Mohamed Salah finally delivered on football's grandest stage on Sunday, steering Egypt to their first World Cup victory in nine attempts — ending a 92-year wait that had haunted the nation for generations.
The Pharaohs had been rocked early when New Zealand opened the scoring, but Salah's 67th-minute strike put Egypt ahead before his corner was converted by a Trezeguet header, sealing a result that sparked jubilation among Egyptian fans worldwide.
A slow start, then a superstar moment
It had not been a straightforward tournament for Salah. An underwhelming display in the opening draw with Belgium was followed by a quiet first half against the Kiwis — raising fears that his long-running World Cup nightmare was about to continue.
Then, in a moment befitting the greatest occasions, Salah came alive. He joined Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Harry Kane among the tournament's breakthrough performers, reminding the world exactly why he remains one of the game's most celebrated figures.
Sunday's goal was Salah's 68th for Egypt in 118 appearances — one short of the all-time national record held by manager Hossam Hassan himself.
A tormented history on the world stage
The weight of history behind this win cannot be overstated. At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Salah scrambled to recover from the shoulder injury he sustained in Liverpool's UEFA Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid, managing only a bench role in the opening loss to Uruguay. His penalty against the host nation Russia proved mere consolation in a 3-1 defeat, and Egypt then suffered a humiliating exit at the hands of Saudi Arabia.
The aftermath was bitter. Salah publicly accused Egypt's football federation of disrupting the team's preparations, and reports emerged that he had come close to walking away from international football entirely. Four years on, Egypt failed to qualify for Qatar 2022, deepening the wound.
Even before Sunday's match, Egypt manager Hossam Hassan felt compelled to deny any rift with Salah following the decision to substitute him during the Belgium draw.
The burden of a nation
Few players carry a country's expectations the way Salah carries Egypt's. His every touch draws roars from the stands, and his significance extends far beyond football — national team medic Dr Mohamed Aboud has recalled receiving calls from Egypt's Minister of Health when Salah suffered his 2018 Champions League final injury.
Despite winning the Premier League twice with Liverpool — in 2019-20 and 2024-25 — Salah has never lifted a trophy for his country. The generation before him claimed three consecutive Africa Cup of Nations titles between 2006 and 2010; since then, Egypt have suffered final defeats to Cameroon in 2017 and Senegal in the 2021 edition.
Former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, speaking to ITV, praised the impact:
