KUWAIT: Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah was recently spotted in a Kuwaiti bank ad, causing a stir on social media. The bank obviously wanted to boost its image and reach by using Salah’s massive fame.

Lots of fans were excited to see Salah in the NBK ad, thinking it’s a cool move that adds some international flair to the bank. They see him as a big name that can give the bank a good boost.

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But not everyone was thrilled. Some folks thought the bank should have gone with local Kuwaiti football talent instead of bringing in someone from outside. “We’ve got plenty of talented players here, so why not give them a shot?” one local fan argued.

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To make things more complicated, some critics started calling for a Salah boycott because of his views on the Palestinian issue. They’re also side-eyeing his other deals, like with Visa, saying this bank ad just doesn’t sit right given the political stuff.

So yeah, Salah showing up in this Kuwaiti bank ad has stirred up a whole bunch of opinions online. People are debating everything from sports and celebs to politics and what’s right for the region.