FIFA World Cup: Salah fit, will “100%” play in the opener against Uruguay

A 26-year-old Egyptian, who has made a name for himself in a short time playing for the English club Liverpool and leading them to the final of UEAFA Champions League, is believed to be completely fit and is set to play against Uruguay in the opening encounter of both the teams.

Mohamed Salah, who had broken his arm, in the final of the UEAFA Champions League, on May 27, after a tackle from Sergio Ramos, has recovered and will line up against Uruguay on June 15. When Ramos brought Salah down in the grand finale of the most coveted club championship in Europe and Salah left the pitch in tears at Kiev’s Olympic Stadium, the top three trending topics in Egypt on the micro-blogging website Twitter were:

1. “We are all Liverpool”;
2. “Son of dirt”; and
3. “Ramos the dog”

The superstar, who almost single-handedly helped Egypt qualify for the World Cup was feared that he would eventually miss the World Cup due to his injury. But, in a welcome news for the Egyptians, their star campaigner has recovered well in time and is ready to don the Egyptian red.

Egypt’s head coach Hector Cuper confirmed this in a press-conference a day before the kick off, “barring any unforeseen factors at the last moment, I can almost assure you 100% he will play.”

Salah’s importance to the side, on and off the pitch, can never be overstated. When Egypt needed a definite victory in their last qualifying match against Congo, a brace from Mo Salah ensured an Egyptian victory by a margin of two goals to one and the Cuper’s side qualified into the World Cup after 28-long years. The rapturous scenes at the Tahrir Square in central Cairo – the centre of the popular protests against Mubarak—was compared to the heady days of the revolution in Egypt when people joined the protest in numbers.

“I think our qualification for the World Cup was the only moment all Egyptians were happy since the uprising … it was a moment people craved for so long,” renowned Egyptian sports journalist Hatem Maher told The Guardian.

Salah’s is a story that inspires all of Egypt and continues to do so. As a young man dreaming a career in the most competitive sport, he used to travel five hours every day to get to training at his first club, Arab Contractors in Cairo. And now he is a player, who is being compared to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, both of whom are five-time Ballon d’or winners.

Now that he is making millions, his charitable acts, including paying for a child’s bone marrow transplant, makes him a figure that Egyptians have started to worship. Egypt’s World Cup story now depends on his ability to stay healthy.

Salah’s form, his tremendous run in the last few years, especially 2017-18 when he scored 43 goals in in 51 games for Liverpool (both Premiere League and Champions League combined) and single-handedly got Egypt qualified for the World Cup, assures Egypt of a promising tournament if their star man gets into the groove quickly.

Against Uruguay, a team packed with big names especially Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, if Salah can guide Egypt to a victory, expect the man to lead his team to wonders that Egyptians are dreaming of. A nation holds its breath.