Forget for a moment the controversy surrounding the referee and FIFA's bias that favored Lionel Messi's Argentina against Egypt in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
Because, before the controversy materialized, there was one figure from the Egyptian squad who deserved to be in the spotlight on the 2026 World Cup football stage. His name was Haissem Hassan.
Hassan is a surname synonymous with a golden record in Egyptian football. It's unclear whether Haissem realizes this, given that he was born in Bagnolet, France, on February 8, 2002, and grew up there.
It seems Haissem has probably heard more about Zinedine Zidane's epic story of leading France to victory in the 1998 World Cup or witnessed the exploits of young Kylian Mbappe, who captivated football fans worldwide by helping Les Bleus win the 2018 World Cup.
Moreover, Haissem, as a young man, represented France's youth teams, including when they finished third at the 2019 U-17 World Cup in Brazil. Haissem scored two goals in seven appearances for France's U-17s, and scored one goal in nine appearances for France's U-18s.
It is also possible that little Haissem grew up hearing the legendary name of Tarak Dhiab, the 1977 African Footballer of the Year from Tunisia, Heissem's mother's country of origin.
However, it seems that Haissem's father -- who is an Egyptian citizen -- has more stories in stock, to tell the story of the Hassans who supported the success of the Pharaoh's Army in the African football scene.
