The duo Abdullah El-Said, a player for Zamalek, and Ahmed Hegazy, a player for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, have refused to join the Egyptian national team participating in the Arab Cup.

Media personality Ahmed Shobeir stated on his radio program: "Captain Helmi Toulane confirmed that he has indeed contacted Abdullah El-Said and Ahmed Hegazy, but the duo has apologized, and the coaching staff understood their point of view. Nevertheless, if I were in Abdullah El-Said's place, I would not have refused to join, because representing the Egyptian national team is a great honor."

He added: "I was impressed by Akram Tawfik's stance, who welcomed participation, along with several other players who showed great enthusiasm. In the end, playing for the national team is an honor and a responsibility."

He continued: "We participated in two tournaments at the same time, one in Saudi Arabia and another in Syria, and two teams were formed. At that time, Thabet Al-Batal's name emerged with the Quneitra team and we won the title, while in the other tournament we continued winning until we lost in the final. This reflects the fighting spirit and determination to represent the homeland.