SERAMBINEWS.COM - Piala Dunia belum dimulai. Mohamed Salah pun belum lama menginjakkan kaki di Rusia.
Tapi pemain bintang Liverpool yang jadi andalan Timnas Mesir itu sudah memicu kontroversi, terutama di dunia maya.
Adalah foto Mohamed Salah saat berkeliling di Stadion Akhmat Arena stadium, Grozny, Chechnya, yang memicu keriuhan di media sosial.
Di stadion itu, Salah berfoto bersama Presiden Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov.
Ramzan Kadyrov merupakan tokoh penting di sejarah Perang Chechnya.
Ia sebelumnya dikenal sebagai pimpinan tertinggi pasukan pemberontak Chechnya.
Yang membuat Salah dikecam, Kadyrov hingga kini banyak dituding melakukan kejahatan perang.
Dikutip dari Daily Express, Kadyrov diyakini terlibat dalam sejumlah pembunuhan dan penyiksaan demi perebutan pucuk pimpinan di Chechnya.
Wikipedia juga menulis, Kadyrov diyakini telah mengumpulkan kekayaan yang didapatnya dari pemerasan bayaran dan dari penjualan minyak Chechnya secara tidak sah.
(Baca: Kisah Mengenaskan Para Pemain Korea Utara di Piala Dunia 1966, Dapat Penganiayaan dan Dipenjara )
(Baca: Belum Pulih 100 Persen dari Cedera, Mohamed Salah Tak Ikut Latihan Perdana Timnas Mesir di Rusia )
Salah meninggalkan lapangan dengan berlinang air mata setelah menderita cedera ligamen bahu ketika membela Liverpool di final Liga Champions melawan Real Madrid pada Mei lalu. Cedera itu membuat para penggemar Timnas Mesir cemas.
Mereka khawatir penampilan perdana Timnas Mesir di putaran final Piala Dunia dirusak dengan kehilangan pemain bintangnya."Kami menangis bersama dia," kata Samy Mikhail, keturunan Mesir yang tinggal di Sydney.
"Tanpa dia, Liverpool ambruk. Mesir begitu bergantung kepada dia... Jika ia kembali cedera, ini berakhir."
"Ia sangat penting dan menurut saya kami sebaiknya tidak mengambil risiko terhadap dia untuk pertandingan pertama. Lebih baik mengistirahatkan dia. Penampilan kami akan 60-70 persen tanpa dia," kata seorang penggemar Timnas Mesir, Mohamed Mohsen.
"Ia merupakan pahlawan negara dan Anda tidak akan mau mengambil risiko terhadap kesehatannya. Merupakan suatu kehilangan besar jika ia tidak bermain. Namun, ia benar-benar dicintai di Mesir dan tidak seorang pun ingin melihat dia terluka," kata penggemar lainnya, Mohamed Shehata.
Mohamed Salah is set to play in Egypt's opening World Cup match against Uruguay on Friday.
The Liverpool forward was forced off in the first half of his club's Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid last month due to a shoulder injury.
That led to concerns that Salah - who turns 26 on Friday - may not be able to represent his country in Russia.
However, speaking during his pre-match press conference, Egypt coach Hector Cuper stated that he expects his star man to be fit for their first Group A fixture at the Ekaterinburg Arena.
"I can almost 100 per cent say he will play, save for any unforeseen factors at the last minute," Cuper said.
"We're trying to make him feel confident. The doctors are giving him the options to play or not. I know Salah very well, he's not fearful. We always know we're running a risk when playing a match, that's something we can't hide.
"But if he does decide to play he'll have full guarantees on his physical condition and I'm sure he will be fine. And if it does turn out there's an issue at the last minute we'll consider it and see if it can be resolved."
Mohamed Salah 'almost 100 per cent' fit for Egypt's World Cup opener
Mohamed Salah has been training with Egypt since they arrived in Russia
Mohamed Salah is "almost 100 per cent" certain to play in Egypt's World Cup opener against Uruguay on Friday, according to coach Hector Cuper.
Salah suffered shoulder ligament damage playing for Liverpool in the Champions League final last month following a challenge from Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos and has not played since.
But when asked about Salah's potential involvement against Uruguay, Cuper said: "We still have to see how training goes today, but I can almost assure you 100 per cent that he will play - save unforeseen circumstances at the very last minute.
Mohamed Salah has been training with Egypt since they arrived in Russia
"We are all very optimistic that he will be on the pitch."
Cuper added: "Nothing prevents him from competing for the title of the golden boot."
Salah's involvement from the beginning of the tournament would be a huge boost to his country in their first World Cup in 28 years. The 25-year-old scored 44 goals for Liverpool this season.
Following their match against Uruguay, Egypt face hosts Russia and Saudi Arabia in Group A.
