Mustapha Hadji, the former Morocco international, places Egypt only fifth among the continent’s national teams. He cites the squad’s average age, while praising the history of the Egyptian national team and the strength of its league.
Third African nation in the latest FIFA ranking, twenty-fifth in the world: that is the administrative record. For Mustapha Hadji, a legend of the Moroccan national team, Egypt is nonetheless worth only fifth place on the continent. The opinion, gathered by Kooora and relayed by Goal.com, is not based on any collapse by the team, but on a demographic criterion.
In an interview with Kooora, the former international delivers his African top 5 without detour: “Morocco in first place, then Senegal, Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Egypt, in that order.” Algeria and Ivory Coast do not feature.
Age as a ranking criterion
Hadji stands by his choice and justifies it by the average age of the Egyptian players, which he puts at between 30 and 33. It is his own estimate, which he sets out as follows: “The average age of the Egypt team’s players is now between 30 and 33, so it is difficult to rank them any higher,” he tells Kooora.
His ranking therefore does not follow the FIFA hierarchy, in which Egypt occupies third place among African teams.
A strong tribute to Egypt
For this is not the portrait of a detractor. Hadji recalls that Egypt was the best team in Africa for many years and that its league remains the strongest on the continent, producing the best local players. The comparison with Germany is not a criticism: “We always say that Egypt is ‘the Germany of Africa’, for the tactical discipline and physical power the Egyptian players show, but the rise in the average age at the moment is what led me to this ranking.”
In terms of results, Egypt reached the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, a first in their history, and the semi-finals of the 2025 AFCON.
Argentina, that injustice
The former Morocco international goes further: he judges that Egypt suffered a clear injustice against Argentina at the 2026 World Cup, and that they deserved to go far in the competition. A personal view, not an established fact.
Egypt’s next engagement is their next squad list, followed by the November gathering for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.