In recognition of the Egyptian national team’s marvellous performance at the Fifa World Cup, UAE billionaire Mohammed Khalaf Al Habtoor has offered the whole team cars, calling the generous gesture “an expression of our love and appreciation for Egypt’s heroes”
Despite exiting after their loss to Argentina in the round of last 16, Egypt’s players excelled during the match and left the reigning champion, led by superstar Lionel Messi, clueless for most of the game, until they scored three goals in around 15 minutes to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Egypt achieved their first-ever World Cup win before later reaching the last 16 teams at the global spectacle for the first time after beating Australia on penalties.
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Al Habtoor praised Egyptian players who “honored their country, delighted their fans, and gave every Arab a lesson in determination, perseverance, and fighting spirit”.
The billionaire, founder and chairman of the Al Habtoor Group, said that what the Egyptian national team has achieved is not an accomplishment for Egypt alone, but a source of “pride for every Arab”. “Egypt’s joy today is the joy of every Arab. What this team has presented deserves all appreciation, and it is our duty to celebrate those who raise the flag of the Arabs high in international forums. I wish them more success and achievements worthy of Egypt’s name and status.”
You have proven that faith, working with team spirit, and fighting until the final whistle are values that create achievements. The future is ahead of you, and what you have presented in this World Cup confirms that Egyptian football is capable of achieving more successes
Mohammed Khalaf Al Habtoor
On July 10, hundreds of euphoric supporters welcomed home Egypt’s national football team. A sea of fans dressed in red, white and black filled the grounds outside the airport in El-Alamein, where the Pharaohs boarded an open-top bus for a parade through the coastal city.
Supporters waved Egyptian flags and Palestinian flags in support of nearby Gaza, as well as a poster of coach Hossam Hossan draping both flags over himself during the tournament.
In a statement, Al Habtoor Group announced that it has coordinated with the Egyptian Football Association, and an agreement has been reached to provide a Mitsubishi car to each member of the Egyptian national team delegation.
The move, it added, includes all members of the national team delegation, from the players, technical staff, administrative staff, and medical team, “in recognition of their efforts and belief that success is the fruit of collective work”.
Source: Khaleej Times