In Egyptian Football Star's Home Village, World Cup Ignites Big Dreams

Residents of Mohamed Salah’s hometown, Nagrig, gather at a cafe to watch a football match while local football league play in a soccer playground that is part of the cafe.

Nagrig residents gather to break the fast at a community Iftar during the Muslim holy season of Ramadan, sharing food, love and memories. They also talk about football.

Nagrig renamed the community’s industrial secondary school to the "Mohamed Salah Industrial School." The school is Salah's alma mater, and the decision to change the school's name reflects the pride the town, and especially its young people, have in the footballer. Many say they aspire to be like him.

Hassan Bakr is a social researcher at a local charity organization set up by Mohamed Salah. He said, “Mohamed wanted to return the favor to his village by financially supporting 450 poor families from the village each month, as well as buying medical equipment for the local hospital and building a school.”

This is Mohamed Salah’s family home in Nagrig.

A school building is financed by donations from Salah.

Salah's fame and fortune have also benefited a local hospital, where the footballer donated a ventilator system.

A football field in Nagrig is where young people who hope to follow in Salah's footsteps play.

Young men at Nagrig gather every day after school and play for a local football league. They see Salah as a role model and dream of one day, too, making it big.

Hassan Bakr lays out a poster featuring Nagrig's most famous son.

Salah donates money to projects in Nagrig, but his image also yields riches for local vendors who have been doing brisk business in the runup to the World Cup. Familiarity sells. “I have known Mohamed Salah since he was 10 a year-old boy." says a street vendor. "He was always a polite and and decent child and that is why I am super excited to be selling T-shirts with his photos and name.”

In a video game store, Mohamed Salah’s face shines as young men.

From T-shirts to comic books, Salah is taking Egypt by storm ahead of the World Cup..

Young men in Nagrig village gather to watch a football match. Some say they dream of being the next Mohamed Salah.