Mohamed Salah's ice-cold Panenka against Australia will be remembered as one of the defining moments of Egypt's historic World Cup victory, but behind the audacious penalty was meticulous preparation from the Pharaohs' coaching staff.

As Australia made a late goalkeeper change moments before the penalty shootout, television cameras captured members of Egypt's technical staff quickly reviewing video clips on a tablet while the players gathered near the halfway line.

Behind the Panenka

The footage showed Egypt's performance analysts studying Australian goalkeeper Mathew Ryan's previous penalty situations, searching for any detail that could give the Pharaohs an advantage before the shootout began.

One of the clips being reviewed featured Kylian Mbappé successfully beating Ryan with a Panenka penalty, a moment that has since attracted widespread attention after Salah used the same technique to score Egypt's opening penalty.

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The footage quickly sparked discussion among fans, with many suggesting Egypt's coaching staff had identified the goalkeeper's tendencies before the shootout, using every available detail to help the players make the best possible decisions from the penalty spot.

Salah later revealed that he decided to take his penalty with a Panenka only at the last moment, explaining that, as the team's most experienced player, he wanted to give confidence to his teammates.

The episode also highlighted the increasingly important role of performance analysts in modern football, where a single video clip or tactical observation can make the difference in the biggest matches.

Egypt eventually defeated Australia 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, booking a historic place in the Round of 16 and setting up a blockbuster showdown with defending champions Argentina.