Mostafa “Zico” Mohamed was loading luggage for a summer trip to Egypt’s north coast when a phone call rerouted his entire summer. A late call-up from the national team coaching staff pulled him off vacation and onto the biggest stage in football.
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“I was far away from the national team and honestly wasn’t expecting it. Coach Hossam Hassan brought me from the north coast. I was about to go on vacation and suddenly I found myself at the World Cup.”
The Pyramids FC forward made those words count on Sunday, scoring one goal and setting up another as Egypt defeated New Zealand 3-1 in Vancouver. His assist was a back-heel pass inside the penalty area that gave Mohamed Salah an easy finish, a piece of skill that underlined why Hassan made the call in the first place.
A fringe player before the tournament, Zico is rapidly becoming one of Egypt’s most reliable attacking options. Named after the Brazilian great, he fits into a long tradition in Egyptian football of players adopting the names of international stars. His versatility across both wings and as a centre forward gives the coaching staff genuine tactical flexibility.
The form was not built overnight. Zico scored in pre-tournament friendlies against Russia and Brazil, arriving at the World Cup with momentum already behind him. His goal against New Zealand was simply the continuation of a run that has been building for weeks.
Egypt’s 3-1 victory was the country’s first at a World Cup, and it places them in a commanding position in Group G ahead of their final group match against Iran. A positive result would send them into the knockout phase for the first time in the nation’s history.
“From the first minute until now, Hossam Hassan has given us confidence. Thank God I haven’t let him down for a single second.”
Zico was direct about the squad’s mindset: the strong start changes nothing yet.
“We still haven’t achieved anything yet. Hopefully we can go even further. We are the strongest team in Africa. Why shouldn’t we go as far as possible in this tournament?”
That confidence is grounded in performance, not noise. Keep up with all the World Cup 2026 coverage, analysis, and picks at TipsGG.