Mohamed Salah will return to Liverpool without yet winning the coveted Afcon title after Egypt were eliminated in the semi-finals, but further opportunities will still come his way.
Mo Salah’s wait for Afcon glory extends (Image: )
Mo Salah endures yet another heartbreaking AFCON experience with Egypt’s semi-final defeat to Senegal on Wednesday night giving his former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane even more bragging rights, but hope is not yet lost.
That means the obvious gaps in Salah’s CV remain exactly that. Blank. The forward’s achievements at the club are not up for debate, and beyond personal and personal accolades, he has won every major club trophy on offer since moving to Anfield in 2017, including two Premier Leagues and the Champions League.
His desire to beat Egypt burns brighter than ever. And what’s frustrating for Salah is that despite the historic success The Pharaoh has achieved, Salah doesn’t feature at all.
Even if they miss out again, the Egyptians remain the most successful team in AFCON history. They have won seven times, including a hat-trick of wins from 2006 to 2010. Since then, championships have remained fruitless.
Tournaments on the African continent are now held much more regularly than, say, the Euros. Tournaments are scheduled for 2027 and 2028 before a four-year cycle is adopted.
read more: Sadio Mane reveals Mo Salah’s position after clash between Liverpool icons: ‘He did everything’read more: Manager Mohamed Salah makes unusual accusations during AFCON riots
That means Salah, now 33, needs at least two more chances to achieve continental glory. It is not uncommon for greats to realize their international ambitions only late in their careers. Lionel Messi was 34 years old when he won the 2021 Copa America and finally broke ties with Argentina. He has since played in the World Cup and again in the Copa America.
Salah also hopes players such as Manchester City’s Omar Marmouche will continue to develop and help his ultimate ambition of returning Egypt to the top of African football.
He said this after helping his team defeat Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals last week. “There is no one in Egypt who wants to win this trophy more than me. I have won almost every award and this is the title I am waiting for.”
Liverpool’s ace made another missed chance against Egypt (Image: Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The wait continues, but it never ends. His time at Liverpool could be numbered after his recent outburst at Leeds has led to doubts over his time at Anfield. There is a good chance that Salah will head to the Middle East. It remains to be seen how that will condition him for Afcon.
Last season, Salah claimed before signing his new contract that he was “more on the outside than on the inside” regarding his future at Liverpool. Well, in Egypt he is more of an end than a beginning, and time is not on his side.
Former Moroccan midfielder Hassan Kashroul, who played for both Southampton and Aston Villa during his career, warned Salah that this could come back to haunt him.
“He won’t quit until he gets paid. He’ll be playing again in two years,” said the 52-year-old. “He will focus on the next tournament and try to win the title. Otherwise he will run away because there are not many chances left.”
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