Coach Carlos Queiroz has picked a provisional squad of 40 ahead of Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign in January, with Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah and Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny making the cut.Also making the shortlist is Aston Villa winger Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan who returned to playing ways after bouncing back from a knee injury that kept him on the sidelines for a year.There were places for new faces such Ghazl El Mahalla defender Mohamed Fathalla and Smouha full-back Ahmed “Beckham” Ramadan.The North Africans are making their 25th appearance in the biennial African tournament and they would be gunning to lift the diadem for a record time.Their last outing on home soil ended in disaster after bowing to South Africa in the Round of 16, with Thembinkosi Lorch scoring the only goal at the Cairo International Stadium.Egypt start their preparatory camp on 27 December 2021 but will commence their campaign against Nigeria on January 11 at the Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua.Four days later, they will square up against Guinea Bissau at the same venue before trying Sudan for size on January 19 at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaounde.
Egypt provisional Afcon squadGoalkeepers: Mohamed Elshenawy (Al Ahly), Mohamed Bassam (Talaea El Gaish), Mohamed Sobhy (Pharco), Mohamed Abu Gabal (Zamalek), Mahmoud Gad (ENPPI)Defenders: Ayman Ashraf (Al Ahly), Ahmed Aboul Fotouh (Zamalek), Ahmed Hegazi (Ittihad, Saudi Arabia), Omar Kamal (Future), Ahmed “Beckham” Ramadan (Smouha), Mahmoud Hamdy (Zamalek), Mahmoud Alaa (Zamalek), Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly), Ahmed Yaseen (National Bank), Mohamed Fathalla (Ghazl El-Mahalla), Mohamed Abdel Meneam (Future), Mohamed Hamdy (Pyramids), Akram Tawfeek (Al Ahly), Marwan Dawood (ENPPI).Midfielders: Amr Elsouleya (Al Ahly), Mostafa Fathy (Zamalek), Mohamed “Afsha” Magdy (Al Ahly), Emam Ashour (Zamalek), Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal, England), Abdullah El-Said (Pyramids), Ramadan Sobhy (Pyramids), Ahmed “Zizo” Sayed (Zamalek), Ibrahim Adel (Pyramids), Ahmed Refaat (Future), Nabil “Donga” Emad (Pyramids), Hamdy Fathy (AlAhly), Mohanad Lasheen (Talaea El Gaish)Forwards: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, England), Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan (Aston Villa, England), Mostafa Mohamed (Galatasaray, Turkey), Omar Marmoush (Stuttgart, Germany), Marwan Hamdy (Smouha), Ahmed “Koka” Hassan (Konyaspor, Turkey), Ahmed Yasser Rayan (Altayspor, Turkey), Mohamed Sherif (Al Ahly)