Intense anger and a looming crisis: a new player leaves the Egypt squad camp after Mohamed Salah

Another player has walked out of Egypt's international break camp, days after Trabzonspor star Mohamed Salah did the same.

Salah left following the Angola match in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, a goalless draw in which he was substituted during the second half.

The Egyptian Football Association explained that Salah had departed and would miss the South Sudan match in the same qualifiers, with the game played on a "tartan" pitch on which he cannot play.

French club Nice announced on Thursday that their player Mohamed Abdelmonem had left the Egypt camp ahead of the friendly against South Africa, under a mutual agreement between the two parties.

Abdelmonem had joined the latest squad but did not feature against Angola, nor did he travel to South Sudan, with fears he could be injured on the "tartan" surface.

Nice issued an official statement on Thursday: "By mutual agreement with the Egyptian national team's staff, Mohamed Abdelmonem has left the national team camp in order to preserve his physical fitness and his safety".

The club continued: "This decision was taken jointly, given the circumstances under which the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match was being held, especially on an artificial turf pitch, and with the mutual desire not to risk the player's health".

They added: "Nice does everything in its power to ensure that Mohamed, like all its international players, can join his national team and represent it in the best possible conditions, with special attention paid to their health, recovery and physical safety".

Nice concluded: "The club wishes to thank the Egyptian national team's staff for the mutual agreement and their understanding, and the work they did with Mohamed during this gathering. Mohamed will now continue his work with Nice in order to prepare in the best conditions for the upcoming challenges".

Tellingly, it was Nice who broke the news of Abdelmonem leaving the camp. The Egyptian Football Association had issued no clarification up to the time of writing.

Media figure Ahmed Shobair offered his take in radio remarks: "Mohamed Abdelmonem will also not be present for the South Africa match (next Sunday), and very clearly there is upset, a great deal of upset, between Mohamed Abdelmonem and the technical and administrative staff".

He continued: "I hope the matter ends early between the national team's technical staff and Abdelmonem, instead of escalating significantly, because they are upset with him and they are right to be".

Shobair added: "I am not being unfair to any player, but the technical staff have the right to be angry with Mohamed Abdelmonem, and I ask the player to take the initiative to end the dispute and the anger, because we need him and all the players in the national team".

The staff's anger traces back to Abdelmonem refusing to take part in the South Sudan match, followed by a letter from Nice requesting his exclusion from the game, and now his departure from the camp after negotiations between the club and the national team's technical staff.

D’un commun accord avec le staff de l’équipe nationale d’Égypte, Mohamed Abdelmonem a quitté le rassemblement de la sélection afin de préserver son état de forme et son intégrité physique. › https://t.co/EsWH1LASHu pic.twitter.com/AcxGuqyfrH — OGC Nice (@ogcnice) October 1, 2026