In September, Egypt extended Hossam Hassan’s contract until 2030 after he led the team to the last 16 of the World Cup.

By 7 November, FilGoal reported that the FA had decided to part with him, with Ali Maher in line to take over.

What role did Mohamed Salah play in those two months?

One Goal Behind His Coach

Egypt were drawing 0–0 with Angola when Hassan took off Salah in the 60th minute.

Egypt still needed a goal, and Salah needed one to equal his coach’s national scoring record.

Hassan called it a tactical change.

The match ended goalless.

It was Ibrahim Hassan who said in 2021 that he wanted his twin to keep the record.

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Hossam said in 2025 that he would be the first to congratulate Salah.

Neither remark explains the substitution.

Why the Turkey Meeting Mattered

Salah’s absence against South Sudan looked more telling than it was: the FA said both sides had agreed before the Angola match that he would miss the game because of the artificial pitch.

The stronger sign of pressure came weeks later.

Sada El Balad reported, citing an unnamed FA source, that Hassan had declined to travel to Turkey to meet Salah.

FA president Hani Abo Rida met the captain himself.

By then, the debate had moved from a substitution to how Hassan managed his captain.

That added to the pressure on the coach, who also faced a three-match FIFA ban, but there is no public evidence that Salah asked him to go or that the dispute decided his exit.