Mohamed Sherif has been urged to use the Africa Cup of Nations disappointment with Egypt to help Al Ahly create history at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Sherif was one of the standout players for Ahly last season as they won a consecutive CAF Champions League title while he netted a staggering 27 goals across all competitions.
But he returns after one month with the Egypt national team devoid of confidence, not only after losing the AFCON final but also suffering the embarrassment of being substituted after coming on as a substitute in the semi-finals.
The 25-year-old was limited to just 53 minutes of football which included the 18 minutes in extra-time against hosts Cameroon before Carlos Queiroz hauled him off for Zizo ahead of the penalty shoot-out.
But Red Devils head coach Mosimane has now challenged the player to take a leaf out of one of his teammates’ books who suffered with the national team before winning the CAF Super Cup against Raja Athletic Club.
“Sherif is a professional, he knows these things do happen in football. A very good example for Sherif is what happened to Amr El-Suluya when Egypt was knocked out of the Arab Cup – he scored an own goal,” Mosimane said in the pre-match press conference.
“He was finished when he came over, but we only had one and a half days and I said ‘you don’t know Suluya, maybe you can help us on the pitch, maybe you can win your cup against Raja in the Super Cup’ and we won it.
“So I will only say to Sherif he must follow El-Suluya’s route and probably we win, Inshallah we win and he will play his first World Cup final, Alhamdulillah it’s good for the history of Ahly and everybody.”
Sherif has scored four goals and registered two assists in six starts with the Club of the Century in the 2021/22 season thus far.
Story by Lorenz Kohler (@Lorenz_KO), who reports from the Club World Cup thanks to World Sports Betting.
