Mohamed Salah rejects offer of luxury villa as reward for sending Egypt to World Cup

Liverpool’s Egyptian star Mohamed Salah has turned down the offer of a luxury villa for firing Egypt to the World Cup.

The Egypt superstar instead asked the Egyptian businessman behind the gesture to make a donation to his home village, the Mirror Online reported quoting the Liverpool Echo.

Sources in Egypt told the paper that Salah was contacted by Mamdouh Abbas, the former president of Zamalek club, after the dramatic 2-1 victory over Congo at the World Cup 2018 Qualifier earlier this month.

Abbas wanted Salah to have the holiday villa as a gift in recognition of the part he played in the Pharaohs reaching their first World Cup since 1990.

However, the 25-year-old politely declined and said a donation to Nagrig village in Gharbiya province, which is around 150km from the capital Cairo, would make him happier, Mirror Online reported.

Salah, Egypt’s talisman, scored a 94 minute penalty at Borg El Arab Stadium that secured Egypt’s spot in Russia next year alongside Saudi Arabia, Brazil and Russia.

The paper reported that the governor of Gharbiya renamed the Salah’s former school in Basioun ‘Mohammed Salah Industrial High School’. Nagrig’s youth centre is also being renamed in his honour.

Salah has proved himself at Premier League giants, Liverpool, since his £36.9million move from Serie A’s Roma last summer. He’s the team’s top scorer this season with eight goals in 13 appearances.