Mohamed Salah reacts to selfie-fan touching injured shoulder
The Liverpool star was heading to Russia as part of the Egypt squad preparing for the World Cup and a photo opportunity at Cairo airport prompted a possibly telling gesture.
The Egyptian national football team flew out of Cairo airport on Monday as they made their final journey ahead of the Russian adventure that lies in wait. The undoubted star of the team, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, has been a serious doubt for the tournament ever since his shoulder injury in the Champions League final against Real Madrid last month, however, his recovery has suggested that he will play some part in the group stage at least.
Salah's tenderness
As the team arrived at the airport they were greeted with a fantastic send off thanks to a multitude of fans that had gathered. In a group comprising hosts Russia, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, arguably the weakest group in the tournament, hopes are high in Egypt that progression is a realistic possibility.
One moment of the fans' farewell, however, was notable, and it involved their star player. As Salah stepped off the bus (see video) he was immediately surrounded by some eager supporters looking for a photo with their idol. As the fan put his arm around the forward, the player removed his hand as it touched his injured shoulder. Quickly the pose was rearranged and a momento grabbed for posterity, with Salah proving a willing contributor.
Whether that was just as a precaution or if there was actual pain was unclear but fingers will be crossed that he is available for the second and third games - against their perceived competition for second place in the group - if not the opening Uruguay match.