Egypt striker Mohamed Zidan said he received death threats before his side’s World Cup playoff against Algeria in Sudan on Wednesday.
“I received test messages from Algerian people threatening to kill me. (Goalkeeper) Essam Al-Hadari also received similar messages,” Zidan told Dream TV on Thursday.
Violence broke out in Sudan capital Khartoum after Algeria defeated Egypt 1-0 to qualify for next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa.
The jubilant Algeria fans attacked opposing supporters with knives and blades to prompt a flurry of furious condemnations in Egypt.
“I do not consider Algeria as an Arab country and what happened in Sudan shows that,” Zidan said.
The Borussia Dortmund striker was involved in a heated exchange of words with Algeria and Bochum defender Antar Yahia before the game.
Yahia fired into the roof of the net five minutes before the break to give Algeria the last African place at the World Cup.
“We used to shake hands and exchange shirts in our Bundesliga matches but I don’t know what happened to him. He insulted my mother yesterday,” Zidan added.
