WC Countdown: El Shaarawy's career regret - Turn down Pharaohs, bet on wrong horse, live with remorse

People make choices every day. When deciding what to wear, what to eat or drink, what to do in their spare time... And the world would be a much happier place if all the decisions one has to make were this simple.

Unfortunately, life comes with another heavy burden made up of tough choices regarding love life, career, residence, and a number of other essential matters. To make matters even more complex, each of these areas branches off into new paths, bringing fresh dilemmas and situations that require decisive action.

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There's never been a human being whose every choice was right. We're all people and - given that we cannot predict the future - miscalculations are a natural part of life.

Sometimes they cost us more, sometimes less, and sometimes they leave a huge mark that will never fade.

That's exactly what happened to Stephan El Shaarawy.

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Young people are naturally more prone to mistakes. They lack experience and maturity, and, without proper guidance, they can often end up at a dead end.

However, life doesn't wait for anyone. A crossroad can just emerge before anyone, regardless of their age, forcing them to make a call. It can be tough. It can be tricky.

Pick the right thing, and everything will be superb. Choose wrong, and you may feel the way El Shaarawy must feel these days.

The forward found himself at a crossroads early in his career - decide to represent Italy, the country where he was born, or Egypt, the homeland of his father.

El Shaarawy representing Italy (©Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

In the young Stephan's eyes, the choice was easy. On the one hand, there were football giants and four-time World Champions, and on the other, there was a national team whose last World Cup appearance occurred in 1990, two years before the teenager was even born.

Most people, including the writer of this article, would have made the same decision and picked the Azzurri, so El Shaarawy cannot be blamed by anyone, except perhaps one person - himself.

No one can say for sure whether the 33-year-old now regrets his decision, but it must be unpleasant.

Stephan El Shaarawy turned down Egypt and condemned himself to never playing at a World Cup. He bet on the wrong horse and can only feel remorse now.

He made 32 appearances for Italy, but never at a World Cup. In 2014, he wasn't called up, as he had missed most of the previous season due to a metatarsal fracture.

The Azzurri's journey in Brazil ended in the group stage, marking their last World Cup to this day.

So what, one would ask. There are so many exceptional players who never played in this prestigious tournament - just look at George Weah, Ryan Giggs, George Best, Eric Cantona, and many others. The real problem is Egypt...

During the Azzuri's shameful 12-year absence from the World Cup, the Pharaohs managed to qualify twice, making their WC return after 28 years in 2018 and earning a place on the plane to the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

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El Shaarawy would have undoubtedly been on the same plane - both eight years ago and today - alongside Mohamed Salah, Trezeguet, Mohamed El Shenawy, and other Pharaohs, being one of their biggest stars.

But alas... One wrong choice changed everything, and the consequences are visible.

Yes, El Shaarawy had an outstanding club career, playing for sides like Genoa, AC Milan, Monaco, and AS Roma, though one wound will hurt him forever.

And when he comes home after a stroll through Rome, turns on the TV in his cozy living room on June 15 around 9 pm, and sees the Egyptians listening to their national anthem "Biladi, Biladi, Biladi" ahead of their opening World Cup clash against Belgium, will he at least for a moment regretfully think to himself: "What have I done..."?