El-Shennawy leads Egypt Olympics squad as Salah omitted from roster

Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah was omitted from the Egypt’s Olympic Games squad, the Egyptian Football Federation (EFA) announced.

It has been widely reported the Reds had refused to release Salah and Turkish club Galatasaray had also done so for striker Moustafa Mohamed for the tournament between July 21-August 7.

Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny also will not play at the tournament, with teams on the men’s side fielding Under-23 squads and able to use three overage players.

The 22-man squad, named by Under-23 coach Shawky Gharib, included three players over the age of 23, AFP reported.

They are Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed el-Shennawy, Ittihad Jeddah defender Ahmed Hegazy and Zamalek’s defender Mahmoud al-Wensh.

The Turkish club are taking part in July’s Champions league play-offs against PSV Eindhoven.

The Pharaohs qualified for Tokyo’s Games after their U-23 AFCON triumph in 2019.

In Tokyo, Egypt has been drawn in Group C alongside twice champions Argentina, 1992 winners Spain and Australia.

Egypt’s squad for the Tokyo Olympics: 

Goalkeepers: Mohamed el-Shennawy (Al-Ahly), Mohamed Sobhi (Al-Ittihad of Alexandria), Mahmoud Gad (Enppi)

Defenders: Ahmed Hegazi (Ittihad Jeddah), Mahmoud el-Wensh, Mohamed Abdel-Salam, Ahmed Fetouh (Zamalek), Osama Galal (Pyramids FC), Ahmed Ramadan Beckham (Al-Ahly), Karim el-Eraky (Al-Masry of Port Said), Karim Fouad (Enppi)

Midfielders: Akram Tawfik, Nasser Maher (Al-Ahly), Amar Hamdi (Al-Ittihad of Alexandria), Emam Ashour (Zamalek)

Forwards: Ramadan Sobhi, Ibrahim Adel (Pyramids FC), Abdelrahman Magdy (Ismaili) Taher Mohamed, Salah Mohsen (Al-Ahly), Nasser Mansi (El-Geish), Ahmed Yasser Rayan (Ceramica Cleopatra)