Mohamed Salah’s uncle alleges former Egypt manager insulted players

Mohamed Salah’s uncle has alleged that former Egypt manager Hossam Hassan used abusive language towards the national team’s players in the dressing room.

Abdel Aziz El-Bemby made the claims on his personal Facebook account on Thursday, before deleting the post. He said Hassan insulted the players at half-time during Egypt’s goalless draw with Angola in September, in the opening round of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at Cairo International Stadium.

El-Bemby claimed Hassan accused Salah and his team-mates of lacking “manhood”.

He also criticised what he described as the way some people viewed Egypt’s captain.

“Many treated Egypt’s captain as merely a footballer, despite the fact that he represents a huge global brand that extends beyond what he provides on the pitch,” El-Bemby wrote.

The uncle of the Trabzonspor forward cited Salah’s move to the Turkish club as evidence of his wider commercial importance. He claimed Turkey regarded the transfer as an investment in a global brand.

El-Bemby further alleged that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan personally intervened to complete the Egyptian’s move to a club in the country, saying officials there “understood the scale of the gains that could be made by attracting a star of Salah’s stature”.

The comments followed criticism of Egyptian Football Association president Hany Abou Rida’s trip to Turkey to meet Salah at the start of this month.

Abou Rida had been officially invited by Ibrahim Hacıosmanoglu, president of the Turkish Football Federation, as part of efforts to strengthen co-operation between the two federations. The visit included discussions about exchanging technical, administrative and refereeing expertise, as well as developing young talent.

During the trip, Abou Rida met Salah and attended Trabzonspor’s match against Gaziantep. He later joined the player for dinner, according to Egyptian broadcaster Ahmed Shobier.

Shobier said the meeting included an open discussion about the national team. Abou Rida reportedly stressed the Egyptian public’s appreciation of Salah and its desire for him to remain captain, while also highlighting the need for co-ordination between the player and the coaching staff to maintain stability.

The background to the dispute dates back to Egypt’s September camp. Salah was substituted in the 60th minute of the 0-0 draw with Angola, prompting speculation that he was unhappy with Hassan’s decision.

Salah did not travel with the squad for the subsequent match against South Sudan. The Egyptian Football Association said he had been rested because the game was being played on artificial turf, adding that the decision had been agreed between the player and coaching staff before the Angola match.

On 7 November, the Egyptian Football Association announced that it had ended its contracts with Hassan and his assistants and appointed Ali Maher as national-team manager. It said the decision followed a review of recent circumstances and events, and their negative impact on the team’s positive image and stability.

Salah joined Trabzonspor from Liverpool in August on a free transfer. He signed a two-season contract running until summer 2028, with an annual salary of 17 million euros.