🏆 North African Trophy Returned to the Football Association
Egypt’s U20 national team, born in 2007 and coached by Wael Riyad, have handed over the North African Championship trophy to Mustafa Azzam, Secretary General of the Egyptian Football Association, following their successful title-winning campaign.
The technical and administrative staff delegated Mahmoud Harb, the team’s administrative director, to hand over the trophy to the federation after Egypt topped the qualifying tournament in Ismailia.
Egypt secured the title after defeating Algeria 2-0 in the final round of the competition, finishing top of the standings with nine points, two points ahead of Morocco, who ended the campaign in second place with seven points.
⭐ Egypt Praise Football Association Support
The coaching staff and players also expressed their appreciation to the Egyptian Football Association board, headed by Hany Abou Rida, as well as Secretary General Mustafa Azzam and federation technical director Shawky Gharib.
The team thanked the federation officials for their continued support throughout the tournament and for attending matches to encourage the players during their campaign.
The federation had closely followed the team’s preparations before the competition and stressed the importance of the qualifying campaign for the 2007 generation.
🔥 Wael Riyad: The Journey Is Not Over
Head coach Wael Riyad stressed that winning the North African Championship represents only one step in the team’s journey.
The manager believes the focus must now shift toward preparing for the 2027 Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Ghana, with the squad aiming to continue developing and compete at an even higher level.
Egypt defeated Algeria 2-0 in the decisive match, with Mahmoud Salah opening the scoring in the 22nd minute before substitute Anas Rashdy added the second goal in the 82nd minute.
🇪🇬 Well-Deserved Qualification for the AFCON
The tournament victory secured Egypt’s place in the 2027 Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Ghana, giving the current generation an important opportunity to compete on the continental stage.
Egypt’s qualifying campaign included victories over Libya and Tunisia, followed by a defeat against Morocco before the decisive win over Algeria secured top spot.
The team ultimately finished the competition with nine points and the North African title.
📢 Mustafa Azzam Highlights Federation Confidence
Mustafa Azzam welcomed receiving the championship trophy and wished the young Pharaohs success in the next stage of their journey.
The EFA Secretary General also emphasized the federation’s confidence in the youth national team and highlighted the importance of youth, junior and Olympic teams in developing successive generations capable of supporting Egypt’s senior national team in the future.
🏅 From North African Champions to Ghana Ambitions
After conquering the North African qualifiers, Egypt’s U20 team now face a new challenge.
The objective will be to build on the confidence gained from the tournament, continue improving technically and physically, and turn the regional title into a foundation for a strong African campaign.
For Wael Riyad and his players, the North African championship may be the first major milestone of a much bigger journey with Egypt’s 2007 generation.
Can Egypt’s U20 team compete for the African title in Ghana after winning the North African Championship? 🇪🇬🏆
