Egypt football authorities have requested their Kenyan counterparts to avail two bodyguards for star footballer Mo Salah, Nairobi News reports.
The striker, attached to English Premier League side Liverpool, is part of the Egypt national team squad touring Kenya ahead of Thursday’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match.
The game will be played at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, from 7pm.
Besides securing the left-footed Mo Salah, sources within the North African team’s camp indicate the Egyptian team has also asked for two police chase cars to accompany the team for training, the match, and on the way back to the airport.
Nairobi News revealed on Monday that Mo Salah had also requested Egyptian authorities to book him in a private suite during his stay in Nairobi, a move he says will help him self-isolate and avoid contracting Covid-19 as was the case during his last visit to Africa in November.
The room he asked for is said to be worth Sh30,000.
Egypt arrived in Nairobi on Wednesday led by Salah who is expected to make his first appearance for the national team in two years. His last appearance was during the loss to South Africa at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Cairo.
Mo Salah, 28, is Egypt’s third all-time goal scorer. He has hit the back of the net 43 times in 68 appearances and is one goal away from second-placed Hassan El-Shazly. The all-time top goalscorer is the legendary Hossam Hassan who has scored 76 goals for the national team.
The Pharaohs currently sit on top of Group ‘G’ in this competition tied with Comoros with 8 points. Kenya is third with three points from four games while Togo is last with a single point from four outings.
Egypt only needs a point from her remaining two group games against Kenya or at home to Comoros to qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
