Legendary former Egypt captain Ahmed Hassan has praised the organisation and rising standards of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, describing the tournament as “top-notch”.
Hassan, a four-time AFCON champion, is in Morocco as one of CAF’s official Ambassadors, lending his voice and experience to a competition he once dominated with the Pharaohs
“The organisation has been excellent,” Hassan told CAFOnline in an exclusive interview.
“Our Moroccan brothers have done a fantastic job. From a technical perspective, the level of play is increasing with every match, and you can see teams growing stronger on the pitch. Overall, everything has been going very well.”
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in African football history, Hassan was a central figure in Egypt’s unprecedented AFCON hat-trick in 2006, 2008 and 2010.
Reflecting on that golden era, the African football icon highlighted the importance of unity, mentality and pride in the national jersey — qualities he believes remain essential for success today.
“We had an immense passion for the Egyptian jersey and a deep understanding of what it meant to represent the national team. That made a huge difference. Winning also gives you a psychological advantage — once you start lifting trophies, you want more. Our group was constantly motivated to compete and to win.”
Hassan acknowledged the quality within the current Egyptian squad, noting their recent AFCON final appearances in 2017 and 2021, while stressing that collective strength remains the key to reclaiming continental glory.
