While we are busy celebrating what is widely expected to be the final World Cup for Luka Modrić, Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo, we often tend to forget that there are other players who are having their last dance as well. And one of them was Mohamed Salah, and he is getting the farewell he deserves.

“Mohamed Salah received a guard of honour as he boarded his flight that’s leaving the United States and heading to Egypt,” reported a fan channel.

Egypt’s World Cup ended with a heartbreaking defeat against Argentina, but this World Cup run told a much bigger story. They reached the knockout stage, won two World Cup matches, and achieved milestones Egypt had never celebrated before.  

Mohamed Salah played through a hamstring injury, scoring once, providing 2 assists, and creating a tournament-leading 16 chances through Egypt’s first four matches, before playing every minute of the Round of 16 defeat to Argentina as well. His Panenka penalty against Australia and tireless display against Argentina showed why teammates continued trusting their captain. 

But this World Cup only added another chapter to Salah’s journey with Egypt over the past 15 years.  

One defining moment came in 2017, when his penalty against Congo ended Egypt’s 28-year wait for a World Cup. Since Mohamed Salah became Egypt’s leading figure, the country has qualified for 2 World Cups after decades of frustration. He has also scored more than 60 international goals while becoming Africa’s highest World Cup qualifying goalscorer. 

That success has changed much more than Egypt’s results because young footballers finally started dreaming bigger.  

Before Salah reached Europe, few Egyptian players imagined becoming stars for the world’s biggest clubs. His journey from Nagrig to Liverpool showed that talent alone was never enough without sacrifice, patience, and relentless determination. Today, several Egyptian players like Omar Marmoush continue chasing European glory playing for teams like Manchester City because Salah proved those dreams could actually become reality. 

That belief was visible throughout this tournament as Egypt refused to back down against top teams, even under relentless pressure. They defeated New Zealand, overcame Australia in penalties, and pushed the defending champions until their last breath. Even after leading 2-0, Egypt never stopped fighting before Messi inspired another unforgettable World Cup comeback for Argentina.  

Many supporters will remember the final result, but Egypt’s progress deserves equal attention after this remarkable campaign. Mohamed Salah leaves this tournament without the quarterfinal the Pharaohs hoped for. But his influence reaches far beyond just one defeat.