Just this week, Liverpool blocked Mohamed Salah from participating in the eagerly anticipated Olympic games in Tokyo, leaving the Egyptian FA frustrated. Despite Shawky Gharib, the Egyptian national team manager, claiming that Salah wanted to play but it was just Liverpool who refused. “Salah was a key player in my plans but the club refused – we need to move on.” Gharib said. 

Additionally, Egypt FA President Ahmed Megahed added “We talked to them [Liverpool] a long time ago but they were unclear. Anyway we respect their decision.”  Firstly, this situation itself does not feel out of the ordinary, as Liverpool are not permitted to let go of Salah for the Olympics as it is not a FIFA-organized tournament and is not recognized officially on their match calendar. 

However, Salah does now find himself in a tricky spot. He is heading into contract negotiations at Liverpool with his agent and may feel hard done by, if he did indeed want to go to the Olympics, by Liverpool and has an organization in the other ear quietly assuming the role of the doting, attentive authority figure. An authority figure that has notoriously served to create conflict and friction between Salah and his own country’s FA. 

Salah vs. Egypt FA (2018)