On February 1 , deadly riots at a football match in Port Said plunged Egypt into mourning and despair . The national league was canceled and the future of one of African soccer 's traditional powerhouses seemed bleak . However , a tiny bit of that gloom lifted just weeks later when Ahmed Hassan made history by making his 179th international appearance -- a new world record that gave a glimmer of hope in a time of turmoil . But , as he prepares to continue the Pharaohs ' rebuilding phase , Hassan says that Egypt -- a country where sport and politics are inextricably linked -- faces a long road to recovery before it can resolve its problems and move out of a `` dark tunnel . '' `` The whole country is suffering from a lack of ethics , as well as a general lack of security , and this is causing problems in all facets of life , '' the 36-year-old told the official website of world football 's governing body FIFA . `` There is no doubt that football will bounce back but the whole country has to make it out of this dark tunnel . Stability will only return when all members of the community , whether they be players , fans , referees , journalists or security staff , recognize their role , stick to it and respect the role of others . '' American is coach , protester in Egypt . Hassan 's landmark appearance came on February 27 in a friendly against Kenya in Qatar . The Egypt team has not been able to play at home since the riots , which killed 74 people after a game between top-tier clubs Al-Masry and Al-Ahly . More lives were lost as fighting spread across the country . Hassan , who has returned to the national squad for Thursday 's friendly against Nigeria in Dubai , was deeply moved by the tragedy . An outspoken figure against football hooliganism , Hassan took to the streets the following day in protest against the clashes . `` It 's depressing to see the sport that everybody loves become a source of such sadness but , ultimately , what happened was a result of fanaticism , '' he said . `` I have to say that the media also played a large role by stirring up the fans ' aggression instead of attempting to calm things down . '' Hassan captained Egypt to Africa Cup of Nations titles in 2006 , 2008 and 2010 -- his fourth overall . But the Pharaohs ' form has plummeted in recent years , failing to qualify for the 2012 edition of the tournament . Hassan said the Arab uprising last year , which saw Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak overthrown in a wave of protest , was a factor in the team 's fall in fortunes . `` We 're all part of this country and anything that goes on affects us , so naturally our concentration levels drop and we can not remain focused when such turmoil is happening at home . On top of that there 's the fact that we could n't play for a very long time with the league being suspended for almost four months , '' he said . Hassan said Egypt had taken for granted its ability to qualify . `` After being on top for all those years , we simply underestimated our opponents , but we have learned our lesson well and we have learned it the hard way . '' Hassan carved a successful football career in Europe for 10 years , before returning in 2008 to play for Al-Ahly and , now , that club 's fiercest rival Zamalek . Both teams , like Al-Masry , are supported by militant fan groups known as `` ultras . '' `` It is a great thing if they stick to supporting their teams within the reasonable and ethical limits , but once it crosses the line and turns aggressive or becomes a vehicle for something completely beyond football then it becomes unacceptable and can lead to disasters , '' Hassan said . `` All over the world , ultras support their clubs using organized cheering which can be very entertaining , and this is what we as players like to see in the stands , but if they cause violence in the stadiums then no , we can not tolerate that . ''
Most-capped player in history , Ahmed Hassan , says Egypt is suffering from a lack of ethics . Score: 6 He was deeply moved by the fatal football riots in Port Said on February 1 . Hassan says the activities of `` ultras '' can cause problems in the stadiums .