Liverpool star Mohamed Salah confirmed for Egypt training camp in Al Ain

Mohamed Salah will headline Egypt’s training camp in the UAE next week.

The Liverpool forward, 31, was on Thursday named on the national team’s 25-strong squad for the get-together in Al Ain, which runs from October 9-17.

The camp, who comprises friendlies against Zambia and Algeria, forms part of Egypt’s preparations for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualification campaign and January’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Egypt take on Zambia next Thursday before facing Algeria four days later. Both matches will be staged at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, and are expected to be sellouts.

Salah, who has begun the Premier League season in fine fashion, is expected to feature in Liverpool's league encounter at Brighton on Sunday before joining up with the national team. He is Egypt's current captain.

Alongside Salah, manager Rui Vitoria has recalled Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny and Trabzonspor winger Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan, with both having recovered from injury.

Former Al Ain winger Hussein El Shahat, and current Al Ahly teammate Emam Ashour, have also been brought back into the national team set-up following a lengthy absence.

Egypt’s training camp is part of a collaboration between the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and Egypt’s United Sports Company.

The North African side begin their World Cup qualification campaign next month in the double-header against Djibouti and Sierra Leone. Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau and Ethiopia make up the rest of Group A.

The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, meanwhile, takes place in Ivory Coast. Egypt finished top of their group in qualification for the tournament, winning five of their six matches.

Egypt's Mohamed Salah, left, in action against Guinea's Issiaga Sylla during the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Cairo, Egypt, June 5, 2022. Salah has been named in the Egypt squad to play two friendlies in Al Ain, UAE, in October 2023. EPA

Egypt's Mohamed Salah in action against Guinea's Mouctar Diakhaby during the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Cairo, Egypt, June 5, 2022. EPA

Egypt's Mohamed Salah is greeted before the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea in Cairo, Egypt, June 5, 2022. EPA

Egypt's Mohamed Salah during a training session on June 4, 2022. EPA

Mohamed Salah, left, of Egypt vies for the ball with Sadio Mane of Senegal during the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifier at the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium in Dakar, Senegal, March 29, 2022. EPA

Egypt's Mohamed Salah in action with Senegal's Nampalys Mendy at the Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt on March 25, 2022. EPA

Egypt's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring against Senegal. EPA

Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance

Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.

Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.

The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.

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