Egypt Fire Hector Cuper After World Cup Debacle

Egypt have dismissed their head coach Hector Cuper after a disappointing Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign.

The Pharaohs were appearing at the World Cup for the first time in 28 years but they failed to make it a memorable one by losing all their group games and finishing at the bottom of the group without a solitary point.

They were beaten 1-0 by a late Jose Gimenez header in their tournament opener against Uruguay in Group A before losing 3-1 to hosts Russia.

The seven-time African champions ended the tournament with a 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia on Monday evening.

The team’s preparation ahead of the tournament was dominated by a shoulder injury star man Mohamed Salah picked up during his Liverpool side’s Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid but he still featured and scored in both the second and third game.

62-year-old Argentine Cuper had been in discussions with the Egyptian Football Association (FA) to extend his current contract, which expires at the end of the tournament in Russia.

After the Saudia Arabia loss, the former Inter Milan and Valencia manager, who was appointed in March 2015 before leading the team to the 2017 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) final said he would “see what will happen” ahead of a meeting with the EFA.

They were beaten 2-1 in the 2017 AFCON final by Cameroon.

The EFA decided not to offer him a new deal as Egypt head coach after the aforementioned meeting.

The EFA via a statement said: “We held a meeting after returning from Russia and the entire board decided to say thank you to Cuper and his technical staff.

“We appreciate the work from the coach, from reaching the Africa Cup of Nations after three years of absence and taking Egypt to the World Cup after 28 years of absence.” An EFA statement further read.