Mo Salah called up by Egypt for Tokoyo’s Olympics

Egypt’s U23 coach Shawki Gharib said on Thursday that the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) have submitted a second request to Liverpool to include forward Mohamed Salah in the squad participating in the Tokyo Olympics next summer.

Gharib told a local radio station that they had sent an official request to Liverpool following the Pharaohs game against Comoros in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers which took place on 29 March, but the Premier League club requested for more details.

Like us on Facebook  & follow us on Twitter to receive all the live games alerts or subscribe to our web browser notifecations. You can also download our Andriod App here on Google Play

“Just after the draw on Wednesday and as soon as we got all the details, we sent them all to Liverpool, including the match dates, training, hotels, and our preparatory camp. We are now waiting for Liverpool’s answer,” Gharib said.

Egypt were drawn in a difficult group alongside heavyweights Spain, Argentina, and Australia.

The Pharaohs will start their final preparation camp on 5 July before their group stage games against Spain on 22 July, Argentina on 25 July, and Australia on 28 July.

Gharib has also revealed that he has submitted an 86-man squad list and it will be reduced to 50 by the end of May, while the final 22-man squad will be announced on 30 June.

“There are 14 players over 23 years old sent among the list, including Mohamed El-Shennawi, Ahmed Hegazi, Mohamed Elneny, and Mahmoud Trezeguet, who has now been ruled out because of his knee injury. I will have to choose only three senior players among them according to the tournament’s regulations, but I will make that decision according to our needs at the time.

“The FIFA has enlarged the number of our squads to face injuries and coronavirus infections; [the squad] will now include 22 players, including four reserve players, instead of 18,” he concluded.

Egypt won the U23 African Cup of Nations on home soil in 2019.

Both the first and second teams of every group will qualify for the quarterfinals.

Wednesday’s full draw came as follows:

Group A: Japan, South Africa, Mexico, France

Group B: New Zealand, Korea Republic, Honduras, Romania

Group C: Egypt, Spain, Argentina, Australia

Group D: Brazil, Germany, Ivory Coast, Saudi Arabia