World Cup 2026: Mohamed Salah and the end of Egypt's wait

Mohamed Salah and Egypt's wait for a World Cup victory has finally come to an end. The Egyptian King had a decisive performance in the second half against New Zealand, guaranteeing the team's first World Cup victory in its ninth appearance, which puts the team close to qualifying for the round of 16. Salah's 67th-minute goal gave Egypt the lead, who had conceded a surprising goal early in the match, before Trezeguet sealed the historic victory with a header from Salah's corner, making the game 3-1.

Salah had a slow start to the tournament, with a lackluster performance in the opening draw against Belgium, followed by a subdued first half against the New Zealanders. However, when it looked like his World Cup struggles would continue, the 34-year-old stepped up, following in the footsteps of other greats such as Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé. After a disappointing 2018 campaign and failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, Salah finally had his moment on football's biggest stage. Now, a draw against Iran could guarantee Egypt's passage to the next round — and they may not even need it.

"It's a great achievement for all the players. It's an incredible victory. The next match is very important," Salah said. His future at the club remains uncertain after a disappointing season at Liverpool, where he had disagreements with then-manager Arne Slot before announcing his departure. He was linked to several clubs but was determined to focus on his country's World Cup campaign. In 2018, Salah had to race against time to recover from an injury and, despite being part of the squad, he was left on the bench in the debut game against Uruguay. His converted penalty was just a consolation in a 3-1 defeat to the Russian hosts, and he missed an easy goal in a humiliating defeat to Saudi Arabia.


The consequences of that campaign were enormous, with Salah accusing the Egyptian FA of hindering preparations and rumors that he was close to leaving the national team. Things didn't improve four years later when Egypt failed to qualify for Qatar, and after 45 minutes on Sunday it looked like Salah's World Cup misery was about to continue. The Egyptian coach, Hossam Hassan, had to speak before the match to deny any disagreement with Salah, who was substituted during the draw with Belgium. But just when it looked like the Iran game might be the last chance, Salah took the reins and sparked wild celebrations among Egyptian fans around the world.

Salah may be a star at Liverpool, but in his home country he is seen as an icon. With every touch of the ball, he receives warm applause from his fans, who place high expectations on him at every performance. Sunday's goal was Salah's 68th for the national team in 118 appearances, leaving him just one goal short of his manager's record, and many consider it to be the most important as Egypt finally ended a 92-year wait for a World Cup victory. No player has been involved in more shots in a game at this World Cup than Salah against New Zealand, with five shots on goal and five assists.

The former coach ofTottenham's Ange Postecoglou commented: "If there was any doubt about Mo's impact on this team, it has been clear. It will give them huge confidence. They have had to deal with adversity, and their great player has stood out, which will give them huge confidence. You need your big players to step up to move forward." Former Jamaica player Jobi McAnuff added: "Just when he was needed, Mo Salah stepped up for his country."

Salah has been playing for the national team for 14 years, and his importance to Egypt is such that even senior government officials got involved when he was injured. “I even received calls from the Egyptian Minister of Health,” recalls Dr. Mohamed Aboud, the team doctor, about the time Salah suffered a serious shoulder injury in the 2018 Champions League final, leading to speculation that he could miss the World Cup in Russia. Despite helping Liverpool win the Premier League title in 2019-20 and 2024-25, the player is yet to lift a trophy for his country. The generation before Salah won three consecutive Africa Cup of Nations titles between 2006 and 2010. Since then, there have been two final defeats, to Cameroon in 2017 and to Senegal in the 2021 edition, which took place in early 2022. This World Cup victory at least dispels one of Egypt's ghosts.

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