LONDON: Mohamed Salah will cement his place alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the world’s elite players this summer, Egypt team-mate Omar Gaber believes.
African Footballer of the Year Salah’s form for club and country in 2017 drew comparisons between Messi and Ronaldo after the forward became an instant hit for Liverpool in the Premier League and was integral to Egypt reaching their first World Cup since 1990.
The Pharaohs’ hopes of emerging from a group stage featuring Saudi Arabia, Uruguay and hosts Russia in the summer will rest largely on Salah’s shoulders after the 25-year-old netted five goals in six games during the decisive qualifying round.
But Gaber -— bidding to earn a place alongside Salah in Egypt’s World Cup squad — is confident that the Liverpool man will handle that responsibility and shine on the biggest stage.
Gaber said: “There’s no doubt for me that he’s one of the best three players in the world alongside Messi and Ronaldo, and he will show that in the summer.
“He had a lot of pressure on him that he had to take his country to the World Cup, but he did it. He really helped the national team to achieve this qualification.”
Gaber knows Salah well after they were both part of the same Egyptian team to play in the 2011 Under-20s World Cup.
And despite ex-Chelsea man Salah enjoying such a successful return to the Premier League after his £39 million ($55 million) summer move from Roma, Gaber insists it has not changed his character.
“He’s such a great, genuine guy and still so humble, despite all the goals he’s scored,” added the midfielder.
Mohamed Salah can be ‘as good as Messi and Ronaldo’, says Egypt team-mate
Mohamed Salah can be ‘as good as Messi and Ronaldo’, says Egypt team-mate
Chahal stars as Punjab defend IPL’s lowest total of 111 in ‘best win’
- Kolkata looked to be cruising at 62-2 before Chahal cut through the chase with his leg-spin, and the side collapsed to 95 all out in 15.1 overs
- Punjab were earlier bowled out for 111 in 15.3 overs but Chahal and company turned the match on its head
Kolkata looked to be cruising at 62-2 before Chahal cut through the chase with his leg-spin, and the side collapsed to 95 all out in 15.1 overs at Mullanpur, near Chandigarh.
Punjab were earlier bowled out for 111 in 15.3 overs but Chahal and company turned the match on its head to better Chennai Super Kings’ record — they defended 116 against them (formerly Kings XI Punjab) in 2009.
Kolkata’s Andre Russell attempted to pull off the chase from 79-8 when he hit two sixes and a four off Chahal but Punjab held their nerve.
Arshdeep Singh sent back Vaibhav Arora and then fellow left-arm quick Marco Jansen bowled Russell to trigger wild celebrations in Punjab’s home ground.
“I have coached a lot of games in the IPL and that might just be about the best win I ever had,” head coach Ricky Ponting said after the close contest.
Kolkata skipper Ajinkya Rahane and impact substitute Angkrish Raghuvanshi put on 55 runs for the third wicket when Chahal broke through to get the captain back in the pavilion lbw.
Ball tracker suggested the ball was outside the off stump, but Rahane did not take the review.
“Pretty disappointed with the effort,” said Rahane. “I’ll take the blame, played the wrong shot, although it was missing.”
Chahal, with his tail now up, got Raghuvanshi caught out in the next over for 37 and the Punjab were in the game when Glenn Maxwell had Venkatesh Iyer lbw for seven.
Chahal then got two in two — Rinku Singh stumped and Ramandeep Singh out for a golden duck — before Harshit Rana avoided the hat-trick ball.
But the day belonged Chahal and Punjab who moved into the top four of the 10-team table with their fourth win in six matches.
Ponting said Chahal, who was named player of the match, had a fitness test before the game for a shoulder injury he picked in his previous outing.
Earlier, Rana rattled the Punjab top-order after a brisk start by the openers and returned figures of 3-25 from his three overs.
New batting sensation Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh made the hosts race to 39 in 3.1 overs, before Rana struck to send back the left-handed Arya caught at fine leg for 22.
Rana got one more wicket two balls later when Ramandeep pulled off a stunning catch in the deep to dismiss skipper Shreyas Iyer, for a duck.
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy joined forces in the next over to have Punjab’s England import Josh Inglis bowled for two.
Prabhsimran, who made 30, attempted to hit back with two sixes off Rana but the bowler had the last laugh with Ramandeep once again taking a catch at point.
Chakravarthy and fellow spinner Sunil Narine kept striking regular blows as Punjab’s batting faltered only for their bowlers to ultimately save the day.
Teammate: Lionel Messi wants to play in ‘26 World Cup’
- Messi, who turns 38 this summer, has not announced his plans for the 2026 tournament
- “Jokingly, many times, but he (Messi) also has that desire to play in next year’s World Cup,” Suarez said
MIAMI: Lionel Messi has a “desire” to help Argentina defend its World Cup title next year, Inter Miami teammate Luis Suarez said.
Messi, who turns 38 this summer, has not announced his plans for the 2026 tournament being held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was the Most Valuable Player of Argentina’s run to the championship at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Argentina has already qualified for 2026.
In a recent interview with El Pais, Suarez was asked whether he and Messi had talked about retirement.
“No, we do talk (about it). Jokingly, many times, but he (Messi) also has that desire to play in next year’s World Cup,” Suarez said. “Obviously, after being away from the national team for a while, that desire is fading more on my side than on his, but we haven’t talked about it (retirement) yet.”
Suarez, 38, of Uruguay, acknowledged that Messi had not confirmed he will play in the 2026 event.
“No, no, no, I don’t ask him either ... I know what he is like and I don’t ask him anything regarding that. Time will tell,” Suarez said.
Messi made his World Cup debut as an 18-year-old in 2006 and also competed in the global competition in 2010, 2014 and 2018 before lifting the trophy in 2022.
Saudi driver Farah Al-Yousef to compete as wild card in F1 Academy Jeddah round
- Racer hopes participation inspires other Saudi women to ‘chase their dreams’
JEDDAH: Saudi racing talent Farah Al-Yousef will make her debut in the 2025 F1 Academy series as a wild-card entry during Round 2 of the championship in Jeddah this weekend, it was confirmed on Tuesday.
The announcement was made by the Saudi Motorsport Company, main promoter of the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which will host the F1 Academy race as part of its race weekend from April 18 to 20 at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
Al-Yousef’s participation follows in the footsteps of fellow Saudi driver Reema Juffali, who made an appearance in the series at the same venue last year.
“Racing as a wild-card entry in the F1 Academy on home soil here in Jeddah is truly a dream come true,” Al-Yousef said.
“I hope my participation inspires young girls across Saudi Arabia to believe in themselves and chase their dreams.”
The 21-year-old has already made a name for herself in karting, winning the Saudi Women’s Karting Championship in 2022 and competing at the Karting World Finals, where she finished 26th.
She will also represent Saudi Arabia at the FW Nations Cup Finals in Dubai in May.
The F1 Academy, launched in 2023, is an all-female racing series aimed at developing young female drivers aged 16 to 25.
The 2025 season spans seven rounds, each held as part of the F1 World Championship calendar, with races scheduled in Asia, Europe and North America.
After the opener in Shanghai, the series will move to Jeddah before heading to Miami, Montreal, Zandvoort and Singapore, concluding with the finale in Las Vegas in November.
Iraq boots Casas citing unpermitted exit as World Cup hopes hang by a thread
- “We officially informed FIFA with that decision,” the IFA said
- Casas, 51, had been in charge since 2022 and led Iraq to lift the 2023 Gulf Cup
BAGHDAD: Iraq has sacked national team coach Jesus Casas Garcia after the Spanish manager left the country without permission, the Iraqi Football Association (IFA) said on Tuesday.
“The association announces the termination of the contract of Spanish coach Jesus Casas Garcia and his technical staff due to their serious breach of contractual obligations, including leaving the country without official permission and failing to comply with invitations and warnings issued to them by the association. We officially informed FIFA with that decision,” the IFA said in a statement on its Facebook page.
Casas, 51, had been in charge since 2022 and led Iraq to lift the 2023 Gulf Cup on home soil.
The dismissal comes after Iraq’s World Cup qualifying campaign hit turbulence with a 2-2 draw against Kuwait and a 2-1 defeat to Palestine last month.
Currently sitting third in Group B of the Asian qualifiers with 12 points, Iraq face a must-win scenario in their final two matches against South Korea and Jordan in June to have any chance of securing automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
Riyadh to host Asian qualifiers for Arena World Polo Championship for the first time
- Qualifiers will take place from April 24 to 26 at Arena Field at Nofa Equestrian Resort on the outskirts of Riyadh
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will host the Asian qualifiers for the Arena World Polo Championship finals for the first time later this month, as teams from India, Pakistan and Iran compete for a place at the tournament.
The qualifiers will take place from April 24 to 26 at Arena Field at the Nofa Equestrian Resort on the outskirts of Riyadh.
Organized by the Federation of International Polo, the AWPC will take place in the US in October and will be co-hosted by Roseland Polo Club in Crozet, Virginia, and Virginia Polo Inc. in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Amr Zidan, chairman of the Saudi Polo Federation, underlined the significance of the event, describing it as a continuation of the Kingdom’s growing reputation as a global sporting destination.
He said the tournament forms part of the Vision 2030 commitment to bring major international events to the Kingdom.
Zidan also welcomed the participating teams and expressed hope for high-level competition that would reflect the ongoing development of polo throughout Asia.
