Mohamed Salah made sure to shake hands with the Australian team after Egypt dumped the Socceroos out of the World Cup on Friday via penalties. The former Liverpool star let out a celebration that he swiftly curtailed as he then carefully addressed each of his opponents, with his behaviour not going unnoticed by fans and the media alike.
Match Details and Penalty Shootout
The Pharaohs took the lead in the last-32 tie thanks to Emam Ashour's 13th-minute strike. Australia hit back through a Mohamed Hany own goal midway into the second half. However, the two sides couldn't be separated and the game was sent to penalties. The Aussies had even brought on substitute goalkeeper Mat Ryan at the expense of Patrick Beach, who started the tie, but failed to progress.
Salah set the tone as he coolly slotted home with an audacious Panenka before Hossam Abdelmaguid ultimately sent Egypt through, 4-2. Salah's insistence on offering his commiserations to his World Cup rivals has since gone viral online.
Public Reaction and Salah's Comments
Several comments followed on X. "Pure class from Salah. Respect first, celebration second. That's real sportsmanship", one said. Another added: "What an absolute class act he is".
The 34-year-old was emotional after the victory, which saw Egypt make history by securing their first-ever win in the knockout stages of a World Cup. "It's history. I told the boys before the game that this is the biggest stage you can play on," Salah said. "Enjoy it and don't let the pressure get to you. I'm glad that we managed to win the game. Bad luck to them. I'm happy that we made history."
Speaking on his stunning penalty, the winger said: "If somebody was going to do it, it would be me. I am more experienced than others, and I wanted to give them confidence. I decided [in the] last minute, I don’t know if it’s my last World Cup or not, but I had to do it."
Salah's Current Status and Next Match
Salah is currently without a club after leaving Liverpool this summer. The forward wrapped up nine years at Anfield after winning two Premier League titles, the Champions League and many more domestic trophies.
Next up for Egypt is a mouth-watering clash with reigning world champions Argentina. The game will be a must-see for football fans with both Salah and Lionel Messi expected to lock horns. Lionel Scaloni's side overcame a huge scare by World Cup debutants Cape Verde on Friday evening to win 3-2 in extra time. Egypt and Argentina will meet in Atlanta on Tuesday, July 7, for a place in the quarter-finals.
