Egypt were given a boost ahead of their opening match at the World Cup in Russia after Mohamed Salah joined a squad training session at their Grozny base.
The talismanic forward’s fitness has been the subject of intense debate since he was forced out of the Uefa Champions League final in Kiev on May 26 after injuring a shoulder in a collision with Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos.
Team doctor Mohamed Abou al-Ela said Salah “participated in part of the training with the team and completed the other part alone”.
Team director Ihab Lahita was cagey about his progress, saying there was no guarantee Salah will play in Egypt’s Group A opener against Uruguay on Friday.
“There’s a good degree of progress but no definitive decision on whether he takes part, as we are following his case day by day,” he told reporters.
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Read more:
Sam Morsy interview: 'It means so much to the people of Egypt to finally get to the World Cup'
John McAuley: Mohamed Salah and teammates have a chance ‘to make all of Egypt happy’ at World Cup 2018
Mo Salah and the Egyptian football team's sneaker and suit look: yay or nay?
In pictures: Mohamed Salah appears at Egypt's final World Cup training session in Cairo
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Regardless, images of the Liverpool forward training will boost manager Hector Cuper and the entire Egyptian population, where Salah has become a national hero following his goalscoring exploits for both the national team and Liverpool in England’s Premier League.
The former Basel and Roma forward was as recently as Monday considered a doubt for the match against Uruguay in Yekaterinburg on Friday, where Egypt will play their first World Cup match in 28 years.
Salah scored 44 goals in a record-breaking debut season with Liverpool - 32 of them in the league - and collected both the PFA and FWA Player of the Year awards.
On May 30, Egypt officials said Salah would be out for “not more” than three weeks, which would rule him out of the Uruguay match but put him in the frame for Russia on June 19 and Saudi Arabia on June 25.
Egypt’s doctor said over the weekend that Salah would not play “unless he has totally recovered”.
The player sat out Egypt’s first training session after arriving in Russia but was optimistic about his prospects.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
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- not be younger than 25 years old
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- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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