AFCON 2021: Egypt coach Carlos Queiroz announces provisional 40-man squad

The Pharaohs of Egypt head coach Carlos Queiroz has named a 40-man provisional squad for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

The much-anticipated tournament has been slated between January 9 and February 6, 2022 as 24 countries battle it out for the ultimate.

As the tournament approaches, the experienced trainer has announced his preliminary squad excluding Zamalek star midfielder Tarek Hamed, Smouha winger Hussein Faisal.

Meanwhile, Ghazl El-Mahalla’s defender Mohamed Fathallah has been handed a debut Pharaohs call-up.

England based trio Mohamed Salah [Liverpool], Mohamed Elneny [Arsenal] and Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan [Aston Villa] headline the list.

Queiroz will announce his final 23-man squad by the end of December.

Egypt’s 40-man provisional squad:

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El-Shennawy (Ahly), Mohamed Fawzy (Ismaily), Mohamed Sobhy (Farco), Mahmoud Gad (Enppi)

Defenders: Ayman Ashraf (Ahly), Ahmed Fatouh (Zamalek), Ahmed Hegazy (Ittihad of Jeddah), Akram Tawfik (Ahly), Mahmoud ‘El-Wensh’ Hamdi (Zamalek), Mahmoud Alaa (Zamalek), Ahmed Yassin (NBE), Mohamed Hany (Ahly), Mohamed Abdel-Monem (Future FC), Mohamed Hamdy (Pyramids FC), Mohamed Fathallah (Ghazl El-Mahalla), Ahmed Ramadan Beckham (Smouha), Marawan Dawoud (Enppi)

Midfielders: Omar Kamal (Future FC), Amr El-Sulaya (Ahly), Mostafa Fathi (Zamalek), Mohamed Magdi “Afsha” (Ahly), Emam Ashour (Zamalek), Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal), Abdallah El-Said (Pyramids FC), Ramadan Sobhy (Pyramids FC), Ahmed Sayed Zizo (Zamalek), Ibrahim Adel (Pyramids FC), Ahmed Refaat (Future FC), Nabil ‘Dunga’ Emad (Pyramids FC), Hamdy Fathy (Ahly), Mohanad Lasheen (Talae El-Geish)

Forwards: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Mostafa Mohamed (Galatasaray), Omar Marmoush (Stuttgart), Marwan Hamdy (Smouha), Ahmed “Kouka” Hassan (Konyaspor), Ahmed Yasser Rayyan (Altay), Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan (Aston Villa), Mohamed Sherif (Ahly).

Egypt who will be chasing a record-extending eighth African title are in Group D alongside Nigeria, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau.