For the first in nearly three decades, Egypt will be represented at the grand stage – the FIFA World Cup.
Utterly blissful on the continent, global spotlight remained their bane.
Mohamed Salah and his cohorts brought to a halt that hoodoo which persisted even before they were born.
Rapturous scenes followed the country’s qualification and more will follow before the country’s first game at the Mundial.
Mohamed “Ibn Nufal” Nufal is one of those who is prepared to see Hector Cuper’s team in Russia.
However, instead of travelling by air, the 24-year-old has begun his trip by road using his bike.
Nufal plans to get there via Jordan, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine. He will fly over Syria due to the civil war there and will also give Iraq a miss for security reasons.
On his bike, Nufal has packed spare parts, an extra phone, batteries and camping gear.
In addition to his tent, Nufal will put up in hostels where he can find them, as well as relying on the kindness of strangers for a bed for the night.
“It is about the road more than the arrival,” he told Reuters Television. “If it were just about the World Cup, I would take a plane. It is a great chance for me to see new things.”
A group of cyclists and friends escorted Nufal as he started his trip on Saturday, and he hopes many more will offer him help along the way.
The Pharaohs are drawn in Group A alongside host Russia, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
