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As Mohamed Salah savoured the feeling of Egypt’s historic victory over Australia, the narrative had already moved on. The former Liverpool forward could not contain his delight after his scuffed penalty helped to seal a redemptive shootout triumph in Dallas for the Pharaohs on Friday.
“I decided last minute. I am more experienced than others and I wanted to give them confidence,” said Salah, who had missed in Egypt’s last two shootouts, 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.”
While he initially dismissed questions about the prospect of facing Lionel Messi in the next round out of respect” as Argentina prepared to face Cape Verde in what turned out to be an epic, he could not avoid it altogether. Asked who he would like to come up against if it does turn out to be his swansong, Salah had no hesitation. “Messi,” he said with a smirk.
Tuesday’s showdown in Atlanta will be their first at international level. They have met twice before, both in the Champions League – first in 2015 when Salah was at Roma, then four years later in Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat in the semi-final first leg at the Camp Nou.
Most people remembers what happened next, even if Salah missed the incredible 4-0 turnaround at Anfield because of a concussion he sustained a few days earlier against Newcastle. Jürgen Klopp said the sight of Salah wearing a ‘Never give up’ T-shirt was an inspiration for one of football’s most famous comebacks.
Egypt will need that kind of self-belief and more when they come up against Lionel Scaloni’s world champions, who have lost five of the century of games he has overseen in seven years at the helm. Having a genius in their ranks obviously helps. But, as Egypt’s national team director, Ibrahim Hassan, pointed out this week, they have the man who scored 257 goals and won four Premier League golden boots at Liverpool.
“We aren’t focusing on Messi,” he said. “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.”
There are major concerns over Salah’s workload after he was rushed back from the hamstring strain that forced him off against Iran during the group stages. He was spotted taking in the sights of downtown Atlanta during a stroll with his teammates on Sunday morning after they arrived in Georgia 24 hours earlier. Argentina flew in later that day, with some concerns over the quick turnaround after their close shave against Cape Verde in Florida.
“What worries me now is that there are only four days to rest, travel” said the former Manchester City forward Sergio Agüero who played 101 times for Argentina. “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 can certainly take heart from the difficulties Cape Verde caused Argentina’s experienced defence, with City’s Omar Marmoush another obvious threat despite not showing his best form so far. The teenage striker Hamza Abdelkarim, who plays for Barcelona’s B side and has come off the bench in every game, is considered to be Salah’s natural successor and appears to have learned from him off the pitch as well as on it.
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Asked whether he had dreamed of facing Messi in a game, he said: “We’re playing against Argentina, not against Messi.”
The news everyone has been waiting for in Egypt appeared to be confirmed on Saturday when Moustafa Abozahra, a member of the Egyptian Football Federation’s board, announced Salah will remain as captain until the 2030 World Cup with Hossam Hassan staying on as manager. That remains to be seen, with no confirmation about which club the 34-year-old will play for next season after his Liverpool contract expired on 1 July. The smart money appears to be on a lucrative move to the Saudi Pro League, although do not rule out a surprise switch to a European heavyweight. In May, he said he had plenty of “good options”.
Salah struggled with injuries in his final season at Liverpool with the backdrop of his personal disagreements with the since deposed manager Arne Slot. But he has created more chances than any other player at this World Cup with 16 and clearly still has plenty to offer even if half fit.
As made famous by his tree pose celebration, since his second season at Liverpool Salah has been following a yoga programme designed to help with the stresses of being a superstar and extend his career. Depending on his next move, there is no reason why he cannot follow the 39-year-old Messi and make it to the another World Cup.
First, though, Salah has another opportunity to score the goal he requires to draw level with his manager’s national record of 69. With nothing to lose after winning their first knockout game, against Australia, and everything to gain, Egypt are a threat that Argentina will not take lightly.
