Mohamed Salah scored his 68th goal for Egypt in a 3-1 win over New Zealand overnight, moving within one goal of Hosam Hassan’s national-team record of 69. The victory also secured Egypt’s progression to the next stage, and Salah, who turned 34 last week, said the team could “make history” by finishing first in the group and should focus on enjoying the moment before turning to the next match against Iran on Saturday at 6:00 a.m.
Hassan, now Egypt’s coach, has long praised Salah and has openly welcomed the possibility that his record will fall. He said in January that Salah is “one of the best players in the world in the last decade” and hoped any record-breaking would help Egypt win the tournament. In March, he added to Reuters, “I wish him only success. It will contribute a lot to the Egyptian national team and it will make me happy.”
After the New Zealand game, Hassan praised Salah’s work rate and suggested he is using the forward in a role that better fits his danger and quality. He also appeared to take a swipe at Salah’s recent Liverpool coach, Arne Slot, saying he may be the first coach to play Salah in the right position and, “We worked on many things, and I am sure we will see more from him.”
The contrast with Liverpool is stark. Salah’s final season there was his worst in nearly a decade, finishing with 12 goals in all competitions after previous seasonal tallies of 44, 27, 23, 31, 31, 30, 25 and 34. Opta data showed sharp drops in shots, penalty-free scoring, big chances, and touches in the box, even though he remained involved in play. The downturn coincided with an open rift with Slot, including Salah’s public claim in December that the club had “thrown him under the bus,” later tensions over his role, and fresh criticism after a 4-2 loss to Aston Villa in May. For Egypt, though, he remains the centerpiece, and on Saturday he can equal Hassan’s record at 69 goals.
