Speculation about whether Mohamed Salah will leave Liverpool to join a growing list of football stars playing in Saudi Arabia has sparked an intense debate among fans in his native Egypt, most of whom would rather see him stay in England.
Never mind that Egypt is gripped by record inflation, a crippling dollar crunch and a rapidly growing foreign debt, where Salah ends up playing when the summer transfer window closes on Friday has become the most-talked-about topic in the country.
Celebrated by his compatriots as a beacon of light and hope and a source of happiness and national pride, the debate on what Salah should do reflects the deep affection Egyptians, football fans or not, have for the prolific winger. That affection is rooted in no small part in Salah’s humble beginnings and his incredible rise to global stardom.
“Those who have gone [to the Saudi league] don’t mean to their countries what you mean to Egyptians,” wrote the Egyptian Pharoah, a Facebook account dedicated to Salah, adding that, “You are a footballer who gave children in our country a dream that’s not impossible to realise.”
Egyptians believe the winger should stay put as achieving success in Europe is more valuable.
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