CAIRO: Thousand of Egyptian fans and top state officials headed by President Hosni Mubarak received the Egyptian national team Monday morning as they arrived from Angola bringing back the African Cup for the third consecutive time.

Mubarak congratulated the team’s players and technical staff as well as board members of the Egyptian Football Association and signed autographs for the players.

The team then took a memorial photo with the president and headed to hall four of Cairo International Airport where hundreds of fans were awaiting them outside and on the side of the road.

Fans danced and celebrated on the streets, waving flags and chanting for the players.

The reception was attended by Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, People’s Assembly Speaker Fathi Sorour and Safwat El-Sherif, head of the Shoura Council.

Egypt beat Ghana 1-0 in the African Cup of Nations’ final with Mohamed Nagy ‘Gedo’s’ goal to earn their third successive title and the seventh overall.