Australia's Aiden Hrustic: We Respect Mohamed Salah, Aim for World Cup Glory

Aiden Hrustic, the Australian national team player, spoke about his team's upcoming clash against Egypt in the 2026 World Cup. Australia will meet Egypt on Friday in the Round of 32 of the tournament. In the pre-match press conference, Hrustic emphasized that watching the Round of 32 matches has shown that decisions can come in the final minutes or through penalties, which requires players to maintain peak mental and physical focus throughout the match without any drop in performance. Hrustic discussed his country's ambitions in the tournament, stating that their goals are not limited and that the team possesses a competitive mentality that drives them to continue as far as possible in the World Cup. However, they approach the tournament on a 'match-by-match' basis, focusing fully on each game. He also praised the significant fan support for the Australian team during the tournament, noting that the presence of fans in the United States to support the team and their commitment to backing the players in every match provides an additional morale boost, especially with the notable presence of green and gold colors in the stands. Hrustic expressed his great respect for star Mohamed Salah and what he has achieved in his football career at the highest levels, but he stressed that the focus of the Australian team is on the collective performance rather than any individual player, highlighting that facing the Pharaohs requires treating all their elements with the same seriousness and utmost caution.