Seattle, USA – Egypt’s head coach, Hossam Hassan, has called for equal treatment of all teams at the FIFA World Cup, following criticism that Iran has faced an unfair schedule and travel restrictions imposed by the host nation, the United States.
Speaking to Al Jazeera on Thursday, Hassan said he respects every team’s right to compete at the tournament. “I respect all teams; they all have the right to be treated equally because FIFA promotes respect and fairness,” he said at a pre-match press conference ahead of Friday’s decisive group-stage encounter against Iran. “Respect and fairness mean everyone respects each other and there is fair play among all. That’s why I wish good luck to all of us. The Iranian team is one of those I respect very much.”
Although he did not directly criticise the host nation, Hassan’s remarks represent rare public support for Iran from a fellow competing team.
Iran has been based in Mexico for training while playing all their matches on the US West Coast. Players and staff have been allowed to enter the US only one day before each game and are required to leave the country almost immediately after the match. Before the game against Egypt in Seattle, US authorities eased restrictions, allowing the Iranian team to arrive a day earlier.
Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, reiterated on Thursday that US travel policies have affected the team’s fitness and preparation. “We will put all that aside. We will overcome every challenge,” he told reporters. Asked about the possibility of arriving in Seattle two days before the match, Ghalenoei said: “That is our right, a right we should have had in the previous two matches, but they deprived us of arriving on time.”
Both Ghalenoei and Hassan expressed mutual respect for each other’s teams at separate press conferences on Thursday. “We are very happy to have two teams playing together—teams with ancient civilizations and proud of their countries,” Ghalenoei said.
Egypt top the group with four points. A draw will be enough to secure their passage to the next round. Iran are second with two points, while Belgium also have two points and New Zealand one. Although a draw may suffice, Hassan insisted he knows how to pursue victory regardless of the calculations. Egypt recorded their first-ever World Cup win on Monday, beating New Zealand 3-1, sparking wild celebrations among the Egyptian community.
