"Only Mohamed Salah." It's a phrase that has become synonymous with the legendary Egypt forward during his storied career.
During his nine glittering years at Liverpool, those three words surfaced every time he sent a record tumbling. Often, when his peers in the Premier League checked an impressive milestone off their lists, they found their accomplishment came affixed with that dreaded caveat.
Only Mohamed Salah had run harder, or dribbled quicker, or shot sharper. Only Mohamed Salah had been audacious enough to not only strive to rewrite history but to succeed in doing so, signing off chapter after glorious chapter with his distinctive flourish.
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It was therefore fitting that, in Egypt's FIFA World Cup round-of-32 clash with Australia, Salah still found uncharted territory to traverse. With the two teams tied at 1-1 after extra time in Dallas, the 34-year-old stepped up to take Egypt's third penalty, knowing that failure to convert would bring Australia back into the contest after Harry Souttar's earlier miss.
In the face of such high stakes, some players would succumb to the pressure. Others would put their head down and hope for the best as they smashed the ball with all their might toward the goal. But instead, Egypt's captain adjusted his shin pads and puffed his cheeks before dispatching a cool 'Panenka' chip down the middle of the goal that evaded the diving Mathew Ryan.
Who would dare to be so bold when balancing the weight of a nation on their shoulders? Unsurprisingly, only Mohamed Salah.
"If somebody was going to do it, it would be me," the forward told BBC Sport when asked about his impudent penalty technique after the match. "I am more experienced than others, and I wanted to give them confidence. I decided last minute, I had to do it."
It is the kind of assured outlook that has been typical of Salah throughout his evolution from Chelsea also-ran to global icon, and it paid dividends against Australia as Egypt triumphed to advance from a World Cup knockout tie for the first time.
"It's history," Salah said. "I told the boys before the game that this is the biggest stage you can play on. Enjoy it and don't let the pressure get to you. I'm glad that we managed to win the game. Bad luck for [Australia], losing on penalties. I'm happy that we wrote history today."
For Egypt, this has already been a tournament to remember. Despite their significant continental success as seven-time winners of the Africa Cup of Nations, the Pharaohs have been perennial underachievers on the World Cup stage.
Last week's 3-1 group stage win over New Zealand was Egypt's first victory at the tournament, having made their first appearance in 1934. Now, they are only the second African nation to win a World Cup penalty shootout -- after Morocco's two triumphs in 2022 vs. Spain and 2026 vs. the Netherlands -- and just the fifth African country to advance in the knockout phase (after Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, Ghana in 2010 and Morocco in 2022 and 2026).
Regardless of what happens next, this summer will be enshrined in the country's sporting history. But with a round-of-16 tie against Argentina to come, the opportunity to prolong the fairy tale is tantalizing.
Salah facing off against Argentina, and their captain Lionel Messi, is a mouthwatering prospect. Messi's almost superhuman ability to bend games to his will means he exists on a different plane to the majority of his rivals, but Salah will not deprecate his considerable abilities.
It has been a turbulent season for the former Liverpool player, who is without a club after his departure from Anfield in May. Salah's fluctuating form left him vulnerable to extensive criticism last term, and he has increasingly looked like a player beginning to feel the effects of time.
Still, as of the end of the game against Australia, no one had created more chances at the 2026 World Cup than the Egypt captain (16, tied with Belgium's Leandro Trossard). Salah's health was in doubt ahead of Thursday's game after being forced off against Iran because of a hamstring issue, but he played the full 120 minutes against Australia and had the mental and physical fortitude to step up and convert his penalty.
He ended the game with eight touches in the box -- more than any other player -- and he could have walked away with a match-winning assist, but his sublime cross for Ramy Rabia was denied by Australia's Patrick Beach, who made a stunning save in the 94th minute.
After the full-time whistle, Salah was unsurprisingly thrust into the center of the Egypt celebrations and was spotted donning a Tutankhamun-style headdress as he partied on the pitch with teammates. Before that, though, the forward took a moment to himself to applaud supporters, and he had tears in his eyes as he took a lap of honor around Dallas Stadium.
It was hard not to wonder whether the obvious emotion of the occasion was intensified by the fact Thursday marked one year since Diogo Jota, Salah's Liverpool teammate, and Jota's brother Andre Silva died in a car accident. Salah described the tragedy earlier this year as "the hardest time in our life" -- a poignant reminder that his struggles on the pitch perhaps owe something to the challenges off it.
Salah, though, remains a fearsome competitor, and his mission now will be to add more gloss to what is already a remarkable career. Messi and Argentina will be waiting for Egypt in Atlanta on Tuesday, and the reigning World Cup champions will be the favorites to advance to the quarterfinals.
Defying the odds to pull off what would be a monumental upset would be beyond most players. Perhaps only Mohamed Salah can hope to make that particular dream come true.
