Mohamed Salah will be looking to make up for lost time and missed opportunities this summer. At 33, the Egyptian star returns to the World Cup stage for the first time since 2018 – a tournament that turned into a disaster for the Pharaohs. The soon-to-depart Liverpool icon is intent on ensuring that history does not repeat itself as he strives to etch his name into his nation’s footballing legacy.

This will mark only Egypt’s fourth appearance at the World Cup, and just their second since 1990. Their most recent outing went horribly wrong, as Salah and his teammates exited Russia without a single point amidst reports of chaos behind the scenes. They remain winless at the tournament to this day.

Things worsened further when Egypt failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, denying Salah the opportunity to compete on the grandest stage during the peak of his career. Now, with the Pharaohs back and Salah nearing the twilight of his playing days, he is determined to finally deliver the success that has long eluded his country. North America will be his battleground.

The infamous injury

Salah entered the 2018 World Cup in sensational form, having contributed 60 goals and assists in his remarkable debut season for Liverpool. However, his participation was thrown into jeopardy following a notorious incident in the UEFA Champions League final.

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool faced Real Madrid in Kyiv, but half an hour into the match, Salah was forced off after a tussle with Sergio Ramos, who dragged him to the ground by his arm. Real Madrid went on to win 3-1 thanks to two goalkeeping errors from Loris Karius and a stunning strike from Gareth Bale.

Just 20 days before Egypt’s opening World Cup game in Russia, scans revealed that Salah, then 25, had suffered ligament damage in his shoulder. A day later, he tweeted that he was “confident” he would recover in time.

“It was a very tough night, but I’m a fighter,” Salah wrote. “Despite the odds, I’m confident I’ll be in Russia to make you all proud. Your love and support give me the strength I need.”

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) announced that his recovery would take around three weeks. Salah was named in the World Cup squad but granted additional time to regain fitness before joining the team camp.

Waiting in the wings

The timeline proved accurate, as then-head coach Hector Cuper opted not to risk Salah in Egypt’s opener against Uruguay. He remained on the bench despite Cuper’s earlier assurance that he would “almost 100 percent” play.

Without their talisman, Egypt suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat after Jose Maria Gimenez scored a last-minute winner. Cuper had gambled on holding out for a draw, making his final substitution in the 82nd minute, but his side could not find the cutting edge in Salah’s absence. The plan backfired.

“Mo Salah is an important player, but we have a good team,” said Cuper. “We wanted to avoid risks today, but he’ll play an important role in the next matches.”

Pointless and winless

Salah started the second group match against hosts Russia but could not rescue Egypt despite scoring a penalty. The Pharaohs were already 3-0 down when Salah converted his spot kick, and Egypt were eliminated before their final group game.

Reports of internal tension soon followed, which Salah publicly denied. “Everyone in Egypt is united,” he said. “There are absolutely no conflicts among us.”

Uruguay’s win over Saudi Arabia confirmed Egypt’s early exit, but humiliation deepened in their final match. Despite being favourites against the Saudis, Egypt lost again. Salah opened the scoring with a delicate lob but missed a one-on-one chance before Egypt conceded twice — once from the penalty spot and again in stoppage time.

That defeat meant Egypt remained winless across their three World Cup appearances (1934, 1990, and 2018), recording two draws and five losses. They failed to qualify for the 2022 tournament in Qatar, leaving that record intact.

Ugly fallout

Egypt’s 2018 World Cup collapse triggered a major fallout between Salah and the EFA. The forward accused the football association of disrupting preparations by allowing celebrities and media into the team hotel at all hours. The EFA had also leaked details of Salah’s requests for improved security and control over public appearances.

Controversy deepened when Salah was photographed with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov after Egypt’s arrival in Grozny, despite international criticism over Kadyrov’s human rights record. The team’s choice of base in Grozny also drew scrutiny, as it forced Egypt to travel over 5,000 miles between matches — more than any other team — reportedly in economy class.

Tensions between Salah and the EFA had begun even before the World Cup, after the federation used his image in a sponsorship dispute without permission, something Salah described as “a major insult.” Reports at the time suggested Salah was considering quitting international football, feeling he had been used for political purposes.

‘They tried to make it seem like I hate my country’

Six weeks after the tournament, Salah expressed his frustration in a series of videos. “I asked for better security for all players, not just myself,” he explained. “We had many disturbances at the camp. I couldn’t go to dinner twice because they said it wasn’t safe. People were coming to my hotel room at 4 am for photos. Abroad, I get this protection without asking. In Egypt, when I ask, there’s no response.”

He continued, “They make us travel in economy class, which is tiring. All other African teams fly business. I don’t want business class just for me — I want it for everyone.”

He added, “You tried to make it seem like I hate my country. Thank God, people know the truth.”

Further failures

Although tensions eventually cooled, Egypt continued to struggle internationally. They were knocked out of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in the last 16 by South Africa. Then, in the 2021 edition, they reached the final but lost to Senegal on penalties. Salah, who had planned to take the fifth spot kick, never got the chance.

Just a month later, Egypt faced Senegal again in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. Salah took the first penalty in the shootout but missed amid a barrage of laser pointers from the crowd. Senegal won again, ending Egypt’s World Cup hopes.

One last chance

Now, in 2026, Egypt are back. Salah played a pivotal role in qualification, scoring nine goals as the Pharaohs topped their group to secure automatic passage. This time, they have a genuine shot at making history — both by winning their first-ever World Cup match and advancing past the group stage. Drawn with Belgium, Iran, and New Zealand, they are well-placed to progress under the expanded 48-team format.

At 33, Salah knows this is likely his final World Cup. “We want to make the Egyptian people happy,” he told Sky Sports. “We know the group is very strong, but we’ll give our best in every match.”

He added, “Our ambition is to go further than Egypt has ever gone before in the tournament.”

This could be Salah’s last dance on the world stage — and he is determined to make it count.