Mo Salah will carry the Egypt flag at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics if he is called up.
The 32-year-old is one of the Pharaohs’ three overage players, and they intend to have him join them for the Olympic football event, which begins on July 24.
Salah’s inclusion would significantly alter Liverpool’s preseason schedule, as Arne Slot’s team is scheduled to travel to the United States on July 27 to play Real Betis, followed by Arsenal and Manchester United.
August 17 is the Reds’ away game against Ipswich Town in the Premier League.
When Salah was playing for his country at the Africa Cup of Nations in January, he sustained a season-ending hamstring injury. This setback badly damaged his form for the remainder of the season.
The 211-time Liverpool goal scorer was then called up to Egypt’s 2026 World Cup qualifying team in June. They had a demanding schedule that featured matches against Burkina Faso at home and Guinea Bissau away.
Egypt has decided to call up for the Salah Olympic Games.
As it’s not a FIFA-sanctioned competition, Liverpool reserves the right to reject Salah’s Olympic nomination; nevertheless, winning the Champions League and Premier League would make it more appealing for Salah to represent his country.
The president of the Egyptian Olympic Committee announced this week that Salah, the two-time African football player of the year, is the country’s favorite to represent Egypt at the opening ceremony.
Rogerio Micale, the coach of Egypt’s Olympic football team, has not wavered in his determination to call up Salah, with a final decision on his three overage players anticipated by July 3.
As said by Yassir Idriss to On-Time Sports, “The Egyptian flag bearer for the opening has not been decided upon,” the Egypt Daily News reported.
“We are putting off the situation until the big three in football are revealed. Mohamed Salah must carry the Egyptian flag if he is present.”
Micale reiterated his demands for Salah to be brought to Paris earlier this month, ahead of a pre-Olympic warm-up match against Ivory Coast.
“We will consider Mohamed Salah and Mostafa Mohamed as options. We’re searching for players who can help us in Paris,” Micale said, citing Ahram.