Pharaohs’ controversial defeat to Senegal — and Algeria’s exit against Cameroon — means first finals on Mena soil will be missing two of its finestplayers

The first World Cup to take place on Mena soil will be without the region’s leading player, the footballer who may well be the finest in the world on current form.

The absence of Mohamed Salah from Qatar 2022 deprives the tournament of a figurehead and the circumstances around Egypt’s failure to qualify are another bitter chapter in the saga of Salah and World Cups.

The Liverpool striker missed the first Egyptian penalty in the shoot-out that on Tuesday settled 210 attritional minutes of play-off in favour of Senegal. The distracting beams of several laser pens were directed from the crowd into the face of Salah as he prepared his spot-kick, as they were at Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy as he faced Senegal’s spot-kickers.

Salah skied his penalty…