One of the biggest stars at the 2018 World Cup looks ready to play from the get-go. Egypt winger Mohamed Salah, whose World Cup looked like it was in doubt after getting injured in the Champions League final, is ready to go, his club Liverpool announced on Thursday.
The club said, quoting Egypt coach Hector Cuper, that it is pretty much a certainty that he will play.
"I can almost 100 percent say he will play, save for any unforeseen factors at the last minute," Cuper said.
"We're trying to make him feel confident. The doctors are giving him the options to play or not. I know Salah very well, he's not fearful. We always know we're running a risk when playing a match, that's something we can't hide.
"But if he does decide to play he'll have full guarantees on his physical condition and I'm sure he will be fine. And if it does turn out there's an issue at the last minute we'll consider it and see if it can be resolved."
That's big news for the team as they open up play on Friday against Uruguay. Salah is the heart and soul of the team and one of the most in-form players in the world. He scored 44 goals for Liverpool this past season after having next reached the 20-goal mark in previous seasons.
Friday is also Salah's 26th birthday. But if he plays, he'll be giving a present to world soccer fans instead of receiving one.
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