Egypt Coach: I'm Not Ruling Out Salah for Australia Clash

Egypt's head coach, Hossam Hassan, refuses to rule out star player Mohamed Salah for Friday's crucial World Cup elimination match against Australia.

The forward sustained a hamstring injury during the 1-1 draw with Iran and has since been undergoing "intensive treatment."

Hassan stated that Salah has participated in light training alongside the rest of the squad but could not yet guarantee his involvement in the upcoming fixture.

“As you know, during the match against Iran, he surprised us by saying he felt a pull in his hamstring. He asked to be substituted. He is now undergoing intensive treatment with the medical team. Of course, he is a key player for us and could still make the squad. His initial return to training has actually been a gradual process from yesterday to today. It's just light training, at a lower intensity than a full session. But Salah has the passion and spirit to be among his teammates. Honestly, I won't rule him out until I see how he's doing. Whether he is capable of being on the field.”

The Pharaohs' coach also commented on their upcoming opponent, expressing his respect for the Australian team.

“I've been following the Australian national team in the Asian qualifiers, the Asian Cup, and the qualifiers. They are regular participants in the last World Cup, just like Iran, and consistently appear. So, of course, they have rich experience and players who don't rely solely on long balls; they are a distinctive team. I respect all national teams, whether they are our opponents or not, and especially when it comes to Australia. Their team has good cohesion and operates effectively in various ways, whether with long balls, as you mentioned, or through individual skills within the squad. Of course, I see the team just as they see me. I have analyzed the opponent, and they have analyzed us. But it's not just about long balls. They also have their own solutions. They have speed in the team, and whether it's from set pieces or open play, the Australian national team is special, and I respect them greatly. The fact that they reached the World Cup and then the round of 16 is certainly impressive. But we have our ambitions and our goal, which is to bring joy to our fans. I mean, we are the history of the Egyptian national team. We have won seven titles. In the Africa Cup of Nations, we have professional players with big names, led by Salah and Omar Marmoush. So I think this match is just as important for us as it is for the Australian national team. We respect the Australian players in every aspect, be it long balls or individual skills. The Australian national team is special and has our full respect and appreciation.”