Many rumors have circulated in recent days about attempts by the Egyptian Football Association to naturalize Brazilian Juan Bezerra, the Zamalek star, so he can play for the Egyptian national team in international matches.
Zamalek signed Bezerra last summer for approximately two million euros, and he quickly became one of the most prominent and important stars in the Egyptian league. It is said that the Egyptian national team coach, Hossam Hassan, is a big fan of the Brazilian’s abilities.
Recent amendments to the Egyptian citizenship law have greatly facilitated the process of obtaining an Egyptian passport for foreigners, and rumors have circulated that the Football Association plans to exploit this to naturalize Bezerra.
Some reports have indicated that Bezerra welcomes representing the Egyptian national team after the great love he has received from Zamalek fans, in addition to his general happiness in the Land of the Pharaohs, especially since he realizes that his chances of representing Brazil in the future are almost non-existent.
An official source within the Egyptian national team responded to these rumors in statements to various media outlets, denying the rumors completely and confirming that the idea of naturalizing Bezerra was never even on the table.
It does not appear that the idea of naturalizing Bezerra, or any other foreign player, has occurred to Egyptian officials, and everything published is baseless. Hossam Hassan believes that Egypt is brimming with talented and distinguished players and there is no need to attract foreigners.
The Egyptian national team is preparing to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco next December, after which preparations will begin for the much-anticipated 2026 World Cup, which kicks off in June in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
