Trezeguet and Rabia express joy of 'The Pharaohs'

Egypt's national team players celebrated in jubilant fashion after their deserved 3-1 victory over New Zealand in the second round of Group 7 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup — the first win in the Pharaohs' World Cup history, bringing them an important step closer to qualification for the round of 32.

The duo Mahmoud Trezeguet and Rami Rabia expressed their great happiness at the victory, affirming that team spirit and adherence to the coaching staff's instructions were among the most prominent reasons for the win.

Rami Rabia, Al Ain's defender, said: "We are winning the group step by step, and we treat each match on its own terms, because every fixture has its own calculations and circumstances. That is why we play with the same mentality in order to win every game." He added: "Today we achieved an important accomplishment that makes us happy, but we close the page quickly and focus on the next match, because it is no less important than today's. Our ambitions within this tournament are ongoing."

He continued: "We enter every match with the highest level of concentration. The players have a great desire to put in a performance befitting their names and history, and thank God we are seeing that materialise on the pitch."

Rabia also praised the fans' support, saying: "We can only commend the Egyptian fans who backed us as though we were playing in Egypt. That is an honour and gives us a huge moral boost, and we thank them for this support." He concluded: "We congratulate the Egyptian people on this victory, and we congratulate the players who proved their worth and their ability to win and make history. God willing, the best is yet to come."

For his part, Mahmoud Trezeguet affirmed that the team played for the happiness of the Egyptian people, noting that discipline and commitment were the secret to the victory. Trezeguet said: "We play for the Egyptian people, and God willing we will continue to achieve victories to make them happy. We know the value of our country very well, and everyone who supports this team is held dear to our eyes."

He added: "Thank God, He blessed us with a great joy, and we succeeded in making the fans happy — they deserve so much. The best is yet to come, God willing." He continued: "There was full commitment to the instructions of the coaching staff led by Captain Hossam Hassan, and all the players executed what was required of them on the pitch, and that was reflected in the performance and the result."

He closed his remarks by saying: "We promise the fans that we will give everything we have in every match, and we hope to always live up to the Egyptian people's trust in us."