Liverpool forward Salah donates big to Egyptian church after inferno that killed over 40 people

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has donated three million Egyptian dollars ($156,965) to help rebuild a church destroyed by fire in Egypt.

At least 41 people died in Giza, which is across the Nile from Cairo, following an inferno that struck while an estimated 1,000 Coptic Christian worshippers gathered for Mass at the Abu Sifin church on Sunday.

The fire, which officials believed was started by an electrical fault in an air conditioning unit, blocked an exit and caused a stampede with 18 children reported to be among the dead.

Egypt President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, while sending his condolences, ordered the armed forces to rebuild the church and now Salah, who enjoys a cult status in the country, will play a part.

Salah, who has scored one goal in Liverpool’s two opening Premier League games, is not new to supporting charitable causes at home and abroad.

The 30-year-old, born in Nagrig, north of Egypt, was recently ranked as the eighth most generous person in the UK, having given away nearly £2.5 million of his estimated £41 million wealth.

Salah also gave away £2.4 million to the National Cancer Institute in Cairo three years ago, after it was damaged by a car bomb and has assisted in building a hospital, school, youth centre and ambulance unit in Nagrig, as well as providing five acres of land for a waste treatment plant.

He is also reported to have bought gym equipment, paid for couples to get married and purchased youth football trophies in Nagrig in addition to a donation of £26,612 to the Association of Veteran Egyptian Players to help former footballers who are struggling after retirement.

The former Chelsea and AS Roma winger is second on the Egypt all-time top scorers list with 47 goals, 11 behind the legendary Hossam Hassan, having made 85 appearances for his country so far.

He has not been lucky to lead Egypt to glory, as the Pharaohs lost the 2017 and 2021 Africa Cup of Nations finals to Cameroon and Senegal, respectively.

The 2021-22 PFA Player of the Year has, however, had an impressive club career since joining Liverpool in 2017, scoring 158 goals in 257 games, helping Jurgen Klopp’s men to Premier League, Champions League, FA and Carabao Cup wins in that period.