In this file photo dated June 25, 2018, Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary deflects a penalty during the group A match between Saudi Arabia and Egypt at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Volgograd Arena in Volgograd, Russia. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) — Egypt’s goalkeeper Essam El Hadary has retired from the national soccer team after becoming the oldest man to play in a FIFA World Cup match.
El Hadary started the 2018 World Cup as Egypt’s backup goalkeeper, but he played in his team’s final group match in Russia, saving a penalty in the 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia on June 25.
“After 22 years, four months and 12 days, I saw it as the best moment to hang up my gloves,” the 45-year-old El Hadary wrote on Facebook. “This is a moment I didn’t want to come … I am very proud to have played with the national team in 159 internationals, participating in unprecedented achievements.”
El Hadary made his debut for the national team in 1996. He won four African Cup of Nations titles with Egypt, including three straight with him as goalkeeper in 2006, 2008 and 2010.
Teammate Mohamed Salah hailed the veteran goalkeeper on Twitter.
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“A new legend from a great golden generation is leaving us,” the Liverpool forward wrote Tuesday.
(L-R) Egypt’s Mohamed Abdel-Shafy, Tarek Hamed, Essam El-Hadary, Mohamed Salah, Saleh Gomaa, Ahmed Fathy, Mohamed Elneny, Hassan Ahmed, Ramadan Sobhi, Ahmed Hegazi, Mohamed Abdel-Shafy pose for a team picture during their World Cup 2018 Africa qualifying match between Egypt and Congo at the Borg el-Arab stadium in Alexandria on October 8, 2017. (AFP PHOTO/Mohamed El-Shahed)
In Russia, El Hadary overtook Faryd Mondragon, who was 43 when he came on as a late substitute in Colombia’s 4-1 victory over Japan four years ago at the World Cup in Brazil.
El Hadary, who will continue to play for Egyptian club Ismaili, first rose to prominence with Cairo club Al-Ahly, but he fell out with management and left in 2008 for Switzerland. Since then, El Hadary he has become something of a soccer nomad, playing for several clubs in Egypt, Sudan and Saudi Arabia.
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