The Egypt sensation who outshone Mo Salah at the World Cup - and why Liverpool should be all over him

World Cups have a habit of turning relative unknowns into overnight stars, and Egypt may have just unearthed the latest example in Haissem Hassan.

The 24-year-old was simply outstanding as the Pharaohs came agonisingly close to knocking defending champions Argentina out of the 2026 World Cup, producing a fearless display against some of the biggest names in the game.

Anfield legend Mohamed Salah may remain the face of Egyptian football, but on one of the biggest nights in the country's recent history, it was arguably Hassan who stole the show.

Who is Egypt World Cup star Haissem Hassan?

Hassan is a left-footed right-winger who currently plays his club football for Real Oviedo in the Spanish second tier.

Born in France, he represented the country at U17 level before switching his international allegiance to Egypt. His appearance against Argentina was only his seventh senior cap, underlining just how quickly his international career has developed.

His club journey has been similarly varied. Hassan began his senior career with Chateauroux before joining Villarreal and later spending time with CD Mirandes and Sporting Gijon.

His numbers hardly suggested that a World Cup breakthrough was imminent. Hassan made 37 appearances during the 2025/26 campaign but registered only three assists, while he did not feature in any of Egypt's three group-stage matches at the tournament.

However, after breaking into the team against Australia, he was handed another opportunity against Argentina and seized it spectacularly.

Hassan assisted Egypt's second goal and repeatedly drove directly at the opposition defence. He also produced a remarkable individual run from deep inside his own half, carrying the ball almost the length of the pitch and beating several opponents before finding the net, only for the goal to be disallowed.

By the time he was substituted in the 73rd minute, Hassan had completed four dribbles, more than any other player on the pitch at that stage.

Haissem Hassan deserves some serious credit after that performance. ⚡️

Only Lionel Messi (5) completed more dribbles than him in the match (4).

His game by numbers vs. Argentina:

73 minutes played
11/13 successful passes
7 duels won
4/6 successful take-ons
2 fouls won
1 chance… pic.twitter.com/L2X9mLHTda
— Squawka (@Squawka) July 7, 2026

His removal also coincided with Egypt losing much of their threat on the counter-attack. Argentina were finally able to push higher without the same fear of Hassan exploding into the space behind them and eventually clawed their way back into the contest.

Against a left side containing Nicolas Tagliafico and Enzo Fernandez, Hassan had looked almost unplayable at times.

Why Liverpool should take a £10m punt on Haissem Hassan

One brilliant World Cup performance should never be enough to convince a major club to sign a player, but Hassan is exactly the type of calculated gamble Liverpool should be considering this summer.

The Reds need to think seriously about life beyond Salah, and Hassan possesses some obvious similarities to his international teammate.

A left‑footed attacker who prefers to start wide on the right before driving inside, he combines acceleration, tight control and a fearless willingness to take on defenders, making him an exciting threat in transition.

Nobody should expect Hassan to become the next Salah on the back of one outstanding display for Egypt. His club numbers show that his end product and consistency still need significant improvement before he can be considered ready to start regularly for an elite Premier League side.

That does not mean Liverpool should ignore the opportunity, though.

Hassan has already attracted interest from Celtic and is rumoured to be available for around £10 million - a relatively small gamble in the modern market for a player who has just showcased his ceiling against the defending world champions.

Even in a relegated Oviedo side, the Egypt star finished eighth in LaLiga for successful dribbles (61), behind only the top three of Lamine Yamal, Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe. Elite company.

Liverpool will need more than one new winger as they reshape their attack, so even if they spend heavily on a headline addition, there should still be room for a lower‑cost, high‑upside signing who can develop without immediately carrying the burden of replacing Salah.

History is full of players who used the World Cup as a springboard to bigger clubs and more prominent careers. The Reds should not sign Hassan solely because he tormented Argentina, but they should certainly be watching closely after he announced himself on the biggest stage.

For the sake of just £10 million, the potential reward may comfortably outweigh the risk.