Mohamed Salah’s uncle, Abdel Aziz El-Bombi, publicly criticized former Egypt national team coach Hossam Hassan on Thursday, alleging that the manager used offensive language toward players in the dressing room.
El-Bombi’s remarks, shared via a social media post that was later deleted, have drawn fresh attention to internal tensions within the squad.
The controversy centers on a match against Angola last September, which ended in a 0-0 draw at Cairo Stadium during the qualification phase for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. According to El-Bombi, Hassan directed verbal abuse at the players during the halftime interval, specifically questioning their character.
“Many have treated the captain of the Egyptian national team as merely a footballer, despite the fact that he represents a huge global brand that goes beyond what he offers on the pitch,” El-Bombi said in his post.
Allegations of dressing room misconduct
El-Bombi’s claims suggest that the relationship between the technical staff and the squad—particularly the team captain—was fraught with friction. He alleged that Hassan accused players of lacking manhood during his tenure. These claims follow a period of public speculation regarding Salah’s removal in the 60th minute of the Angola match, a decision that appeared to cause visible frustration for the player.
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) eventually moved to address the instability surrounding the national team. On 7 November, the Egyptian Football Association announced it had terminated the contract with Hossam Hassan and his backroom staff, citing the negative impact of recent events on the team’s image. Ali Maher was subsequently appointed to lead the squad.
The EFA had previously said that Salah’s absence from a subsequent fixture against South Sudan was a pre-agreed measure to protect the player from the risks of an artificial pitch, attempting to quell rumors of a rift between the star and his former coach.
EFA president meets Salah in Turkey
The discussion regarding Salah’s role has extended beyond the pitch, involving high-level administrative meetings. EFA president Hany Abu Rida recently traveled to Turkey to meet with Salah, a trip that drew criticism from some observers but was defended by El-Bombi as a necessary acknowledgement of the player’s global standing.
According to media figure Ahmed Shobair, the meeting was facilitated by an invitation from Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu, president of the Turkish Football Federation, to foster technical and administrative cooperation. During a dinner banquet attended by both officials and the player, the conversation reportedly focused on the future of the national team.
“Abu Rida affirmed the Egyptian fans’ appreciation of Salah and their insistence that he continue as captain, while stressing the need for coordination between the player and the technical staff to keep the team stable,” Shobair reported regarding the nature of the discussions.
Salah, who signed a two-year contract with Trabzonspor this past August, continues to be a central figure in Egyptian football. His uncle described the move to the Turkish league as a way to grow his brand, with El-Bombi claiming that Turkish officials and leadership personally helped facilitate the transfer to secure the benefits of signing a star of his profile.
With the coaching change finalized in November, the focus for the Egyptian Football Association remains on stabilizing the team’s performance under the new technical leadership. The EFA confirmed that the decision to move on from Hassan followed a review of the team's environment and how it affects the national program.
