Former Ajax and Tottenham striker Hossam Mido has slammed Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah for contracting COVID-19 at his brother’s wedding.

The Egyptian in an interview with local media, Al-Nahar TV, stated that the winger made a mistake by attending the wedding, adding that his actions cost his country a defeat in the African Cup of Nations qualifier match.

He maintained that he Salah’s action put the whole team at risk and went on to slam the Egyptian officials for not approaching the 28-year-old.

Mido said: “I know I may be under attack after my next comments, but it has to be that way.

“Mohamed Salah made a big mistake by attending his brother’s wedding a few days before the Egyptian national team match, he showed great negligence with the steps taken to prevent the coronavirus and the result was that he was infected.

“The neglect of Mohamed Salah caused the Egyptian team to lose an important player in a very important match and time, and he also risked the health of his team-mates.

“He should not have been present at his brother’s wedding, especially at that time. The wedding included more than 800 people, and half of them accepted to embrace and kiss Salah.

“The other point here is the silence of all those responsible for the player’s negligence, which confirms the fact that the player is still bigger than the national team and this will lead to a great failure.

“When I missed the 2006 African Nations Cup, I was punished by missing the final and being excluded from the national team for six months. The final we lost, I was young and I think I am older than the team, but I confirm now that no one is bigger than the team, and if someone thinks this, this will be a great failure.

“Officials in Egypt did not direct any word of blame or reproach to Mohamed Salah and the harm caused by his negligence to the Egyptian team, and I name each of the Minister of Sports Ashraf Sobhi, Chairman of the EFA Amr Al-Ganayni, the coach of the national team Hossam Al-Badri, and the national team director Mohamed Barakat, all are cowards and fear Mohamed Salah fans who love the Liverpool star, but here I am speaking without calculations or fear of anyone, and what is being said should be said to me.

“No one can say that Salah did not make a mistake by going to his brother’s wedding at that difficult time and in light of the corona crisis, all the English newspapers speak against us negatively.

“Salah should have been blamed for what he did, but everyone feels fear.”