WATCH: Chechen leader awards Egypt’s Mohamed Salah with honorary citizenship

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Mohamed Salah’s World Cup might be over, but the Egyptian superstar continues to receive awards, this time honorary citizenship from leader of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov himself.

“Mohamed Salah is an honorary citizen of Chechnya! That’s right!” Kadyrov wrote on Telegram late Friday.

“Tonight, I signed a decree to grant the high honor to the great footballer who plays for Egypt and Liverpool,” the Chechen leader added, describing the citizenship for Salah as a “well-deserved honor.”

The Egyptian footballer was awarded the citizenship at a dinner ceremony at Kadyrov’s presidential palace where the Egypt national team celebrated the end of its campaign at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Since arriving in Russia, the Egypt national team has been training in Chechen. The Pharaohs were making their first appearance at the World Cup since 1990.

Kadyrov denied that Salah and his team were in Chechen for propaganda reasons, stating Egypt “chose us themselves.”

“We don’t use this kind of things for politics.”  

Salah has had an up-and-down season after failing to win a trophy with his club Liverpool despite breaking all sorts of records.

His World Cup was at risk after he suffered a shoulder injury in the UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid in May which Liverpool would go on to lose 3-1.

Having missed Egypt’s first game, Salah started in the 3-1 defeat to Russia, scoring his side’s only goal from the penalty spot.

Egypt was eliminated from the tournament following losses to Uruguay and Russia in Group A. Their final match will be against Saudi Arabia, who are also knocked out of the competition, on June 25.