Former Liverpool man Mohamed Salah has outshone Florian Wirtz and Yan Diomande this summer with an impressive World Cup feat as Egypt's tournament progression continues
17:28, 04 Jul 2026
Mohamed Salah celebrates after Egypt's World Cup win over Australia.
Mohamed Salah celebrates after Egypt's World Cup win over Australia.(Image: MB Media/Getty Images)
Former Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has created the most chances per 90 minutes at the World Cup of those players to have played more than 300 minutes so far.
Reds man Florian Wirtz (fifth) and much-admired Yan Diomande (seventh) are inside the top 10, but both stars trail Salah, who has set up 16 shots for his Egypt teammates. Only Belgium's Leandro Trossard can match him.
On Friday, Salah scored a Panenka penalty against Australia to help the Pharaohs move into the last-16, where they will take on Alexis Mac Allister and Lionel Messi's Argentina. Before this tournament, Egypt had never made it to a World Cup knockout phase.
After Salah and Trossard, Morocco's Achraf Hakimi is next on 14 chances created. Declan Rice and Sadio Mane are level on 12 chances created with Wirtz.
Diomande is on 11, with James Rodriguez (Colombia), Maxi Araujo (Uruguay) and Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) all next up on 10.
"It's history," Salah said after helping Egypt beat Australia. "I told the boys before the game that this is the biggest stage you can play on.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JULY 03: Mohamed Salah #10 of Egypt applauds fans after the team's victory through the penalty shootout during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Australia and Egypt at Dallas Stadium on July 03, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Hector Vivas - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Mohamed Salah was emotional after his country beat Australia(Image: 2026 FIFA)
"Enjoy it and don't let the pressure get to you. I'm glad that we managed to in the game, bad luck for them. I'm happy that we wrote history today."
Salah was also asked about his penalty, which he cheekily chipped down the middle, evading Mat Ryan's grasp.
"If somebody was going to do it, it would be me!" he explained. "I am more experienced than others and I wanted to give them confidence. I decided last minute, I had to do it."
Salah celebrated wildly with his Egypt teammates at the final whistle, crying in front of the crowd and applauding the traveling fans who supported him through the game.
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Liverpool.com says: Salah is not as fast as he was, but he remains his country's main man. The Egyptian has done well so far in the US and showed exactly why his next move should be to a club that can match those ambitions.
There have been links with sides in Turkiye, which could make sense. Going to Saudi Arabia or MLS would feel like too much of a step down at this point.
There should be a middle ground, with someone like Fenerbahce able to offer the chance to play in UEFA competitions, while not having the same intensity as the Premier League.