The New York Times criticised Egypt’s display against Senegal, describing the performance as “shocking,” while comparing Mohamed Salah’s current situation to what it called “Messi’s crisis.”
The report said Egypt appeared far from their usual level in the match, struggling to impose themselves and failing to show the expected edge in key moments against a Senegal side that looked more organised and more dangerous.
It added that Salah, despite his status as the team’s main star, is living through a difficult spell with the national team, where his influence has not matched what he produces at club level.
According to the report, Salah’s case reflects a familiar problem seen with Lionel Messi for long periods with Argentina, when a world-class player carries huge expectations but cannot always turn that weight into results on the pitch.
The New York Times pointed to the pressure surrounding Egypt’s leading figures and suggested the overall performance against Senegal raised serious questions, not only about the team’s level in that game, but also about how effectively their star player is being used.
