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LONDON. — Liverpool’s Egypt star Mohamed Salah has hinted he may be ready to retire from international football following World Cup heartbreak against Senegal.
Salah missed a penalty in Tuesday’s shoot-out as his nation missed out on a place in Qatar, having drawn 1-1 on aggregate over the two legs of the qualifier.
Now, at the age of 29, he seems to be having doubts over whether to return to duty for the Pharoahs.
Salah was caught on video in the Egypt dressing room speaking in frank terms with his team-mates.
“I told the players before the second match that I am proud to play with them and they are among the best I have played with,” he explained.
“I played for some time with the previous generation, with Wael Gomaa and Mohamed Abu Trika, then Abdullah Al-Saeed and his generation, but I’m happy with the current generation.
“I am proud to play with you and it was an honour for me, and what happened cannot be interfered with by anyone because for the second time it is a penalty shootout (after the AFCON final).
“There is not much I can say but it has been an honour to play with you, whether I will be in the national team after that or not.”
Egyptian Minister of Sports, Ashraf Sobhi, however, interrupted him, saying: “You will be there.”
While Salah’s international future may be up in the air, he remains a hero both for Egypt and in Liverpool, where a new mural was unveiled for the star.
The striker has been at Anfield since 2017, netting 153 goals in 239 games in all competitions and leading the Reds to glory in both the Champions League and English Premier League.
Meanwhile, Sadio Mane says he is luckier than Liverpool teammate Salah after Senegal defeated Egypt to seal qualification for the 2022 World Cup.
The Liverpool number 10 scored the winning penalty in the shootout after the crunch game ended 1-0 in favour of Senegal after extra-time.
The 29-year-old also netted the winning penalty during the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations final before Salah was able to step up for a spot-kick of his own.
And on Tuesday night, Salah decided to take the first penalty for his country after the game had ended 1-1 aggregate draw but the Egyptian King skyrocketed his effort over the bar.
Speaking after the game, Mane expressed excitement to aid the Teranga Lions to clinch a back-to-back World Cup spot. The 2019 African Player of the Year added that he had been luckier than Salah to emerge victorious both times.
“I won twice and he lost twice, I was luckier to come out on top,” Mane told ONTime Sports as quoted by KingFut.
Mane and Salah will team up tomorrow as Liverpool welcome Watford to Anfield in the English Premier League. — Goal.com.
Online Reporter