After scoring a goal during a soccer match against British team Chelsea on Saturday, Liverpool’s Egyptian striker Mohammed Salah chose to abstain from celebrating his achievement in an apparent act of reverence and solidarity with the victims of the attack against a mosque in Egypt’s North Sinai on Friday, Sky News Arabia reported.
The incident, seen as the deadliest terrorist attack in Egypt’s modern history, killed 308 people and injured another 128.
“My sincere condolences to the Egyptian people and all the families of the martyrs of El Arish mosque,” Salah said through his Twitter account on Friday.
In the match, Salah initially gave Liverpool a lead before Brazilian Chelsea player Willian scored in the 85th minute, leading to the game ending in a tie.
Salah topped the premier league scoring charts with 10 goals in just 13 games.
Salah, a member of Egypt’s national team, was in November selected by the Confederation of African Football as one of the “Best 11 players” set to be part of the World Football Team in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
Salah is also shortlisted among four others for the BBC African Footballer of the Year. The choice was based on his role in pushing Egypt towards the qualifying round of the World Cup, set to be held in Russia.
Edited translation from al-Masry al-Youm
