Mohamed Salah: We Made History, I Decided at the Last Moment

Mohamed Salah, captain of the Egyptian national team, stated that the match against Australia was like the "match of a lifetime" for the players, expressing his immense happiness in leading the "Pharaohs" to the Round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup.

The Egyptian team secured their qualification by defeating Australia in a penalty shootout 4-2, after the regular and extra time ended in a 1-1 draw, setting up a clash in the Round of 16 against the winner of the Argentina vs. Cape Verde match.

Salah said in statements to beIN Sports: "We made history, my teammates and I. I told them before the match that this is the match of a lifetime, and thank God we succeeded in winning, and I am very happy with what we achieved."

Regarding his third penalty taken in a 'Panenka' style, the Egyptian captain explained: "I decided at the last moment to take it this way because this is my last World Cup."

He concluded about the possibility of facing Messi in the Round of 16 if Argentina qualifies: "We respect all teams, we will see what happens."

Salah successfully converted his penalty with great confidence, contributing to Egypt's triumph in the shootout and leading them to a historic achievement by reaching the Round of 16 in the World Cup.