Ahead of Egypt’s highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup matchup against Argentina, Egyptian national team head coach Hossam Hassan has captured global attention and widespread praise for an impassioned speech standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people, delivered during an official pre-match press conference. The remarks came just days after Hassan made headlines for celebrating Egypt’s tournament victory over Australia while holding the Palestinian flag, a gesture that quickly spread across social media to cement his public stance on the ongoing crisis.
Speaking in Arabic during the Monday press briefing, Hassan opened with a stark, unflinching message that resonated across borders: “If there is one person in the world who does not feel for the Palestinian people, then he is not a human being.” He emphasized that this standard holds for every person, regardless of nationality, religion, or regional identity, whether they are Arab, European, American, or from any other corner of the globe.
Hossam went on to condemn what he framed as widespread global indifference to the escalating humanitarian catastrophe facing Palestinians. He highlighted the jarring double standard in global public reaction, noting that communities often mobilize rapidly to protest harm to a single animal, yet thousands of Palestinian civilians — including women and children — are killed daily with little meaningful outcry from the international community.
Appealing directly to the global football community, which commands a massive international audience during the World Cup, Hassan urged athletes, sports organizations, and media professionals across all backgrounds to leverage the sport’s unmatched soft power to amplify Palestinian calls for dignity and survival. “Please, please, all athletes and media professionals, regardless of their religions and countries, maybe through the World Cup, we can send a message: please let the Palestinian people live. They do not want anything, just to live,” he said.
Drawing a connection between football’s core values and the broader fight for human dignity, Hassan tied his remarks to FIFA’s official motto of “respect and fair play.” “Just as FIFA’s slogan says, ‘respect and fair play’, we want fairness in life,” he stated. “We want respect for human beings. We want respect for the fact that a human being should live.”
Since the speech was shared on social media by multiple outlets and public figures, it has sparked an outpouring of support from across the Middle East and beyond. The president of the Palestinian Football Association, Jibril Rajoub, released an official statement thanking Hassan for his “humanitarian and noble” stance, his decision to raise the Palestinian flag, and his “sincere solidarity” with the Palestinian people.
Prominent Egyptian sports journalist Ahmed el-Erian also praised the remarks on social media, noting that he never imagined hearing such a clear, unapologetic statement of support from a leader of the Egyptian national team at a global event of the World Cup’s scale. Erian described Hassan’s words as historic, emphasizing that the coach’s pro-Palestinian stance is long-standing and rooted in genuine emotion, rather than performative activism. Regardless of how Egypt’s match against Argentina unfolds, Erian wrote, the speech has already secured its place as a point of national pride in Egypt’s 2026 World Cup story.
Palestinian writer Yasser Zaatreh echoed that sentiment, writing that Hassan has already earned a glory far greater than any World Cup trophy. Zaatreh argued that by taking a public stand, Hassan won “the match of humanity and principles,” and has been awarded the most meaningful honor: the gratitude of the Palestinian people and all people who support freedom and justice globally.
Turkey’s ambassador to Cairo, Salih Mutlu Sen, also publicly praised Hassan’s remarks on social media, affirming shared solidarity with the Palestinian people. Former Egypt and Al Ahly goalkeeper Ahmed Shobeir similarly applauded Hassan’s performance at the press conference, noting that the coach spoke with the clarity and conviction of a leading thinker, while defending the Palestinian right to a dignified life. “The Palestinian flag is in the heart of every Egyptian and Arab,” Shobeir wrote, adding that Hassan gave voice to shared feelings across the region.
Most notably, Al Jazeera shared footage from Gaza showing local residents gathering to honor Hassan and thank him for his public support. Residents of the besieged enclave sent personal messages of appreciation to the coach for his willingness to use the global platform of the World Cup to amplify their struggle.
The wave of positive reactions to Hassan’s speech has underscored a growing demand for sports figures to extend the values of respect and inclusion that define football beyond the boundaries of the pitch, into the most pressing global humanitarian issues of our time.