Nabih: Egypt have big ambitions for U-20 World Cup

 Egypt U-20 coach Osama Nabih speaks to FIFA about the joy of leading the Young Pharaohs in their bid to return to global prominence.

• Egypt are back in the FIFA U-20 World Cup for the first time in 12 years

• Head coach Osama Nabih is confident his squad will excel at Chile 2025

• They’ve been drawn in Group A with the host nation, Japan and New Zealand

Amid the disappointment of Egypt’s semi-final exit at the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, a silver lining shone through: qualification to the FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025™, ending a long absence from the global stage and restoring pride to a team yearning to test itself among the best young talents on the planet.

More than just an achievement, it was a defining moment of determination and grit, against the clock and the odds. Under the leadership of head coach Osama Nabih, this generation has carried the torch of hope, proving that hard work can overcome obstacles.

Nabih is no stranger to high-stakes challenges. A former international player, he served as assistant coach during Egypt’s FIFA World Cup Russia 2018™ qualification campaign and has managed top clubs in the country’s domestic league. Now, he’s channelling all that experience into guiding fresh talents who seek to write a new chapter in Egyptian footballing history.

Speaking with FIFA, Nabih spoke about qualifying for the U-20 World Cup and the major challenges on the road to Chile.

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FIFA: Congratulations on Egypt’s ninth U-20 World Cup qualification. How does it feel?

Osama Nabih: I’m overjoyed – words can’t describe the pride. Being responsible for a team chasing World Cup qualification and being part of that success is a great honour for any coach. Truth be told, I took charge at a difficult moment, but within a short time we managed to get to know the team and their capabilities. We worked hard to assess what we had and select the right squad, and they delivered when it counted. We would’ve welcomed more of a chance to prepare, but by quickly establishing some organisation and a clear system, we were able to achieve our objective, and that’s a real testament to this generation.

You finished fourth at the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations. What were the highs and lows of the tournament?

We were supposed to perform better, but we’re satisfied with the result we delivered, given the limited preparation time. That said, it’s not the level we’re aiming for going forward. Usually, the teams that come out on top have put in three or four years of work, so what we achieved is impressive. I hope we can carry that into the World Cup.

Our low moment was the 4-0 loss to Sierra Leone, especially having just beaten South Africa, who eventually won the whole thing. The final score was a real shock at the end of a match in which we actually played well and created plenty of opportunities. But to lose by four was brutal – one of our worst matches. But we were able to bounce back quickly, and that was one of our proudest moments. The players were under immense pressure, playing at home under the eye of fans and media, but they managed to overcome it. They’ll come to appreciate the value of that experience in time.

What’s your assessment of Egypt’s group in Chile?

It’s definitely a tough one. Japan are regular contenders in this tournament, and New Zealand are also solid. And then there’s Chile. Being in the same group as the hosts automatically means going up against the crowd energy, too, at least in that match. They belong to three different schools of football, so we’ll analyse each of them to determine their strengths and weaknesses. In the end, there are no easy matches at the World Cup. What matters is that we’re ready and the players are prepared at the time of the tournament. We hope to be in peak form by then.

What’s the objective in Chile – just getting out of the group, or are you aiming for more?

I can’t be certain about anything at this stage. It depends on how things shake out in the tournament, how we show up in each match, and the minute details of each encounter. But I have faith in God and in these players. If things go according to plan and we play with our target intensity, then I believe that we’ll get past the group stage.

Egyptians, by nature, are people who always dream big. Our ambitions may sometimes outstrip our capabilities, but when given the opportunity, we can unleash hidden potential. We’re hopeful that we’ll unleash that hidden potential this time around and surprise people.

What’s your plan to prepare for the World Cup?

We kicked off our preparation programme in early July. The aim is to have the team in the best possible shape by the time the tournament begins. We won our first friendly, against Kuwait, by 3-2. The programme I submitted to the Football Association includes matches against several Egyptian Premier League clubs, plus an international tournament in the second half of August. I’ve asked to travel to South America 12 days before the tournament begins so that the players have a chance to acclimatise.

How do you plan to bridge the experience gap against nations that are regulars at the U-20 World Cup?

We’re doing all we can. In African competition as well, some teams have much more experience than we do, including professionals playing abroad. We're trying to compensate with a system of tactics and approach. If you show up at a World Cup without a clear game plan, it’ll end badly. A team without a system will disappoint, which is what happened to us against Sierra Leone. If we can be disciplined, we stand a chance; if not, these other, stronger teams will leave us in the dust.