Hundreds of jubilant supporters gathered to welcome Egypt's national football team home after their best-ever performance at a World Cup, which ended with a thrilling last-16 exit to Argentina.
A sea of fans dressed in red, white, and black filled the area outside the airport in el-Alamein on Friday, where the Pharaohs boarded an open-top bus for a parade through the coastal city.
"We are very happy with the team," supporter Mohamed Gehad told AFP at the airport. "Their spirit was high, and ours is high as we welcome them."
Supporters waved Egyptian and Palestinian flags in solidarity with nearby Gaza, as well as a poster of coach Hossam Hassan draping both flags over himself during the tournament.
Egypt achieved their first World Cup win at the 2026 edition and later reached the round of 16 for the first time after a penalty shootout victory against Australia.
They came agonizingly close to one of the tournament's biggest upsets against Argentina, leading 2-0 with minutes remaining before the defending champions staged a stunning 3-2 comeback.
But fans remained in high spirits, dancing to drum beats, singing patriotic songs, and wearing shirts bearing the name of captain and former Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah.
Others held handwritten banners reading: "You made us proud, men." "They reached a stage they had never reached before, and we are proud of them," another fan, Eyad Ahmed, told AFP.
As the team bus pulled away, flags rippled above the crowd, and supporters surged alongside the vehicle until it disappeared.
"I'll do everything in my power to ensure this is a new beginning for Egyptian football on the international stage," Salah wrote on social media during the celebrations.
The players are expected to meet President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Saturday, who thanked the team for its "honourable performance."
The Egyptian Football Association has lodged a complaint against the officiating team from Tuesday's match, with coach Hassan accusing officials of injustice, despite FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina rejecting what he called "unfounded allegations."
Hassan drew praise in Gaza after waving a Palestinian flag on the pitch following Egypt's victory over Australia and dedicating the win to the Palestinian people. At his pre-match press conference, he said the suffering of the Palestinian people was a "shame on the world" and called on football to do more.
During the tournament, thousands of Palestinians gathered in makeshift cafes set up in tents or built from salvaged corrugated metal to watch Egypt's matches.
On Wednesday, Palestinians in Gaza turned out in large numbers to pay respects to a senior member of Egypt's main aid organization, who had set up World Cup screenings in the shattered enclave and was killed by an Israeli airstrike on a taxi this week. The strike killed Mohammed al-Wahidi, himself a Palestinian, along with three others, including two young passers-by, siblings aged 10 and 8.
During the funeral, attended by hundreds, al-Wahidi's body was wrapped in Palestinian and Egyptian flags before burial. Neighbors and friends visited his house throughout the day to pay their respects.
Source: www.aljazeera.com