Salah lifted aloft on Vancouver streets as Egypt end 92-year wait for World Cup win

Mohamed Salah scored and celebrated in the streets of Vancouver on Tuesday as Egypt recorded a 3-1 win over New Zealand in Group G of the 2026 World Cup — the Pharaohs’ first victory in the tournament across four appearances spanning 92 years.

New Zealand, the competition’s lowest-ranked side, took a surprise lead through Finn Surman in the 15th minute. Egypt levelled near the hour mark through Mostafa Ziko before Salah slotted home to put his side ahead. Trezeguet added a fourth goal eight minutes from time to seal a comfortable margin.

After the final whistle, Egypt’s squad gathered outside the stadium among their supporters, one player holding a speaker as the group chanted in Arabic. Salah, 34, was then hoisted onto a team-mate’s shoulders to a roar from the Egyptian fans who had packed the surrounding streets.

The moment carried particular weight for a player who has won virtually everything at club level — including multiple Premier League titles and a Champions League with Liverpool — yet had little to show for it internationally. Egypt lost all three of their group games at the 2018 World Cup, the nation’s first appearance at the tournament in 28 years, and went winless in their two previous appearances in 1990 and 1934.

Despite Egypt’s status as the most decorated African nation in AFCON history — seven continental titles, unmatched by any other country — Salah has twice finished runner-up in that competition during his international career. The win over New Zealand ends a long-standing gap between Egypt’s domestic continental dominance and their record on the global stage.

The result leaves Egypt top of Group G. They drew with Belgium in their opening fixture and now stand on the verge of reaching the knockout rounds for the first time in their history. Their final group game is against Iran on Saturday 27 June in Seattle.