Egypt coach Hossam Hassan addresses Palestine flag display and Messi interaction

In a television interview, Egypt national team coach Hossam Hassan made several statements about his actions and decisions during the 2026 World Cup.

• Hassan said he felt proud to have raised the Palestine flag during the World Cup, stating it came from a human conviction.
• Hassan denied directing any words to Argentine star Lionel Messi during the round-of-16 match, saying his conversation was entirely with the referee about officiating decisions.
• Hassan said that while the team has players like Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, starting positions depend on technical form, which is why Marmoush did not start against Argentina.
• Hassan said he prepared the penalty shootout order in advance, trusted Mahmoud Saber, and was worried about Hossam Abdel Magid but the player insisted on taking the kick and succeeded.