Essam El-Hadary, the former Egypt goalkeeper, reflected on his remarkable career and the future of goalkeeping in the region.
Renowned for his extraordinary talent, El-Hadary emphasized that he sees no successor in the realm of goalkeeping following his retirement.
El-Hadary stated on CBC channel: “My father, Kamal El-Hadary, had only me and then closed the factory.
“There might be someone better than me, but there’s no successor for me. I’m like Mohamed Aboutrika, unique. The same goes for Mohamed Salah.”
El-Hadary’s illustrious career saw him clinch three Africa Cup of Nations titles with the Egyptian national team from 2006 to 2010 and participate in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
El-Hadary had taken over coaching the goalkeepers of Egypt, as part of Carlos Queiroz’s coaching staff, and was present at the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon, where the team lost the title to Senegal in the final match.
He now serves as the goalkeeper coach for Syria under the guidance of former Egypt manager Héctor Cúper. Syria’s historic advancement to the Round of 16 in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup came under their leadership.
The Syrian Football Federation has recently extended Cúper’s coaching staff contract until the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
