CAIRO: Liverpool star Mohammad Salah turned up for Egypt training in Cairo on Saturday ahead of the Pharaohs' departure for the World Cup in Russia but didn't take part, AFP witnessed.
Thousands of supporters turned up to watch Egypt's final, late night training session before taking flight for Russia, cheering wildly.
On Saturday, Salah assured Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi he is well on the road to recovery.
The training session began just before 10pm.
Although dressed in kit, Salah stood around in the middle of the pitch chatting to backroom staff while his team-mates trained.
The record seven-time African champions have qualified for the World Cup for only the third time and first since 1990.
June 15: Start of Egypt's campaign in Russia
They begin their Russian campaign on June 15 against twice former winners Uruguay.
Salah has been picked in the Egypt squad despite suffering from a shoulder injury picked up in Liverpool's 3-1 Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid that many fans feared would keep him out of the global football showpiece.
After scoring 44 goals for Liverpool last season following his move from Roma, Salah is vital to Egyptian hopes in Russia.
The Egyptian football federation said after his injury that he could be out for three weeks, meaning he would miss their opening Group A match but could then subsequently be available against Russia and Saudi Arabia.
Not buried the hatchet?
Meanwhile, in comments made to a Spanish newspaper, Salah says he has not buried the hatchet with Sergio Ramos following their tangle in the Champions League final which left the Liverpool forward injured.
Ramos came in for criticism following Real Madrid's 3-1 win in Kiev last month as he was involved in a challenge with Reds talisman Salah that left the Egypt international in tears as he departed with an injured shoulder.
Spain captain Ramos was accused by some critics of deliberately causing the injury and was later involved in an incident with Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius, whose two mistakes then allowed Madrid to claim a third-straight European title.
While Ramos was largely vilified for his role, he defended his actions and said he had sent a message of support to Salah — whose place in the World Cup came under threat from the injury.
But Salah, who also said it was "funny" for Ramos to claim he was the man fouled when the pair clashed, told Spanish newspaper Marca he had not told the Real Madrid man that all was fine between them.
'He sent me a message'
"He sent me a message, but I never told him it was 'OK'," he said.
"My comment is that it's always OK when the one who made you cry first, then makes you laugh. Maybe he could also tell me if I'm going to be ready for the World Cup?"
Salah has been in imperious form since his move to Anfield last season - breaking the record for Premier League goals in a 38-game campaign as he hit an impressive 32.
He will be regarded as key to any hopes Egypt have of springing a surprise at the World Cup in Russia but, after the Champions League final injury he described as a career-low point, Salah remains uncertain if he will play in the opening Group A clash with Uruguay.
He added: "I hope to play the first game against Uruguay, but that will depend on how I feel when it approaches."
