Ashour, 26, was forced to leave the field in the first half after falling on his shoulder during a contested ball, in Egypt's 1-0 win over New Zealand in the team's first match under coach Hossam Hassan. Known as the Pharaohs, the national team is set to face Croatia in the finals next Tuesday.

Al Ahly, Egypt's champions, stated through the (X) social media platform, formerly known as Twitter, "Imam Ashour, the first team football player at the club, underwent a successful shoulder surgery."

Dr. Ahmed Gaballah, the team's physician, conveyed an optimistic outlook on the surgery, suggesting it could shorten the player's recovery time, which will be determined based on the rehabilitation program he will follow in the coming days.

Ashour is a key player for coach Marcel Koller and has played a pivotal role in helping Al Ahly secure the Egypt Cup for the 2022-2023 season, the Egyptian Super Cup for the 2023-2024 season, and achieve a third-place finish in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Al Ahly is gearing up to defend its African Champions League title, facing Simba in Tanzania for the first leg of the quarter-finals next Friday.