<P> Some consider kushari (a mixture of rice, lentils, and macaroni) to be the national dish . Fried onions can be also added to kushari . In addition, ful medames (mashed fava beans) is one of the most popular dishes . Fava bean is also used in making falafel (also known as "ta'miya"), which may have originated in Egypt and spread to other parts of the Middle East . Garlic fried with coriander is added to molokhiya, a popular green soup made from finely chopped jute leaves, sometimes with chicken or rabbit . </P> <P> Football is the most popular national sport of Egypt . The Cairo Derby is one of the fiercest derbies in Africa, and the BBC picked it as one of the 7 toughest derbies in the world . Al Ahly is the most successful club of the 20th century in the African continent according to CAF, closely followed by their rivals Zamalek SC . They're known as the "African Club of the Century". With twenty titles, Al Ahly is currently the world's most successful club in terms of international trophies, surpassing Italy's A.C. Milan and Argentina's Boca Juniors, both having eighteen . </P> <P> The Egyptian national football team, known as the Pharaohs, won the African Cup of Nations seven times, including three times in a row in 2006, 2008, and 2010 . Considered the most successful African national team and one which has reached the top 10 of the FIFA world rankings, Egypt has qualified for the FIFA World Cup three times . Two goals from star player Mohamed Salah in their last qualifying game took Egypt through to the 2018 FIFA World Cup . The Egyptian Youth National team Young Pharaohs won the Bronze Medal of the 2001 FIFA youth world cup in Argentina . Egypt was 4th place in the football tournament in the 1928 and the 1964 Olympics . </P> <P> Squash and tennis are other popular sports in Egypt . The Egyptian squash team has been competitive in international championships since the 1930s . Amr Shabana and Ramy Ashour are Egypt's best players and both were ranked tne world's number one squash player . Egypt has won the Squash World Championships four times, with the last title being in 2017 . </P>

How did egypt become a powerful nation in north africa