THREE English Premier League players will lead Egypt at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, going by their squad.
The Pharaohs head coach Carlos Queiroz announced the final squad of 25 players on Wednesday, 11 days to the tournament’s kick-off in Cameroon.
The squad will be led by prolific Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, with Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny also included.
There is also a return for Aston Villa forward Mahmoud Hassan “Trezeguet”, who is back after a long period of absence due to a knee injury.
The squad is made up of four goalkeepers, eight defenders, seven midfielders and six forwards.
Remarkably, 19 of the Pharaohs squad are based in Egypt, six of them with African champions Al Ahly.
The Egyptians will rely heavily on Salah for goals, hoping that the 29-year-old replicates his Liverpool form: he has scored 22 goals and made seven assists in 25 Premier League and UEFA Champions League appearances this season.
The Pharaohs, who have won the tournament a record seven times, are in Group D alongside Nigeria, Sudan and Guinea Bissau.
Salah and his colleagues will open their campaign against Nigeria’s Super Eagles on 11January in Garoua.
EGYPT’S AFCON SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS:
Mohamed El-Shennawy (Al-Ahly), Mohamed Abu Jabal (Zamalek), Mohamed Sobhi (Pharco), Mahmoud Gad (ENPPI)
DEFENDERS:
Akram Tawfiq (Al-Ahly), Ayman Ashraf (Al-Ahly), Ahmed Fetouh (Zamalek), Mahmoud Hamdi (Zamalek), Mahmoud Alaa (Zamalek), Mohamed Abdel-Moneim (Future), Ahmed Hegazy (Ittihad Jeddah – Saudi Arabia), Omar Kamal (Future)
MIDFIELDERS:
Amr Al-Soleya (Al-Ahly), Hamdi Fathi (Al-Ahly), Imam Ashour (Zamalek), Abdullah Al-Saeed (Pyramids), Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal – England), Ahmed Sayed “Zizo” (Zamalek), Mohanad Lasheen (Tala’a El-Jaish)
FORWARDS:
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool – England), Omar Marmoush (Stuttgart – Germany), Mohamed Sherif (Al-Ahly), Mustafa Mohamed (Galatasaray – Turkey), Mahmoud Hassan “Trezeguet” (Aston Villa – England), Ramadan Sobhi (Pyramids)
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