Rui Vitoria has been dismissed from his role as head coach of the Egyptian national football team following their disappointing performance in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), announced the Egyptian Football Association (EFA).

In an official statement, the EFA expressed gratitude to Portuguese manager Rui Vitoria and his team while indicating their intention to evaluate potential foreign coaches as replacements.

Taking interim charge of the national squad is former al-Ahly coach Mohamed Youssef. Egypt’s AFCON journey came to an abrupt end last week after a tense penalty shootout defeat against the Democratic Republic of Congo in the round of 16.

The elimination was a bitter blow for Egypt, who had high hopes of securing an eighth AFCON title, especially after talisman Mohamed Salah’s injury sidelined him from the tournament.

Despite their aspirations, Egypt’s campaign was marred by a lacklustre group stage performance, marked by three consecutive draws. The EFA publicly apologised to Egyptian fans for falling short of their expectations.

Vitoria’s departure from the Pharaohs’ helm marks the end of his brief tenure, joining a list of AFCON coaches facing similar exits.

The tournament witnessed a surge of success for underdog teams, contrasting sharply with the early exits of traditional African football powerhouses, including the continent’s top-ranked nations and the previous edition’s semi-finalists.