Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah dropped a hint about his international future after Egypt suffered World Cup heartbreak against Senegal.
The former Roma man missed the target in the penalty shoot-out as Carlos Queiroz's side were beaten on spot-kicks. It is the second time they have lost to Senegal in these circumstances in 2022, having suffered the same fate in the Africa Cup of Nations final.
Salah suffered a group stage elimination with Egypt in 2018, having picked up an injury in the Champions League final which threatened to keep him out of the tournament altogether. And his latest comments will worry fans of the north African nation.
“I am honoured that I played with you and I am very proud to play with you, whether I am with you or not in the future,” Salah told his international colleagues, in a clip which has surfaced on social media. The game against Senegal was his 84th in an international career which began in 2011.
Egypt had gone unbeaten through seven qualifying games before losing their second leg in Dakar. However, after Boulaye Dia levelled things up on aggregate, three of the visitors' players failed to score from the spot and Senegal won 3-1 on penalties.
The defeated side have issued a complaint after footage emerged of Salah being targeted with lasers before missing his penalty. However, the complaint relates to other incidents over the course of the game and in the moments before kick-off.
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"The Egyptian team was subjected to racism after the appearance of offensive banners in the stands aimed at the players, specifically Mohamed Salah," a statement from the Egyptian FA read. "Moreover the Senegalese fans terrorised the Egyptian players by throwing bottles and stones at them during the warm-up, as well as attacking the Egyptian team bus, which caused glass shattering and some injuries, which was documented with pictures and videos attached to the complaint."
Salah's Liverpool teammate Virgil van Dijk was given the news of Salah's elimination on live TV. "Well obviously, I feel sorry for Mo and for Egypt, but football is sometimes like this," he said after learning his club colleague would not be involved in Qatar.
“I am sure he will turn the disappointment into success for the rest of the season. We still have everything to play for so there is a lot of things still to achieve for him. As for Sadio, I wish him all the best and if he is in our group, he is going to need that good luck!”
