Mohamed Salah, despite being not fully fit, played a pivotal role in Egypt's run to the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup. The former Liverpool forward scored a crucial penalty in a shootout victory over Australia in Dallas, redeeming previous misses in shootouts for Egypt.
Salah's Decisive Penalty and Redemption
“I decided last minute. I am more experienced than others and I wanted to give them confidence,” Salah said, acknowledging his past shootout failures, including the World Cup qualifying playoff against Senegal four years ago. “I don’t know if it’s my last World Cup, but I had to do it. Today was one of the best days of my life.”
Historic Meeting with Messi
Tuesday's showdown in Atlanta will be the first international meeting between Salah and Lionel Messi. They have faced each other twice in the Champions League: first in 2015 when Salah was at Roma, and then in 2019 during Liverpool's 3-0 defeat in the semi-final first leg at Camp Nou. Salah missed the second leg due to concussion, but his ‘Never give up’ T-shirt inspired Liverpool's famous 4-0 comeback.
Egypt's national team director, Ibrahim Hassan, emphasized confidence: “We aren’t focusing on Messi. We tell the players to go out there, play their game and block out the stature of who they are up against. They might have Messi, but we have Mohamed Salah – and we have 26 Messis of our own.”
Injury Concerns and Workload
Salah was rushed back from a hamstring strain suffered against Iran during the group stages. He was spotted sightseeing in Atlanta with teammates on Sunday morning after arriving in Georgia 24 hours earlier. Argentina, who had a quick turnaround after a nervy win over Cape Verde, also face concerns about player fatigue.
Former Argentina striker Sergio Agüero noted: “What worries me now is that there are only four days to rest, travel. Many players were suffering from cramps and now you play Egypt, who are also a very physically strong team. They have a little more quality at the front than Cape Verde.”
Egypt's Threats and Future Plans
Egypt can take heart from Cape Verde's difficulties against Argentina's defence. Manchester City's Omar Marmoush is a threat, though not yet at his best. Teenage striker Hamza Abdelkarim, from Barcelona's B side, is considered Salah's natural successor. Asked about facing Messi, Abdelkarim said: “We’re playing against Argentina, not against Messi.”
On Saturday, Moustafa Abozahra, a member of the Egyptian Football Federation’s board, announced Salah will remain captain until the 2030 World Cup, with Hossam Hassan staying as manager. However, Salah's club future remains uncertain after his Liverpool contract expired on 1 July. A move to the Saudi Pro League is likely, but a European switch is possible. In May, Salah said he had “good options”.
Salah's Impact and Legacy
Salah has created more chances (16) than any other player at this World Cup, despite injury struggles in his final Liverpool season. He follows a yoga programme to extend his career, and there is no reason he cannot follow 39-year-old Messi to another World Cup. First, he has the chance to score his 69th goal for Egypt, equalling the national record held by his manager Hossam Hassan. With nothing to lose after their first knockout win, Egypt pose a serious threat to Argentina.
