Marwan Ateya
CM
Ball-Winning Midfielder
Aug 12, 1998 (28)
Right
5'7"
128 lb
Active pushing forward
Ateya registered three shots (zero on goal), three crosses (two accurate) and one chance created in Friday's 1-1 (5-3) penalty shootout victory against Australia.
Analysis: Ateya stepped into the XI due to the absence of Mohanad Lasheen, but with the latter expected back in the side, Ateya should return to his regular role in midfield. He made a case for more playing time, however, as he led the team in total shots and was a dominant presence in the middle of the park.
Five crosses, two blocks
Ateya logged five crosses (one accurate) and two blocks during Egypt's 3-1 win Sunday against New Zealand.
Analysis: Even though Ateya is a defensive midfielder, he logged Egypt's most crosses, so for the World Cup, his cross tally significantly improved from one to six (one accurate). In terms of Egyptian players, only Mohamed Salah (seven) has crossed more, an impressive achievement for the relatively lesser-known CDM. And even though Ateya was visibly less scrappy Sunday, perhaps due to his previous booking against Belgium, he logged two-thirds of Egypt's blocks. The question becomes whether or not Ateya's recently offensive-minded and relaxed play is sustainable, given that it not only contradicts his usual style but also may be ineffective against more established teams.
Composed pivot against top midfield
Marwan Ateya registered one shot (zero on goal), one cross (zero accurate) and one chance created in Monday's 1-1 draw against Belgium. In addition, he was given a yellow card in the 13th minute.
Analysis: Ateya formed the double pivot alongside Mohanad Lasheen and the two more than matched up to a Belgium midfield built around two of the Premier League's best in Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana. His place as one of the first names on Egypt's teamsheet is built on his ability to win the ball and distribute it progressively with both short and long passes. A yellow card in the opening 15 minutes placed some restraint on his defensive work, yet he still registered three tackles, one interception, one clearance and six ball recoveries, and got forward to contribute one shot and one chance created.
Anchor of Egypt's midfield
Ateya will look to serve as a key fixture in Egypt's central midfield throughout the World Cup, bringing defensive solidity and box-to-box energy to the Pharaohs' setup.
Analysis: Ateya has developed into one of the most important pieces of manager Hossam Hassan's lineup since joining Al Ahly in January 2023, making 34 appearances across just three years at the international level. His upside comes primarily from ball-winning and distributing skills, although he accumulated more yellow cards than any other Egypt player during World Cup qualifying with four bookings, a reflection of his aggressive pressing style. He did score one goal at AFCON 2025 during Egypt's run to the semi-finals. The central man is a near-certain starter for a team with genuine clean sheet potential in convenient fixtures, and he should be able to accrue defensive stats when given the opportunity.
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