Mohamed Salah causes debate after World Cup response

Egyptian national team captain Mohamed Salah's response to an Israeli journalist's question about the greatest player in the history of Egyptian football sparked widespread controversy. He simply stated that the matter is up to the Egyptian audience to decide. These remarks came in the context of his participation in the 2026 World Cup, where he led Egypt to the Round of 16 after their victory over Australia on penalties. The tournament also saw media tension, as Salah requested that a journalist be kept out of the media area following an incident that caused controversy. Subsequently, the Egyptian Football Association reprimanded him and refused to allow him to communicate with the players.