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Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan revealed that Mohamed Salah expressed confidence he would be fit for the nation's historic first World Cup knockout stage appearance, despite being substituted during the match against Iran.
Salah was taken off before the hour mark in Egypt's dramatic group stage finale in Seattle on Friday, walking to the sideline to be replaced by Zizo with the score still level at 1–1. Despite the ridiculous conspiracy theories suggesting Hassan intentionally limited Salah's playing time to protect his international goal-scoring record, this was ultimately a decision driven by the player's physical condition.
"I spoke with Salah and he told me he's going to be fine and that it's not a serious injury," Hassan stated following the match, which secured Egypt's place as Group G runners-up.
"We still have time to consult with the medical team," the coach continued. "I believe he'll be back, and when I spoke with Salah he reassured me that he's going to be O.K."
Salah's Recovery History and the World Cup Countdown
Salah's mere presence at this tournament speaks volumes about his remarkable ability to recover from injury. The Liverpool legend appeared to have played his final game at Anfield when he limped off against Crystal Palace back in April. Yet, as Arne Slot cautioned at the time: "Mo has demonstrated in the past that he can bounce back faster than most players in similar circumstances because he looks after his body so well."
That belief proved justified as Salah returned to the pitch with enough time to enjoy a proper Merseyside send-off. A much faster recovery will be required this summer, however.
Salah left the field at Lumen Field on Saturday, June 27. The 34-year-old has until the morning of Friday, July 3 to prove his fitness for Egypt's round of 32 clash with Australia — just under a week away, with a 2,000-mile journey from the Pacific Northwest to Dallas ahead.