Mohamed Salah is reportedly unhappy with being used for political gain by administrators.GETTY IMAGES
The Egyptian FA insisted Mohamed Salah "has never discussed" int'l retirement with the organization, according to the London TELEGRAPH. Speculation, "not helped by a series of cryptic tweets from the Liverpool forward's agent, has been growing" that the 26-year-old "is set to quit his national team" after its "disappointing" World Cup. Salah's relationship with the EFA "was strained leading up to the tournament" by a sponsorship row "taking focus away from preparations." He is now reportedly "disappointed at how he has been used for political gain by administrators." Recent criticism received after he was pictured with controversial Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who has been accused of numerous human rights violations, "has apparently only contributed to the player's unhappiness." However, the EFA said that retirement "is not an issue which has been raised" (TELEGRAPH, 6/25). The London GUARDIAN reported the AP claimed Salah was "angry about a team banquet" hosted by Kadyrov, who used the dinner to grant Salah "honorary citizenship." The reports were "based on a conversation with two people close to the player, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject." EFA spokesperson Osama Ismail said that Salah "had not complained to the federation." He said, "Only what Salah writes on his Twitter account should be counted on." If Salah were to quit the national team, "it would be a major embarrassment" to the EFA and the Egyptian government, which decided to base the team in Grozny. A "populace that sees Salah as a hero would likely be furious, with the blame going to a government facing growing popular discontent" over its decision to increase the price of fuel, drinking water and electricity (GUARDIAN, 6/25).
