U20 AFCON: Egypt include Salah in squad to face Nigeria, Senegal

The Flying Eagles will have to beat the best if they are to claim a fourth African Youth Championship title next month

The Egyptian Football Federation has unveiled a 21-man squad for the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations which will kick off in the country on February 19.

This comes a few hours after head coach Ladan Bosso announced Nigeria’s squad of largely home-based players for the youth championship.

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles are placed in Group A alongside hosts Egypt, West African powerhouse Senegal, and emerging force Mozambique.

Egypt, though, will be among the favourites to win the tournament after the national U-20 team coach, Mahmoud Gaber called up several of the country’s most talented youngsters.

Top of the pile is former Al Ahly teen wonder, Salah Pasha.

Salah Pasha scored three goals for the Egyptian youth team in the Arab Cup, which the Pharaohs lost to Saudi Arabia on penalties in the final.

Salah holds Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah as his role model, adores Real Madrid, and dreams of helping the Egyptian national team to reach and win the World Cup in 2026.

The TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt 2023, will run from 19 February to 11 March, with the hosts playing against Mozambique in the opening match on 19 February at Cairo International Stadium.

Egypt’s 21-man squad

Goalkeepers: Ahmed Nader Al-Sayed – Karim Ahmed Nabil – Mustafa Makhlouf

Defenders: Abd al-Rahman Rushdi – Abd al-Rahman Jouda – Omar Fayed – Youssef Shaaban – Ahmed Reda – Iyad al-Asqalani – Islam Abdullah – Karim al-Dabis – Raafat Khalil – Khaled Awad – Mahmoud Ahmed Morsi

Midfielders: Muhammad Fares – Tariq Alaa – Omar Al-Saei – Majed Hani – Muhammad Hamdi – Ahmed Abdel Rahim – Ahmed Nader Hawash – Youssef Al-Azab

Forwards: Salah Pasha – Ahmed Sharif – Youssef Hassan – Bilal Mazhar