Mohamed Salah is set to captain Egypt national football team at the upcoming FIFA World Cup after being named in the country’s preliminary 27-man squad ahead of the tournament in North America.
The 33-year-old forward, who is expected to leave Liverpool F.C. at the end of the season, continues to be Egypt’s standout star with 67 goals in 115 international appearances. He will lead a squad that also includes Omar Marmoush of Manchester City and highly rated 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim from Barcelona’s youth setup.
However, experienced striker Mostafa Mohamed has been left out of the preliminary squad, as head coach Hossam Hassan prepares to trim the team to the FIFA-mandated 26 players following a friendly against Russia later this month.
Egypt’s build-up to the World Cup includes a high-profile friendly against Brazil in Cleveland on June 6. They have been drawn in Group G, where they will face Belgium, New Zealand, and Iran in the group stage of the expanded 48-team tournament hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
The announcement highlights Egypt’s blend of experience and youth as they aim to make an impact on the global stage under Salah’s leadership.
