Egyptian football icon Mohamed Salah continues his extraordinary journey in the world of football, cementing his name as one of the game's legends. Salah has become a prolific collector of titles and medals with his club, Liverpool FC, contributing to their domestic treble (Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup), as well as their dominance in Europe with the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Super Cup victories, culminating in their FIFA Club World Cup triumph.
A continental knot seeking a solution
Despite his illustrious record of individual and team titles in Europe, one coveted and elusive trophy remains missing from the Egyptian King's collection: the Africa Cup of Nations gold medal. Salah will have his fifth opportunity to fill this gap in his illustrious career during the highly anticipated 2025 edition, hosted by Morocco, which kicks off on Sunday and runs until January 18th.
Historically, the Egyptian national team holds the record for the most titles won in the tournament with seven, the last of which was a historic three consecutive titles (2006, 2008, 2010) led by the previous golden generation. Since Salah's emergence on the international stage, the Pharaohs have come close to clinching their eighth title on two occasions, only to be denied by luck in the final stages, while on two other occasions they were eliminated in the early rounds.
Painful memories and continuous attempts
The memory of continental heartbreak still lingers for Egyptian fans; in the 2017 final in Gabon, Salah set up the opening goal, but Cameroon turned the tables with a late winner to claim a 2-1 victory. And in 2019, while Egypt was hosting the tournament and all eyes were on the title, the team suffered a devastating blow, exiting in the round of 16 against South Africa in Cairo.
Hope was renewed in the 2022 edition in Cameroon, where Salah led his teammates to the final after a grueling run of matches, but penalty kicks smiled on Senegal after 120 goalless minutes. In the previous edition in Ivory Coast, Salah experienced a different kind of drama, scoring a penalty that saved Egypt against Mozambique, before an injury ended his campaign prematurely against Ghana. He then watched his country's elimination on penalties against DR Congo from the stands or on television in Liverpool.
Challenges of the Morocco 2025 edition
After four consecutive disappointments, Salah (33 years old) has every right to wonder if fate will smile upon him on the continental stage. However, the all-time top scorer refuses to succumb to pessimism, stating previously: “I am confident that one day I will be part of an Egyptian national team that wins the Africa Cup of Nations.”.
But the task in Morocco will not be easy; the football landscape in Africa has changed, and Egypt is no longer the formidable powerhouse it once was. Instead, it has become one of several contenders, given the development of the continent's national teams and the strength of the host nation, Morocco. Egypt begins its campaign in Group B against Zimbabwe on Monday, followed by tough matches against South Africa and Angola. The first match is crucial for advancing, as history favors the Pharaohs in head-to-head encounters with Zimbabwe (8 wins out of 13 matches).
Offensive weapons and a volatile situation in Liverpool
The Egyptian national team enters the tournament under the leadership of its former national coach and top scorer, Hossam Hassan, who won the title three times as a player. Hassan believes that Salah is the crown jewel in a formidable attacking system that includes Omar Marmoush (reportedly a Manchester City winger), Mostafa Mohamed, the Nantes striker, and the Al Ahly duo of Trezeguet and Zizo. However, concerns remain regarding the goalkeeping situation and Mohamed El Shenawy's recent inconsistent performances.
At the club level, Salah arrived in Agadir amidst a storm of speculation surrounding his future with Liverpool. The Egyptian star is experiencing a tense period with his Dutch coach, Arne Slot, having expressed his anger at being benched and feeling he has been made a scapegoat for the team's inconsistent results. Despite the speculation about a move to the Saudi league, Salah continues to prove his worth, recently contributing to the win against Brighton and surpassing Wayne Rooney's record to become the player with the most goal contributions for a single club in Premier League history (277).
Now, Salah hopes that the atmosphere in Agadir and the match against Zimbabwe – against whom he previously scored a hat-trick in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers – will be the gateway to regaining confidence and embracing lost continental glory.
