From the coast to the World Cup.. Zico writes history with the Egyptian national team | sports

Mustafa Abdel Raouf “Zico” was preparing to spend a summer vacation on the northern coast of Egypt when his unexpected joining the ranks of the national team changed his plans.

The Pyramids club striker told reporters after scoring one goal and making another in Egypt’s 3-1 victory over New Zealand in the FIFA World Cup on Monday: “I was away from the national team and, frankly, I did not expect that. Coach Hossam Hassan brought me from the North Coast. I was about to go on vacation, and suddenly I found myself in the World Cup.”

Zico writes history with the Egyptian national team

Zico was an unknown player before the tournament, but he quickly emerged as one of the most prominent players in the Egyptian national team.

He was named after the Brazilian legend Zico, and is part of a long tradition in Egyptian football of players choosing the names of international stars as their nicknames.

The striker, who can play on either wing or as a centre-forward, has repaid the coach’s faith with a string of impressive performances.

Zico scored in the friendly matches that preceded the World Cup against Russia and Brazil before opening his tally in the tournament against New Zealand in Vancouver, where he also assisted Mohamed Salah’s goal with a smart heel pass inside the penalty area.

Egypt’s victory over New Zealand is the country’s first in the history of its participation in the World Cup, and placed it at the top of Group G before its final match against Iran as it seeks to qualify for the knockout stage for the first time.

Zico said: “From the first minute until now, coach Hossam Hassan gave us confidence. Thank God I did not disappoint him even for a single second.”

He added: “The players did not get carried away with optimism despite Egypt’s strong start. We have not achieved anything yet. We hope that we can go further. We are the strongest team in Africa. So why not go as far as possible in this tournament?”

He continued: “We played a historic match and achieved our first victory in the history of our participation. Scoring goals is a blessing from God and a reward for the effort.”

He concluded: “All the players are doing their utmost to present a special and exceptional version for the Egyptian national team in the World Cup, and making the Egyptian fans happy is priceless.”