For Mohamed Salah, this is no ordinary tournament. It is a mission perhaps the most defining of his entire international career.
Egypt's captain arrives at the 2026 World Cup with a different gleam in his eyes — a man chasing a historic milestone while simultaneously carrying the dreams of an entire nation. Just three goals separate him from his own coach, Hossam Hassan, the legendary Egyptian striker who holds the all-time scoring record with 68 goals across 176 international appearances.
Yet Salah, true to form, places the collective above the individual. "We want to make the fans proud of us, and we will give everything we have," he told reporters with quiet determination, far removed from hollow rhetoric.
The road ahead is far from straightforward. Egypt suffered a 2-1 defeat to Brazil in their final pre-tournament warmup, with Salah entering only in the second half. But a friendly loss rarely unsettles a captain who has made a habit of rising precisely when it matters most.
Group 7 presents a formidable challenge Belgium, Iran, and New Zealand. Yet as Salah himself put it: "Everyone has a chance," and he is not about to leave Egypt out of that equation.
The journey begins on June 15th against Belgium. After that, Salah may well rewrite history with goals, not words.
