Egypt coach denies Salah rift ahead of World Cup clash with New Zealand

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan has moved to shut down speculation over a falling out with Mohamed Salah, insisting the squad is fully united ahead of their critical FIFA World Cup qualifying playoff against New Zealand.

Rumours of tension between Hassan and Salah had been swirling in Egyptian football circles for weeks, fuelled by social media chatter and conflicting reports about the Liverpool forward’s role and playing time under the current setup. Hassan was having none of it.

Hassan pushes back on rift claims

Speaking to reporters ahead of the two-legged tie, the 57-year-old former Egypt striker was direct. “If he starts, that’s fine. If he gets substituted, it’s fine — it is his role as a player,” Hassan said, framing any decisions around Salah as purely tactical rather than personal.

The coach didn’t hold back in dismissing the narrative altogether. He described the reports as a distraction manufactured outside the camp and insisted the dressing room atmosphere has been positive throughout the preparation camp held in Cairo over the past ten days.

What’s at stake against New Zealand

The stakes could hardly be higher. Egypt and New Zealand meet in a two-leg intercontinental playoff, with the winner securing one of the final spots at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Egypt, ranked 34th in the world by FIFA, are considered heavy favourites on paper. New Zealand sit at 96th. But playoff football doesn’t always follow rankings, and Hassan knows that better than most after Egypt’s painful exit from the 2022 qualifying campaign, which ended in a penalty shootout loss to Senegal.

That defeat still stings. And the pressure on Hassan to deliver a World Cup berth this time is enormous.

Salah’s form and fitness in focus

Salah arrives in decent club form after a solid end to Liverpool’s Premier League season, having contributed 17 league goals and 13 assists. At 32, he remains Egypt’s most recognisable player and arguably their most important one. Whether he starts both legs or is managed carefully across the tie will be one of the key tactical questions Hassan faces.

An Egyptian Football Association spokesperson confirmed that Salah trained fully with the squad on Thursday and that there were no injury concerns heading into the first leg.

Looking ahead to the first leg

The first match is expected to draw a sell-out crowd, with Egyptian fans desperate for a first World Cup appearance since Russia 2018, where the Pharaohs exited in the group stage without a single win across three matches.

Hassan has named a 23-man squad that blends experienced European-based players with domestic league talent. His side will be desperate to build a lead before the second leg on foreign soil.

Whatever the subplot around Salah, the coach is clear on one thing — when the whistle blows, it’s football that does the talking.