In the aftermath of Egypt’s disappointing last-16 exit at the Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast, Portuguese coach Rui Vitoria (53) has been sacked by the Egyptian Football Association (EFA), the association announced on Sunday.
Vitoria’s contract was set to continue until the 2026 World Cup, but Egypt’s underwhelming performance at the Cup of Nations, culminating in a shootout loss to the Democratic Republic of Congo after a 1-1 draw, prompted an early termination of his tenure.
The EFA confirmed the dismissal of Vitoria and his entire coaching staff. Mohamed Youssef, a former coach of Al Ahly who led the Egyptian giants to the African Champions League title in 2013, will serve as interim coach.
Furthermore, the EFA stated that they would consider the CVs of foreign coaches as they seek a replacement.
Vitoria took charge of Egypt in 2022, inheriting a team grappling with a significant decline in form following their appearance in the Cup of Nations final in Cameroon.
Initially, Egypt displayed promising signs, showcasing improved attacking prowess and securing a spot in the Cup of Nations finals in the Ivory Coast. They also won their first two games of the World Cup qualifiers.
However, their performances in the Ivory Coast were lackluster, narrowly progressing to the last 16 with three consecutive 2-2 draws before being ousted by D.R. Congo, ending their quest for an eighth Cup of Nations title.
Vitoria joins the ranks of coaches departing from the tournament, alongside Algeria’s Djamel Belmadi, Gambia’s Tom Saintfiet, Ghana’s Chris Hughton, Tunisia’s Jalel Kadri, Tanzania’s Adel Amrouche, and Ivory Coast’s Jean-Louis Gasset.
