Egypt's Zico seizes World Cup chance after putting holiday on hold

Mostafa Mohamed, known as "Zico," found his summer vacation plans abruptly altered by an unexpected call-up to the Egyptian national football team. The Pyramids FC forward was preparing for a break on Egypt's north coast when the opportunity arose.

"I was far away from the national team and honestly wasn't expecting it," Zico told reporters after contributing significantly to Egypt's 3-1 World Cup win against New Zealand on Sunday. "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."

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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.

Zico, who has been given the moniker in homage to Brazilian football icon Zico, is rapidly becoming a standout performer for Egypt. He has demonstrated his versatility, playing on the wing or as a central forward, and has justified the coach's trust with impactful performances. Before the World Cup, he scored in friendlies against Russia and Brazil. His World Cup debut included a goal against New Zealand in Vancouver, where he also provided a clever back-heel assist for Mohamed Salah.

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From the first minute until now, Hossam Hassan has given us confidence. Thank God I haven't let him down for a single second.

This victory marked Egypt's first-ever World Cup win, placing them in a strong position in Group G. They are now focused on their final group match against Iran, with the goal of advancing to the knockout phase for the first time in the country's history. Zico emphasized the team's collective confidence, stating, "From the first minute until now, Hossam Hassan has given us confidence. Thank God I haven't let him down for a single second."

Despite the team's promising start, Zico cautioned against overconfidence. "We still haven't achieved anything yet. Hopefully we can go even further," he said. "We are the strongest team in Africa. Why shouldn't we go as far as possible in this tournament?"

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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?