Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush left Egypt national team camp and will not take part in their friendly against Uzbekistan after being granted time away from the camp to attend to personal matters.
The development, first revealed by Africa’s WinWin, means the 26-year-old’s highly awaited return to international football has been pushed back once again.
Egypt, currently in the UAE for their November international fixtures, have been preparing for Friday’s encounter with Uzbekistan.
But while the rest of the squad have been training under head coach Hossam Hassan, Marmoush has been noticeably absent from the preparations.
According to the report, Omar Marmoush left Egypt national team after receiving formal approval from team technical crew, who understood the nature of his request and permitted him to temporarily leave camp.
The coaching staff, led by Hassan, allowed Marmoush to “attend his engagement” to Gilan El-Gabbas—a personal commitment that required his immediate presence.
As a result, the forward “won’t be available” for the match taking place later today.
His absence marks a slight setback for the Pharaohs, who were hoping to reintegrate the Manchester City man into their plans after a prolonged spell away from the national team due to injury.
Marmoush’s availability for second November fixture still uncertain
Egypt’s second game of the international window is scheduled for November 18, when they will meet the winner of the Iran vs Cape Verde clash.
While the initial report expresses optimism that Marmoush will be available for that fixture, it also notes that his involvement will depend on whether “he hasn’t got any other pressing issues.”
For Egypt, the hope is that the forward’s situation stabilises quickly, allowing him to join the squad for the latter part of the international break.
The coaching team has continued preparations without him, though his absence leaves a gap in the team’s attacking options—especially as they look to fine-tune their approach ahead of upcoming competitive matches.
Marmoush’s potential return is particularly significant given Egypt’s intention to build a stronger, more dynamic frontline under Hossam Hassan.
His pace, directness and sharp movement have been identified as key components the Pharaohs want to rely on as they reshape their attacking strategy.
At club level, the 26-year-old has enjoyed a steady start to life under Pep Guardiola.
Featuring nine times in all competitions this season, he has contributed a goal and an assist for Manchester City.
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His form has been encouraging, especially considering the difficult period he endured earlier in the season due to injury.
The forward’s current situation is the latest chapter in what has been a stop-start season.
Marmoush previously sustained a knee injury while representing Egypt in September, an issue that kept him out of action for over a month.
The setback not only disrupted his momentum at club level but also ruled him out of Egypt’s fixtures in October.
By the beginning of November, Marmoush had regained full fitness, prompting Egypt manager Hossam Hassan to include him in the squad for the current international break.
However, the timing of his personal engagement now means Egyptian fans must wait a little longer before seeing him in action again.
