Faryd Mondragon hopes Essam El-Hadary doesn’t break his record

by Graeme Jackson

Thursday Jun 21, 2018. 10:00

Colombia’s Faryd Mondragon hopes that Egyptian Essam El-Hadary doesn’t break his World Cup record in the Pharaohs’ final Group A match against Saudi Arabia.

Mondragon currently holds the record for the oldest player to appear at the World Cup, having set the mark in Brazil 2014 at age 43.

Any appearance for 45-year-old El-Hadary at Russia 2018 will see the Egyptian set a new record.

However, the legendary goalkeeper has not appeared in either of Egypt’s first two matches against Uruguay and Russia.

With the Pharaohs having no chance of progressing into the last 16 regardless of their result against the Saudis on June 25 in Volgograd, coach Hector Cuper may well field El-Hadary – even as a substitute – to see him claim the record.

Mondragon admitted that El-Hadary beating his mark would be a remarkable feat, but hopes it doesn’t happen.

“We have to wait. I hope it doesn’t happen. But if it does, it will be a great achievement for him,” Mondragon told the EFE news agency.

El-Hadary’s incredible international career has seen him capped over 150 times by Egypt, while he has also claimed four Africa Cup of Nations winners’ medals from the 1998, 2006, 2008 and 2010 tournaments.