Mohamed Salah received a huge ovation from soccer fans in Cleveland during an international friendly against Brazil as Egypt prepares for the World Cup following his Liverpool departure
02:25, 07 Jun 2026
Mohamed Salah is seen on the bench during an international friendly
Mohamed Salah earned a hero's reception during Egypt's international friendly before the World Cup
Mohamed Salah's domestic and international soccer accomplishments have reached a point where he could probably sneeze and still steal the show as long as he's in the same room. His presence alone stole the show before he even reached the pitch during Egypt's World Cup warmup against Brazil.
The Liverpool legend came on as a substitute as Egypt fell 2-1 behind Bruno Guimaraes' early goal and a match-winner from Endrick. Salah wasn't injured but his omission from the starting lineup looked preventive with Egypt's World Cup campaign only nine days away.
Supporters in Cleveland were reacting every time Salah's face appeared on the stadium screens at Huntington Bank Field. His reception was compared to that of Hollywood stars before he even entered the game.
Salah also earned recognition for his mentorship role in Hamza Abdelkarim's development.
The reaction was clear in the 21st minute when Salah appeared on screen, just sitting in his training vest. Supporters responded again late in the opening half when cameras showed him smiling from the bench during the 45th minute before checking into the game.
Egypt entered the match having already shown encouraging signs ahead of the tournament. They previously drew 0-0 with Spain in March and defeated Russia 1-0 to build momentum before opening Group G play at the World Cup.
Salah will captain Egypt when they open Group G against Belgium on June 15 before facing New Zealand and Iran. The underdog African nation has the second-best odds of advancing beyond the group stage, behind Belgium.
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Salah's introduction arrived at the break after the 33-year-old replaced Haissem Hassan. His most notable opportunity came in the 58th minute when a right-footed effort from outside the penalty area was blocked by longtime teammate Alisson after being set up by Marwan Attia.
Although he was unable to find the net, the reception he received suggested supporters were simply happy to see him back on the field. The praise and appreciation for Salah online was just as strong as the response felt through the television.
One fan wrote, "Whole stadium started screaming when the camera showed him. He's got more motion than the entire Brazil squad put together." Another added that the response felt like Salah 'just stepped out of a Rolls-Royce.'
Mohamed Salah claps for the crowd at the end of Egypt vs Brazil
Salah was subbed into the game during minute 45
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Adoration came after Salah officially announced he would leave Liverpool early by cutting short the final year of his contract. The winger left the club with a bang and a subtle shot at Arne Slot's tactics before the coach was fired following a 5th-place league finish.
Salah's Anfield career ended on May 24 as their top goal scorer. His accomplishments include winning two Premier League titles, the 2018 Champions League, and four Golden Boot awards.
Salah is now weighing offers as a free agent. Reports have linked him to several European sides including Roma and Juventus, as well as several teams in Saudi Arabia.