In a tale so absurd it could only happen in the land of the Pharaohs, Mohamed Salah, Liverpool’s goal-scoring icon and Egypt’s national treasure, has unwittingly become the face of a botched heist in Cairo. On August 7, 2025, four bumbling thieves donned hyper-realistic Mohamed Salah masks to rob a jewelry store, only to be nabbed by police in a fiasco that’s left the internet in stitches. Forget scoring screamers at Anfield—this time, Salah’s face is making headlines for all the wrong (and hilarious) reasons. Here’s the lowdown on how the Egyptian King became the accidental poster boy for a Cairo crime caper.

The Great Salah-Masked Heist

It all went down in Cairo’s upscale Heliopolis district, where four would-be masterminds decided to channel their inner Money Heist—but with an Egyptian twist. Instead of the iconic Salvador Dalí masks from the Netflix hit, these geniuses opted for masks of Mohamed Salah, the man whose face is plastered on billboards, soda cans, and every self-respecting fan’s phone wallpaper across Egypt. Their plan? Storm a high-end jewelry store, grab some bling, and blend into the crowd as four identical “Salahs.” After all, who’d suspect the nation’s hero of stealing anything other than defenders’ dignity?

According to Egypt Today and Al-Masry Al-Youm, the heist kicked off with all the finesse of a Sunday league tackle. The four thieves—described as a motley crew of tall, short, fat, and skinny—burst into the store, waving fake pistols and shouting demands in true cinematic fashion. They swiped £150,000 worth of jewels, including a gold chain that could’ve doubled as a boat anchor. But their Salah masks, bought from a sketchy online vendor for a bargain £40 each, proved to be their undoing. The masks were so lifelike that witnesses initially thought, “Wait, is Mo Salah actually robbing us?”—until one thief’s mask slipped, revealing a face that definitely wasn’t scoring in the Premier League.

The Cops Catch the “Salahs”

The Cairo police, clearly not amused by the Salah impersonators, swooped in faster than you can say “Egyptian King.” The thieves attempted a getaway, but their escape was less Ocean’s Eleven and more Keystone Cops. One tripped over a curb, another got his mask stuck in a car door, and a third reportedly yelled, “I’m the real Mo!” as he was tackled. The fourth? He tried hiding in a falafel stand, only to be ratted out by a vendor who recognized the fake Salah’s lack of charm. By the time the dust settled, all four were in cuffs, their Salah masks confiscated as evidence, and the stolen loot recovered.

Police were gobsmacked by the sheer audacity. “We’ve seen disguises before, but four Mohamed Salahs? That’s a new one,” an officer told BBC Arabic, barely stifling a laugh. The masks, complete with Salah’s signature curls and megawatt smile, were so convincing that one cop jokingly checked if the real Salah was in town. Spoiler: he was, chilling in Nagrig, blissfully unaware that his face was starring in Cairo’s crime drama of the year.

The Internet Loses It

As news of the heist broke, social media erupted into a meme-fueled frenzy. X was flooded with posts, with fans joking that Salah’s face was now “the official mask of Egyptian crime.” One viral tweet read, “Imagine Mo Salah robbing a store, then stopping to sign autographs mid-heist. Iconic.” Another user quipped, “These guys watched Money Heist and said, ‘Hold my shawarma, we’re doing this Salah-style.’” The hashtag #SalahHeist trended globally, with Photoshopped images of Salah in a bandit mask scoring against Arsenal racking up millions of views.

Egyptian fans, known for their humor, leaned into the absurdity. “In Egypt, even thieves are Salah stans,” one X post declared, while another suggested, “Forget Dalí masks—Salah masks are the new heist drip!” Even Liverpool supporters got in on the fun, with a Kop chant remix circulating: “Mo Salah, Mo Salah, running down the wing… and robbing diamond rings!” The real Salah, ever the good sport, posted a cryptic Instagram story with a laughing emoji and the caption, “Egypt, you keep me on my toes!”

Why Salah Masks? A Stroke of Misguided Genius

So, why did the thieves choose Salah’s face? Simple: he’s Egypt’s biggest celebrity. The bandits reportedly figured that Salah’s universal adoration would make witnesses hesitate to call the cops. Plus, in a country where Salah’s image is on everything from murals to milk cartons, blending in seemed plausible. “Nobody arrests Mo Salah,” one thief allegedly told police, per Al-Ahram. Wrong move, mate. In Egypt, impersonating the Pharaoh of Football is like painting a target on your back.

The masks themselves are now a hot topic. Sourced from a knockoff merch site, they’re being sold as “collectibles” for £60 a pop post-heist, with one eBay listing cheekily titled “Official Salah Heist Mask.” Meanwhile, the real Salah’s team is reportedly considering legal action against the manufacturer for unauthorized use of his likeness—though knowing Mo, he’ll probably just laugh it off.

Salah’s Legacy: Untouched by the Fiasco

This bizarre episode only adds to Salah’s mythos. At 33, he’s still tearing up the Premier League, with 12 goals and 10 assists by October 2025. Off the pitch, he remains Egypt’s pride, funding schools and charming fans with his humility. The heist hasn’t dented his shine—if anything, it’s made him more legendary. As for the thieves, they’re facing up to five years in prison, with one reportedly begging for Salah’s autograph during questioning. Classic.

So, here’s to Mohamed Salah: the man whose face can inspire goals, dreams, and apparently, the worst heist in Cairo history. Long may he reign—on the pitch, not in the slammer.