The journalist Ashraf Helmy has called on the officials of the Egyptian Football Association to dismiss both the head coach of the national team and his assistants, the twin brothers Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan, due to their unethical behavior during the 2026 World Cup matches. Helmy noted that hundreds of millions around the world witnessed the unacceptable conduct of the twins during and after the match against Argentina, which included protests against refereeing decisions, confrontations with referees and Argentine players, as well as clashes with rival fans, culminating in spitting at them. This behavior was far removed from the spirit of fair play and sportsmanship.

Moreover, Helmy highlighted the incident after the Australia match, where Hossam Hassan raised a Palestinian flag, which provoked the Argentine fans and led to a strong backlash. In response to the contentious atmosphere, Argentine supporters raised the Israeli flag following their victory, further aggravating the situation, especially for the Hassan twins.

Helmy emphasized that the unethical conduct displayed by the twins during the matches against Australia and Argentina has sparked a range of reactions among the Egyptian public and expatriate communities. This has resulted in significant embarrassment for Egyptians abroad due to the disgraceful scenes involving the Hassan twins, particularly their altercations with Argentine captain Messi and the game’s referees, along with their harassment of Argentine fans.

He urged the sports authorities in Egypt, represented by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Football Association, to remove both Ibrahim and Hossam Hassan from their positions as national team coaches. Helmy argued that allowing the duo to continue in the team would imply tacit approval of their unethical actions, which tarnish Egypt’s reputation on international platforms and reflect poorly on the values of the Egyptian people, given that they are part of a delegation representing 120 million Egyptians.