In 2010, Egypt won the Africa Cup of Nations for a record third consecutive time, beating Ghana 1-0 in the final.
After winning three on the spin (2006, 2008 and 2010), Egypt have failed to win the Africa Cup of Nations since. They’ve finished as runners-up twice, losing to Cameroon in the 2017 final and Senegal in the 2021 final. Egypt also failed to qualify the three Afcons between 2012 and 2015.
But what has happened to that Egypt players that made it three-in-a-row? We’ve taken a look at the 14 players featured in their 1-0 win over Ghana in the final.
Essam El-Hadary
- Position: Goalkeeper
- Age: 52
Essam El-Hadry made 159 appearances for Egypt, making him their third-highest appearance maker after his debut in 1996. El-Hadry won four African Cup of Nations during that time.
In 2013, the goalkeeper was rurmoured to have retired from international football, having spent some time on the bench. But El-Hadary was the man between the sticks for Egypt as they qualified for Afcon in 2017. And he was chosen in their 2018 World Cup squad, at the age of 45. Naturally, he was the oldest player at the tournament in Russia.
El-Hadary has been working as a goalkeeper coach in recent years, with Egypt and, more recently, Syria.
Ahmed Elmohamady
- Position: Defender
- Age: 38
Ahmed Elmohamady was the right wing-back playing in a back five for Egypt in their 1-0 victory over Ghana. He went on to make 91 appearances for his national side, scoring six goals and providing 10 assists.
Elmohamady spent over 10 years of his career playing in England. His performances at Afcon in 2010 earned the Egyptian a move to Sunderland, first on loan before joining permanently in 2011. Elmohamady also spent time with Hull City both on loan and permanently, before moving to Aston Villa for the final four years of his career.
The 38-year-old retired at Aston Villa in 2021. Following his retirement, Elmohamady returned to Villa as an ambassador, being given a full-time role in the club’s commercial department in 2023.
Wael Gomaa
- Position: Defender
- Age: 50
Wael Gomaa ranks seventh for Egypt’s all time appearance makers, with 117 games for the Pharaohs. The defender was part of all three Afcon victories from 2006 to 2010, eventually retiring from international football in 2013.
Gomaa only played for three different clubs in his career, starting out with Ghazi El Mahall. He thenspent 13 years with Al Ahly, with a loan move to Al-Sailiya in the 2007-08 season.
Soon after his retirement from international football, Gomaa starred in a Coca Cola advert ahead of the 2014 World Cup. The 50-year-old also worked for Egypt alongside Carlos Queiroz from 2021-22, leaving his post after their loss to Senegal in the final of Afcon.
Hany Said
- Position: Defender
- Age: 45
Hany Said made 78 appearances for Egypt, playing his part in two of their three Afcon triumphs between 2006-2010. The defender was not part of the 2006 team, but was recalled to the national side for their 2008 squad. And he kept his spot in 2010 after a strong 2008 campaign.
The 45-year-old spent his earlier years playing in Italy, spending time at AS Bari, Messina, Fiorentina and Pistoiese, before moving to Belgium in 2004. Said’s performances at Afcon saw him revive interest from some top Egyptian sides.
Said retired from football aged 39, taking up a position as sporting director at Egyptian side, Pyramids FC.
Ahmed Fathi
- Position: Defender
- Age: 41
Ahmed Fathi ranks fourth in Egypt’s all time appearance makers, making 134 appearances for his nation. Fathi was part of all three of Egypt’s consecutive Afcon victories, starting as a central defender against Ghana as part of a back three.
The 41-year-old only retired last year, having played for FC Pyramids between 2020-2024.
Sayed Moawad
- Position: Midfielder
- Age: 46
Sayed Moawad played as a left wing-back for Egypt in their 1-0 victory over Ghana, playing a mixture of full-back and left midfield in his career. The Egyptian made 61 appearances for his nation, providing seven assists and playing his part in two Afcon triumphs.
Moawad remained with Al Ahly despite his Afcon success. He did spend some time on loan with Hull City in 2013 and had a spell in Qatar with Umm Salal. Moawad saw out the rest of his career in Egypt with Al Ahly and Pyramids FC.
The 46-year-old retired in 2014. But his son (Omar Sayed Moawad) is now playing for Real Betis at just 18 years old.
Hossam Ghaly
- Position: Midfielder
- Age: 44
Hossam Ghaly was highly sought-after in 2006, joining Tottenham Hotspur having also been subject to interest from London rivals Arsenal. The midfielder went on to make 74 appearances for Egypt, and played his part in the 2010 Afcon success.
Ghaly made 36 Premier League appearances for Tottenham, as well as spending time with Feyenoord before his move to Spurs from 2004-2006. After his Afcon success in 2010, Ghaly returned to Egypt to play for Al Ahly, joining on a free transfer. He was rewarded with his favoured number 14 shirt and the captain’s armband upon arrival.
Since retiring in 2018 at Al Ahly, Ghaly has worked as a football director at El Gouna FC between 2018-2020. He was alsobeing one of the presidential candidates of Al Ahly in the 2021 management elections.
Hosny Abd Rabo
- Position: Midfielder
- Age: 41
Hosny Abd Rabo made 101 appearances for his country, scoring 16 goals and was a part of two Afcon winning sides (2008 and 2010).
Rabo started his career coming through the ranks at Ismaily. He was the youngest player in the Egyptian first division when they won the title in the 2001-2002 season.
The 41-year-old also retired with the club after some time away at Strasbourg and on loan elsewhere.
Ahmed Hassan
- Position: Midfielder
- Age: 50
Ahmed Hassan is the record appearance-maker for Egypt. He earned 184 caps for the Pharaohs, while also scoring 33 goals in his international career.
In his earlier years, Hassan spent time in Turkey and Belgium playing for some top European sides, including Besiktas and Anderlecht.
After retiring in 2013, Hassan has served as an ambassador for the Netherlands’ and Belgium’s unsuccessful World Cup bid, alongside Ruud Gullit. He was also the honorary president of the 2015 edition of the SATUC Football Cup, an international football competition for refugees and orphans.
Emad Mateb
- Position: Forward
- Age: 42
Emad Mateb made 70 appearances for Egypt, scoring 28 goals including an important striker against Algeria in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
Mateb was a one-club man, spending his entire career contracted to Al Ahly. He came through their youth ranks from 1993, breaking into the senior team in 2003 and retiring in 2018. However, the 42-year-old did spend time on loan with two other clubs. He spent the 2008-09 season with Al Ittihad and the 2018 campaign at Al Taawoun.
Mohamed Zidan
- Position: Forward
- Age: 43
Mohamed Zidan made 41 appearances for Egypt, scoring 10 goals and providing eight assists playing as a second-striker. The 43-year-old was part of two winning Afcon campaigns, also winning the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund in the 2010-11 season.
The 43-year-old spent time in Germany with a few different clubs. He started at Werder Bremen both on loan and permanently, before moving to Mainz — again on loan and then permanently. Zidan moved on to Hamburg, then Borrusia Dortmund, where he won the Bundesliga in 2020-11. He returned to Mainz following his success at Afcon in 2010.
Since retiring, Zidan has worked as an pundit, but he’s opted for a more quiet life since. Although, he was used in an advertising captain for an Egyptian fashion brand in 2025.
Mohamed Abdel Shafi
- Position: Defender
- Age: 40
Mohamaed Abdel Shafi made 51 appearances for Egypt after making his debut in 2009, just in time to make the squad for the 2010 African Cup of Nations. The left-back was used more from the bench during the 2010 Afcon campaign.
Between Shafi’s three stints with Zamalek in Egypt, the defender spent time with Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia following his success for the Egypt national team. Shafi was even named in Egypt’s preliminary squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
The 40-year-old only retired in 2025, after six years at Zamalek SC in Egypt.
Gedo
- Position: Forward
- Age: 41
Gedo was the hero for Egypt in 2010. He came off the bench to score the only goal in the Afcon final against Ghana. The forward made just 36 appearances for the national team, scoring 19 goals in that time. Gedo came off the bench in all six matches during the 2010 tournament, but was top scorer with five goals.
The 41-year-old joined Al Ahly after his Afcon success in 2010. He also spent time in England playing for Hull City on loan in 2013-14. Gedo then made the move to El-Entag El-Harby in 2015, before moving to El Mokawloon in 2016, and then El Gouna in 2018. He he retired in 2020.
Moatasem Salem
- Position: Defender
- Age: 45
Moatasem Salem made 26 appearances for Egypt in his international career between 2004-2012. But 2010 was his only Afcon competition. The defender played the entire 90 minutes in Egypt’s 2-0 victory over Benin, before being introduced for just one minute in the final.
The Egyptian defender spent his entire career playing in his home country, playing for Goldi, Ismaily, Smouha, Al-Mokawloon, Petrojet, El Sharkia and El Qanah.
After he retired, Salem worked as an assistant manager in 2019 for Nogoom FC. He’s now working for Pyramids FC as academy manager.
