Egypt national team faces internal tension amid Salah departure and El Shenawy dispute

Tensions have risen within the Egypt national football team following a scoreless draw against Angola in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The squad is facing internal friction involving star player Mohamed Salah and head coach Hossam Hassan.

Mohamed Salah has departed the national team camp ahead of the upcoming match against South Sudan. While official sources state his absence is to allow him to care for his son, 'Layl', and avoid playing on artificial turf, other reports suggest his departure stems from tension following his substitution during the Angola match. Coach Hassan defended the substitution as a technical decision.

Simultaneously, a dispute has emerged regarding Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy. Coach Hassan drew criticism after describing El Shenawy as having been ‘finished’ in a previous period. Al Ahly issued a statement defending the player’s value and rejecting any disparagement of their athletes. Conflicting reports exist regarding El Shenawy’s availability; Al Ahly claims he is sidelined with an injury requiring one to two weeks of recovery, though the national team medical staff reportedly has not received formal medical reports to that effect.