The saga between the Egyptian national team and Liverpool superstar, Mohamed Salah, is becoming increasingly complicated as the March international break approaches. According to the Egyptian Football Association (EFA), attempts to contact the Pharaoh for the upcoming matches are met with a wall of silence…
The 31-year-old winger was recently called up by Hossam Hassan for the March break, which doesn’t sit well with Liverpool, simply because the striker is physically diminished and has only played one match with the Reds since his return from the 2023 AFCON. Egypt is supposed to participate in the Winsunited Cup in the United Arab Emirates, alongside Tunisia, Croatia, and New Zealand. Salah’s participation in this friendly tournament, however, remains uncertain, with the English club expressing the desire to retain their star player (15 goals in 21 Premier League matches this season) during this international break. Ibrahim Hassan, the team manager of the Egyptian team, insists, however, that “only the national technical staff has a say in player selection.”
Communication between Salah and EFA officials seems to have reached a standstill. Ehab El-Komy, a member of the EFA council, highlights the difficulty of the situation: “The Egyptian national team, led by Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan, has so far failed to communicate with Mohamed Salah.” He adds that no meeting has taken place between the 57-year-old coach and Salah and that there is “no conflict between the two parties.”
To try to defuse this tense situation, the Minister of Sports will organize a meeting between the two parties to “create a conducive atmosphere within the team.” The relationship between the Minister of Youth and Sports, Ashraf Sobhi, and Mohamed Salah is described as “excellent,” and an agreement has reportedly been reached with the EFA to resolve any issues related to the national team.
New Zealand in 17 days
Egypt’s first match in the Winsunited Cup, against New Zealand on March 22, will mark the beginning of the Hossam Hassan era at the helm of the Pharaohs. This friendly tournament will serve as preparation for Egypt and Tunisia ahead of the resumption of World Cup qualifiers in June, as well as for Croatia ahead of Euro 2024. In this complex context, the immediate future of Mohamed Salah (98 caps, 56 goals) with the Pharaohs remains uncertain. The coming days will be crucial in determining whether Liverpool’s star will ultimately answer his nation’s call.
