Here we take a look at Egypt's World Cup squad and the other things it will be handy to know about the Group A contenders.
Egypt's World Cup squad - the 29 names
Goalkeepers: Essam El Hadary, Mohamed El-Shennawy, Sherif Ekramy, Mohamed Awad.
Defenders: Ahmed Fathi, Saad Samir, Ayman Ashraf, Mahmoud Hamdy, Mohamed Abdel-Shafy, Ahmed Hegazi and Ali Gabr, Ahmed Elmohamady, Karim Hafez, Omar Gaber, Amro Tarek.
Midfielders: Tarek Hamed, Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, Shikabala, Abdallah Said, Sam Morsy, Mohamed Elneny, Kahraba, Ramadan Sobhi, Trezeguet, Amr Warda.
Strikers: Marwan Mohsen, Ahmed Gomaa, Kouka, Mohamed Salah.
What odds are Egypt to win the World Cup?
150/1.
Who's the coach?
Hector Cuper, former progressive turned crabby pragmatist after losing back-to-back Champions League finals with Valencia and Serie A on the last day of the season with Inter.
Who's the star?
After a scare and a prayer: ‘Mo Salah, Mo Salah, Mo Salah… Running down the wing… Salah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah... Egyptian King!’
Best thing about them
Endless patience, a steel door defence and a world-class player in Salah cutting in from the right to strike with finishes of impudent variation.
Worst thing about them
A classic counter-attacking side, they can be stultifying for long stretches and stymied if the opposition scores first and sits back.
You may recognise…
Mop-headed, uncompromising West Brom defender Ahmed Hegazi who marks opponents with all the impropriety of a barbed-wire squid.
Cameramen will be picking out…
Mohamed Salah running, thanking, kneeling, sliding, posing, pointing, scoring, falling.
Fans' favourite chant
Will quickly and wittily turn on Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s government when things go wrong.
On-field prediction
Victory over Saudi Arabia but pipped for second place by the hosts.
Off-field prediction
Many have taken out enormous loans, so expect vibrancy tinged with hysteria and an epic comedown.