Mohamed Salah was criticized by ESPN analysts after appearing frustrated with manager Hossam Hassan during his late substitution at the World Cup before Egypt's 1-1 draw against Belgium
01:09, 16 Jun 2026Updated 01:14, 16 Jun 2026
Mohamed Salah reacts to a call during Group G World Cup play
Mohamed Salah was criticized for his attitude toward manager Hossam Hassan while being subbed off against Belgium
Mohamed Salah's brilliance helped Egypt earn a crucial World Cup point against Belgium, but his reaction afterward sparked even more discussion about the Liverpool legend.
The Egyptian captain was substituted in the 76th minute of Sunday's 1-1 World Cup draw against Belgium on his 34th birthday after producing another influential international display. Salah has scored 67 goals and added 36 assists during his Egypt national team career.
Salah set up Egypt's opening goal and was involved in several of their best attacking moves before being replaced by 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim. But Salah saw a pundit question his energy levels during the match.
Cameras showed Salah leaving the field looking frustrated with manager Hossam Hassan's decision, and he did not acknowledge him before heading to the bench. ESPN pundits Craig Burley and Stevie Nicol both criticized his response after giving off a similar attitude toward Arne Slot in the Premier League last season.
"Some things never change. Mo Salah was substituted and it wasn't Arne Slot and he took the hump. He took the raving hump," Burley said during ESPN's post-match coverage.
"You wouldn't expect him to come off with a smile on his face because you don't want to be taken off, but he came off with the raving hump again and blanked the Egyptian manager. So it's not just Liverpool where Mo likes to be in charge."
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Host Kay Murray mentioned Salah's birthday, but the panel stayed focused on Egypt's World Cup chances and the team's reliance on their star player.
"If you're going to go far in this competition, he has to have a better attitude about it and realize that everybody's going to have to get a break sometime," said Nicol.
"You can't have your so-called star taking the hump because it affects everybody," he continued. "You saw how it affected Liverpool. You saw how it affected the fans. So yeah, he needs to change his attitude a little bit."
Mohamed Salah dribbles the ball against Belgium
Salah's energy levels and attitude were both questioned against Belgium
Salah assisted Emam Ashour's opening goal in the 19th minute, becoming the first African player since 1966 to record a World Cup goal involvement on his birthday. He also created several dangerous chances, forced a save from Thibaut Courtois with a header, and helped Egypt threaten Belgium on the counterattack.
Article continues below
Salah opened the World Cup with a goal contribution and remains central to Hassan's attack. Egypt's manager is also the nation's all-time leading scorer and became coach in 2024 with his twin brother Ibrahim.
Despite Salah's frustration with the substitution, Egypt earned a key point against a top-10 FIFA team. The Pharaohs now turn their attention to Group G matches against New Zealand and Iran on Monday night.