Egypt have sacked head coach Rui Vitoria after the national team’s underwhelming performance at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) confirmed on Monday.
Vitoria’s dismissal follows Egypt’s dramatic 8-7 penalty shootout defeat against DR Congo in San Pedro in the last 16, dashing their hopes of a record-extending eighth AFCON title.
Egypt had struggled in the tournament, failing to win a game.
Egypt were held to three successive 2-2 group-stage draws – against Mozambique, Ghana and Cape Verde – before their loss to DR Congo.
They were also hampered by an early injury to talismanic captain Mohamed Salah.
In a statement, the EFA board thanked Vitoria and his staff for their service but indicated they were exploring options among foreign coaches to fill the vacant position. The statement also announced former Al Ahly coach Mohamed Youssef as the interim manager.
Former Benfica and Spartak Moscow manager Vitoria was appointed as Egypt’s head coach in 2022, succeeding Ehab Galal. He signed a four-year deal that would have taken him through to the 2026 World Cup.
His reign with the Pharaohs started well, winning 12 out of 14 games in charge before the start of Afcon 2023.
This included their two wins at the start of the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Meanwhile, coach Rui Victoria, is the best-paid national team coach in Africa, getting $2.4m per year is going home.
Egypt however remains the most successful team in the Nations Cup with seven titles in the kitty, the Pharaohs were seeking their eighth title at the 34th AFCON in Cote d Ivoire, a dream which hit the rocks with a bang.
Vitoria’s dismissal follows the departure of several other coaches at Afcon 2023.
Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi, Gambia’s Tom Saintfiet, Ghana’s Chris Hughton, Tunisia’s Jalel Kadri, Tanzania’s Adel Amrouche, and Ivory Coast boss Jean-Louis Gasset all parted ways with their teams.
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