The Egyptian national team’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have entered a decisive stage, but one major selection issue continues to dominate discussions inside the camp of coach Hossam Hassan.
While Egypt’s tactical plans and starting line-up are largely settled ahead of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, uncertainty remains over who will start in goal for the Pharaohs during the competition scheduled from 11 June to 19 July.
Egypt are currently continuing intensive preparations in Ohio as the squad completes the second phase of its World Cup training programme. The national team had earlier begun preparations in Cairo before travelling to the United States, where they are expected to conclude their current camp with a friendly match against Brazil before officially entering tournament mode on 7 June.
Hassan named a final squad of 26 players for the tournament, led by captain Mohamed Salah alongside key names including Omar Marmoush, Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet and Emam Ashour.
The squad also includes goalkeepers Mohamed El Shenawy, Mostafa Shobeir, El Mahdi Soliman and Mohamed Alaa.
Despite most positions appearing settled, the battle between El Shenawy and Shobeir has emerged as the most difficult issue facing the coaching staff.
Competition between the two goalkeepers has intensified over the last two years, with both players producing strong performances at club and international level. Statistics from last season reflect the narrow gap separating the pair.
Shobeir featured in 19 matches for Al Ahly SC and conceded 17 goals, averaging almost one goal per game. Meanwhile, El Shenawy also played 19 matches across various competitions and conceded 15 goals for the Cairo giants.
According to information from private sources cited by the winwin platform, Hassan remains undecided over which goalkeeper will begin the World Cup as Egypt’s number one choice.
The report stated that recent developments appear to favour Shobeir following his performances in friendly matches, particularly against Spain and Russia. His displays during Egypt’s preparations reportedly strengthened the belief within the technical staff that he may be ready to assume the role on football’s biggest stage.
However, El Shenawy’s experience continues to weigh heavily in the discussions.
The veteran goalkeeper possesses previous World Cup experience with both Egypt and Al Ahly, an advantage that remains difficult for the coaching staff to ignore ahead of a tournament where experience and composure are often decisive factors.
Sources indicated that Hassan is “relatively convinced” that Shobeir could start the tournament as Egypt’s first-choice goalkeeper. Yet uncertainty remains over whether the final days before the competition could lead to a late change of heart from the national team coach.
As Egypt continue preparations in Ohio, attention is increasingly focused on the goalkeeping battle that could shape the country’s World Cup journey.
For now, the question remains unanswered: will Hassan trust experience, or will he hand the responsibility to the emerging contender who has impressed during recent preparations?
