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Mohamed Salah Sends Hopeful Message to Egypt Fans After Controversial World Cup 2026 Elimination Against Argentina
The Pharaoh has turned the page after the bitter episode they experienced at Atlanta Stadium against the reigning world champions.
Egypt national team captain Mohamed Salah promised a "new beginning" for his country's football despite acknowledging that fans may still be "upset" after the defeat against Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the most controversial match of the tournament so far.
THE PHARAOH'S PROMISE
"I know you are still upset, but I promise I will do everything in my power to make this a new beginning for Egyptian football on the international stage," said the Liverpool star in a message posted Friday on his official X account.
The statement was accompanied by a photo of the Pharaohs embracing on the pitch, as Salah emphasized that simply qualifying for the World Cup—or even taking part in the tournament—would no longer be enough.
"Qualifying for the World Cup will not be enough, and participating will not be enough either," Salah wrote.
"This team deserves your trust," he concluded.
WHY DID SALAH SEND THIS MESSAGE?
The Egyptian national team returned home Friday after its historic World Cup campaign, which saw the Pharaohs reach the Round of 16 for the first time in the country's history.
Mohamed Salah's team has been at the center of the tournament's biggest controversy after Argentina produced one of the most dramatic comebacks of the competition. The reigning South American side overturned a 2-0 deficit against Egypt in just 14 minutes, completing a stunning 3-2 victory to remain alive in the tournament.
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) reportedly filed a complaint with FIFA regarding the officiating of the match, according to Egyptian state newspaper Al Ahram. The federation requested an investigation and called for the removal of the refereeing team from the competition.
However, in its only official statement about the match published on its social media channels, the EFA did not mention those specific requests but said it "cannot remain silent regarding the refereeing decisions observed during the match against Argentina, as well as the improper use of VAR."
According to the federation, "several key incidents raised serious concerns and left significant doubts about the consistency and fairness of decisions that directly affected the course of the match."
