Marwan Ateya

Anchor of Egypt's midfield

Ateya will look to serve as a key fixture in Egypt's central midfield throughout the World Cup, bringing defensive solidity and box-to-box energy to the Pharaohs' setup.

Analysis: Ateya has developed into one of the most important pieces of manager Hossam Hassan's lineup since joining Al Ahly in January 2023, making 34 appearances across just three years at the international level. His upside comes primarily from ball-winning and distributing skills, although he accumulated more yellow cards than any other Egypt player during World Cup qualifying with four bookings, a reflection of his aggressive pressing style. He did score one goal at AFCON 2025 during Egypt's run to the semi-finals. The central man is a near-certain starter for a team with genuine clean sheet potential in convenient fixtures, and he should be able to accrue defensive stats when given the opportunity.