The Egypt national football team started its journey in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with a 1-1 draw against its Belgian counterpart, at Lumen Field, on Monday. The only goal of the Pharaohs team was made by Mohamed Salah and signed by player Imam Ashour, in the 20th minute with a strong shot from outside the box. Ashour scored his first World Cup goal, and joined the list of top scorers of the Pharaohs team, which includes the trio of Salah, Abdulrahman Fawzi, and Magdy Abdelghani. Mohamed Salah became the first African player to contribute to scoring a goal in the World Cup on his birthday since 1966, as the former Liverpool star turned 34 on the day of the match. Salah became the sixth player to wear the captain's armband during a World Cup match on his birthday. Hamza Abdelkarim became the youngest Arab and Egyptian player to participate in the world's largest tournament, at the age of 18 years and 165 days. This draw is a good start for the Egypt national football team in the 2026 World Cup, as the team aims to achieve positive results in the tournament. Mohamed Salah is one of the most important players of the Egypt national football team, as he contributes to scoring goals and achieving victory. The Egypt national football team will play the upcoming matches in the 2026 World Cup, aiming to reach the final rounds.