the enclave saw people wave Egyptian flags, chant in support of the team and gather near big screens.
Omar Hamad, a Gaza-based poet and writer, said Egypt’s victory allowed civilians in the enclave to experience joy amidst devastation.
“This is the scene that made me feel true joy, a joy I haven’t felt in 3 years. Thank you, Egypt; thank you to the Egyptian national team, and thank you to Egypt's coach. We love you from Gaza!,” he wrote in a post on social media platform X.
“I was so happy to see Egypt win a little while ago, but the most beautiful sight was here … thousands of people came out of their tents and from among their destroyed homes to watch the match…” Gaza-based journalist Taher Nahed wrote.
Retired Egyptian football player Mohamed Aboutrika, who is vocal about the plight of Palestinians, also weighed in on the issue, adding that he commended coach Hassan’s recognition of Palestine in his interviews.
“Egypt is a population of 120 million, if you walk down a street you will see a child who has just been born saying ‘Palestine, we will free Palestine,’ that is Egypt’s destiny.”
“I thank coach Hossam because in moments of joy people often forget everything. We’ve seen people in Gaza suffering, but they still cheered on Egypt’s national team. There are people facing genocide supporting our team,” he said.
He added that Hassan was “sincere in his feelings towards Palestine”.
Egypt will now face Argentina in the World Cup's round of 16.