Egypt's Salah celebrates after scoring against Djibouti (EFA)
The Pharaohs kicked off their 2026 qualifying campaign in impressive fashion, crushing Djibouti in a 6-0 win at Cairo Stadium on Thursday.
Salah delivered a standout performance, scoring four goals for the first time in his international career, which began in 2011, and elevating himself to second place on Egypt's all-time top scorers list with 53 goals.
When asked about his feelings after this remarkable feat, Salah told ON Time Sports, "The win is more important than the four goals.
“The opening games are always crucial, as many big teams have failed to reach the World Cup due to poor starts in the qualifiers.
“ So, I am very pleased that we had a winning start to our qualifying campaign. Djibouti played well, but we proved to be the better side."
The 31-year-old forward urged Egyptians to support their national team throughout the upcoming period, which will see the Pharaohs participate in the Africa Cup of Nations next year in January.
"There may have been times when the team was not in its best form, but I hope the Egyptians will return to fill the stadium stands.
“We will be playing in the Africa Cup of Nations. We were unlucky in the previous edition, but now we have a new coach who has guided the team to victory in many games, and we hope to maintain our momentum." He concluded.
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