Khaled El-Derandly, the Vice President of the Egyptian Football Association, confirms that the international star Mohamed Salah will not be participating in his last World Cup tournament in the current edition, expressing his strong confidence in Salah’s participation in future editions, following Egypt’s elimination from the Round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup.
These statements put an end to speculation about the future of the Egyptian national team captain on the international stage and affirm his continued leadership of the next generation.
El-Derandly revealed, in statements to press reports, that the vision of the Egyptian Football Association goes beyond the current generation, aiming to build a strong new generation with experience and ambition.
He explained that the association pays special attention to including as many Egyptian players born abroad as possible, to strengthen the national team’s ranks with the best available talents and ensure continued competition at the highest levels.
The Vice President added that the Egyptian national team has established its position among the elite, gaining respect and admiration from all major world teams.
He pointed out that Egyptian players no longer feel intimidated when facing major challenges, as “the Pharaohs” have become one of the top 16 teams in the world, a status that requires maintaining and building on this achievement in the future.
These statements underscore the great ambition of the Egyptian Football Association and its desire to continue developing Egyptian football internationally, not only by maintaining the current team core that includes Mohamed Salah, but also by recruiting new talents capable of carrying the banner and achieving further successes in upcoming World Cup tournaments.
