‘The word Messi can scare some footballers’ - How Egypt boss avoided frightening team talk ahead of World Cup last-16 clash with Argentine GOAT

In a fascinating insight into modern man-management, Hassan explained that he referred to the Inter Miami star only by his shirt number during tactical preparations. The objective was to eliminate any "excessive respect" that could manifest as fear on the pitch when facing the defending world champions.

"The word 'Messi' can scare some footballers," Hassan told ONTV in an interview following his side's return to Cairo. "When I give a tactical example in the talks, if Messi makes a movement, I myself avoid saying his name. I prefer to say 'the player number 10' or 'the number such-and-such,' to take the excessive respect or fear out of their heads."

Hassan emphasised that his primary goal was to ensure Egypt maintained their own tactical identity rather than becoming obsessed with stoping one specific opponent. By dehumanising the opposition's biggest threat, he hoped to foster a collective belief that the Pharaohs were equal to the task in Atlanta.

The manager stated: "I was trying to make sure the players had a technical and tactical identity to work with, that they didn't depend on a single player. Also, in the psychological part, I don't want to know the name of the rival team or the names of their players. I wanted them to play without looking at the color of the shirt to avoid creating a sense of inferiority."

The strategy appeared to be working to perfection for over an hour, as Egypt raced into a shock 2-0 lead through Yasser Ibrahim and Mostafa Zico. However, the psychological barrier eventually crumbled in the final ten minutes as Argentina mounted a trademark comeback to win 3-2, a result that left the Egyptian camp reeling from a sense of betrayal by the officiating.

Despite the win, it was a night of mixed emotions for the Argentine captain. Before the comeback began, Egyptian goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir made headlines when he saved a Messi spot-kick, momentarily silencing the pro-Albiceleste crowd. However, the "number 10" eventually found his rhythm, contributing to the late surge that broke Egyptian hearts at the death.

Hassan remained defiant regarding his team's performance, but he was less than complimentary about the match officials. The Egypt boss suggested that the pressure of the occasion and the reputation of their opponents influenced the decisions that went against his side, including a disallowed goal and a rejected penalty appeal.

Reflecting on the grit shown by the holders, some observers noted that Argentina's ability to survive by the skin of their teeth was a marker of champions. Hassan, however, felt the external factors were too great to overcome, stating that the referee "generated tension" and distracted his players from their technical execution during the high-stakes knockout encounter.