When Mohamed Salah leads out Egypt of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) semi-final in opposition to Senegal, he’ll really feel each the burden of expectation from his nation and his personal private strain to ship a spot within the closing.
The North Africans are file seven-time continental champions however the newest of these successes got here in 2010, a yr earlier than the Liverpool ahead’s worldwide debut.
The 33-year-old was a dropping finalist on the 2017 and 2021 editions – with these defeats sandwiching a last-16 exit in 2019 on dwelling soil – and he was then injured as Egypt suffered an early exit on the 2023 finals.
“No person, even in Egypt, needs to win this trophy greater than me,” Salah mentioned after serving to his crew beat Ivory Coast within the quarter-finals.
“I’ve received virtually each prize. That is the title I’m ready for.”
The prospect of revenge can even cling heavy within the Tangier air on Wednesday (17:00 GMT) because the Pharaohs captain will come up in opposition to former Reds team-mate Sadio Mane, who received the higher of Salah on two of their previous three worldwide conferences.
With each gamers aged 33, and Afcon to become a quadrennial tournament from 2028, this might show to be Salah’s final probability to deliver the trophy again to Cairo after a number of disappointments.
And, for all his silverware with Liverpool and private honours, the sensation persists amongst many throughout Africa {that a} participant can’t be classed as actually nice till they’ve an Afcon title to their identify.
