Behind the scenes of the crisis of awarding the “Captain of Egypt” badge to Mohamed Salah… Ahmed Fathi explains!

Former Al-Ahly star Ahmed Fathi revealed new details about the controversy that arose earlier regarding the captaincy of the Egyptian national team, after it was transferred to the current team captain, Mohamed Salah.

Fathi’s statements came during his appearance on the “I Acknowledge and Acknowledge” program with the journalist Ahmed Shoubir on Al-Nahar channel, where he explained that he initially rejected the idea of ​​withdrawing the leadership badge from him during the period when coach Hossam El-Badry was coaching the national team.

Fathi said that former Football Association member Mohamed Barakat contacted him at that time and informed him that there was thinking about giving the leadership badge to Mohamed Salah, explaining that he responded at the time that the matter was not normal, especially since the custom within the national team depends on seniority.

He added that he later joined the national team camp and the decision was postponed after his objection, but the issue resurfaced again with the arrival of Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz, as the national team manager at the time, Wael Jumaa, told him that joining the national team would be conditional on him relinquishing the captaincy.

Fathi explained that he felt great distress during that period, so much so that he performed the Istikhara prayer before making the decision, before finally agreeing to give up the badge.

He also revealed that he later spoke with Mohamed Salah about this issue, assuring him that he had the utmost appreciation for him, and that if he had asked him for the badge directly, he would have given it to him without hesitation. However, Salah explained to him that it was the Egyptian Football Association that had offered him the leadership badge.