Egypt president Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has urged the country’s national football team, the Pharaohs, to be great ambassadors when the 32nd Africa Cup of Nations gets underway next week Friday, June 21, Completesports.com reports.
The presidency’s media statement on Saturday said: “President Al-Sisi visited the national football team on Saturday morning during their training at the Air Defense Stadium (in Cairo).
“Ambassador Bassam Rady, the official spokesman for the presidency, said that the president met the members of the national team participating in the next African Nations Cup for football which will be hosted by Egypt.
“The president expressed his sincere confidence in the members of the national team and the players in their assignment. He called on all members of the team to put in their utmost efforts to make the Egyptian people happy.
“He added that the president had conducted an inspection tour of facilities and equipment at the air defense stadium to determine the final arrangements for upgrading the efficiency of the stadiums to host a number of the Nations Cup matches. The president expressed his hope that the tournament would be a positive boost for the Egyptian sport as a whole which is viewed with all respect and appreciation.
And football in particular, thanks to the development of a top-level sports infrastructure.
“President Al-Sisi stressed the importance of the members of the team to be disciplined and dignified, reflecting the fact that they are an interface to Egypt’s civilization and culture, and highlights the value of Egypt and its great people and completes the final picture of the success of the tournament.
“On their part, the players thanked the president for his keenness to visit the team before the African Nations Championship, and pledged to make every effort to bring happiness to the hearts of millions of Egyptians.”
The Pharaohs will play their last international friendly match against Syli Nationale of Guinea on Sunday, June 16 at the Borg El Arab Stadium Alexandria. In their previous pre-tournament friendlies, Egypt lost 1-0 to the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the Stephen Keshi Stadium Asaba on March 26 and beat Tanzania 1-0 in Alexandria on on Thursday, June 13.
The Javier Aguirre’s team will face the Warriors of Zimbabwe in the AFCON 2019 tournament opener on Friday, June 21 at the Cairo International Stadium, Cairo.
