Liverpool’s star striker Mohamed Salah has hit out at the Egyptian Football Association over the unauthorised use of his image, saying he feels insulted less than two months before the World Cup in Russia.
“Sorry but this is a major insult … I was hoping the handling (of the dispute) would be classier than this,” Salah tweeted.
Salah, who plays for Egypt and is expected to sizzle for the African giants at the World Cup this summer, is furious that his image features prominently on the outside of the national team’s plane, which was provided by official sponsor WE.
Salah has a sponsorship deal with rival telecommunications firm Vodafone.
“Especially since Egypt is going to participate in the 2018 World Cup,” Egypt’s Youth and Sports Minister Khaled Abd Abdel-Aziz tweeted hours after Salah. “Mohamed Salah is an idol for Egyptian youth, loving and loyal to his homeland and represents his country in Europe in the best way, Abdel-Aziz was quoted as saying by ESPNFC.
Ramy Abbas, Salah’s agent, was quoted by ESPNFC as saying he has been waiting for a response from Egyptian officials.
“We have not even been contacted for a resolution! Nothing! Complete silence!” he said in his own tweet on Saturday.
Egypt qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 28 years and their chances in Group A against hosts Russia, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay rest largely on the 25-year-old Salah’s shoulders.