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Who Else But Mohamed Salah As Egypt’s Big Moment Arrives at the World Cup

The 34-year-old may now be in the twilight of his career but he still had one very special present to deliver for his country: a first-ever World Cup win.
Ben Steiner|
Mo Salah finally got his marquee moment on the international stage.
Mo Salah finally got his marquee moment on the international stage. | Emma Ottosen/ISI Photos/Getty Images

VANCOUVER — For over 14 years, Mohamed Salah’s shoulders have borne the weight of Egyptian soccer hopes. Following his 116th cap, it was finally time for him to be on someone else’s. 

On a toasty Sunday at Vancouver’s BC Place, the now 34-year-old scored a goal and assisted another to lead Egypt to a 3-1 comeback win over New Zealand, securing the nation’s first-ever World Cup win some 92 years after its debut in the tournament.

Salah was hoisted into the air after getting off Egypt’s team bus outside the team hotel. He danced as the World Cup credential hanging around his neck flailed around, and he soaked up the adulation of all those around him. He has achieved plenty in his career, but this was history not only for Salah, but for his country.

“It’s a great achievement...we just do our best in the tournament to make the people in Egypt happy, and I think they are right now, they are happy and proud,” Salah said, beaming to reporters after winning the man of the match award. 

“I can promise them that we sweat and we run, and we give it our best ... now we are at the top of the group, and we just need to celebrate today and tomorrow with the win, and just focus on the last game.”

A Generation of Waiting

The generation before Salah won three Africa Cup of Nations titles between 2006 and 2010, but the former Liverpool winger, who announced an emotional exit from Anfield earlier this year, hasn’t enjoyed the same kind of success. He’s been one of the world’s best players for a number of years—and is undoubtedly Egypt’s greatest ever—but that ability hasn’t translated into success with the team.

There’s hope now that Sunday is just the first marquee moment of many for Egypt this summer. 

“I always give my best for the national team, and try to give my experience to the young players to help them achieve big things,” he added. “Today I think it’s a very special day ... I told them that we can write the history today ... it will be remembered for years to come. We just enjoyed football, and we’ll give it all for our people.”

While the match kicked off at 6 p.m. on Canada’s west coast, the scenes emerging from Egypt, where the kickoff was at 4 a.m., were remarkable. Stadiums were packed out in the dead of night, before parties took over in the streets. It was remarkably similar 7,000 miles away in Vancouver, where supporters enjoyed themselves long into the night on pedestrianized streets having marched en masse to the stadium hours before.

“The secret behind this is that we’re Egyptians and Egyptians can do anything,” said manager Hamad Hassan in an emotional post-match press conference. “This is something that we live by, and it’s a great honor that the fans are chanting and marching ... this is all for you and for the fans and for the people of Egypt.”

The Salah Experience

Mohamed Salah jumping.
Mohamed Salah made history against New Zealand. | Alex Grimm/Getty Images

BC Place has hosted some of the sport’s biggest names—Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahmović, Alphonso Davies and Thomas Müller to name just five—but few have commanded it the way Salah did Sunday.

From the moment he stepped onto the pitch, the stadium vibrated. When he scored to put Egypt up 2–1 after conceding the opening goal, the joyful expulsion from the 54,397 in attendance—many of whom were wearing Salah’s Egypt or Liverpool jerseys—rivaled the most memorable moments in World Cup history. 

“In years to come, we will remember that this was one of the achievements in history,” Salah added. “It felt like we were playing in Egypt. It was a great win and a great vibe.”

Every time Salah approached the ball, everybody, from field level to the top of the stands, rose to their feet in anticipation. There was a buzz in the air, a tingling feeling that Salah might do something special. He did with his goal. After deftly dribbling through two defenders, he combined with Mostafa Ziko, cut inside and placed a picture perfect shot in the corner. It was vintage Salah.

By the final whistle, with the result sealed by Trézéguet’s headed finish in the 82nd minute, the Egyptian party was in full force. Players danced on the pitch, draped in flags, while Hossam Hassan and his twin, the director of the Egyptian FA, Ibrahim Hassan, ran feverishly with the Egyptian flag, before falling to their knees. 

“I wanted this generation to shape its own future, to determine its own path. We also want to continue developing at the level of the national league and across African football,” said Hossam Hassan, who now sits just one goal ahead of Salah for Egypt’s goalscoring record. 

“To the Egyptian football community, we needed time to build confidence, to capitalize on our strengths and reflect on our ‌journey to qualification, as well as the hard work of previous generations who tried to create these opportunities.”

The Moment Amid the Struggle

Mo Salah
Mo Salah’s World Cup moment came after his final year with Liverpool. | Fran Santiago/Getty Images

After bidding an emotional adieu to Liverpool after 442 appearances, 257 goals and two Premier League titles, there’s a sense that Salah is looking for his final challenge. His legs, which once flew up and down the wings at lightning pace, don’t quite work in the same way they used to, and locker room politics have followed him at Anfield and with Egypt. 

Sunday’s performance was also a reminder that, even at 34, Salah remains Egypt’s indispensable player. He shifted to the No. 10 role under Omar Marmoush, away from his usual wing responsibilities, and flourished. Five shots taken, five chances created and the most touches of any player in the opposition penalty area with 13. This was Salah’s stage and he owned it. 

His future, of course, remains undecided. Saudi Arabia and MLS are options, and he has interested suitors in Europe. But for now, Salah’s focus is purely on the World Cup. Egypt now has its first win, and, in all likelihood, will move forward into the knockout stages. The U.S. men’s national team and Canada are potential opponents, and both will be very acutely aware of what Egypt achieved on Sunday.

As Salah summarized, “what happened today is history.”

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Ben Steiner
BEN STEINER

Ben Steiner is an American-Canadian journalist who brings in-depth experience, having covered the North American national teams, MLS, CPL, NWSL, NSL and Liga MX for prominent outlets, including MLSsoccer.com, CBC Sports, and OneSoccer.

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