CAIRO, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi met on Saturday with members of the national football team and checked on legendary Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah before they fly to Russia to compete in the 2018 World Cup that will kick off Thursday.

"Sisi checked on the health condition of Mohamed Salah who assured that it was improving and he was recovering," presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement.

Salah was badly injured with a dislocated shoulder on May 26 during the European Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid that lifted the cup.

Following Sisi's meeting with the national team members, the Egyptian president expressed confidence in their willingness to achieve victory and honor the name of Egypt.

"We should all support the Egyptian national team," Sisi posted on his Facebook page after the meeting.

Salah led his country to a rare qualification for the 2018 Russia World Cup after scoring Egypt's two goals against Congo in a crucial match last October, booking a seat for Egypt in the tournament it missed for almost three decades.