From International Exile to Egypt World Cup Knockout Heroics
The 30-year-old Pyramids FC left-back previously enjoyed a solid stint with RC Lens between 2016 and 2018, registering 48 appearances for the French club. However, his international career stagnated heavily after March 2019, leading to a prolonged absence from the Pharaohs squad despite a brief call-up in June 2022.
Hafez finally earned a surprise recall to the World Cup roster following a cruel anterior cruciate ligament injury to regular starter Mohamed Hamdy. Opportunity knocked louder when backup fullback Ahmed Fatouh was also ruled out just before the high-stakes round of 16 clash against Australia, thrusting Hafez directly into the tactical setup.
Read Also
The experienced defender seized his moment perfectly by delivering a crucial assist for Egypt's only goal during regular time against the Socceroos. The tense knockout fixture eventually ended 1-1 before the Pharaohs secured a dramatic 4-2 victory in the penalty shootout to advance to the next stage.
Despite his heroic performance, Hafez was substituted in the 80th minute after sustaining a physical knock that requires immediate medical evaluation. Team officials face a race against time to get him fit for Tuesday's monumental quarter-final showdown against Argentina, where he could face former Lens teammate Facundo Medina.