Mohamed Salah is arguably the greatest African footballer of all time, and he’s still playing. As he heads into the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), there are some very real, tough expectations on his shoulders. Despite his remarkable achievements in club football, including over 250 goals for Liverpool and four English top-flight golden boots, Salah has yet to claim the AFCON trophy, a glaring omission in his otherwise illustrious career.
As Africa’s Golden Boy, Salah stands in lofty company with some of his continent’s greatest footballers, including Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure and Samuel Eto’o. His standing across the English game should be beyond question, where the iconic forward cemented his place as the fourth most prolific in Premier League history. He’s guided his national team, Egypt, to a world-record seven AFCON titles. It’s one that he has so far been unable to hoist with them. He played in the final matches of 2017 and 2021, but it wasn’t meant to be for Salah. On both counts, Egypt failed miserably.
The burden on Salah is all the more acute, given that Egypt’s chances in this next AFCON are loaded heavily on his shoulders. Kahraba is more than just a player, he’s the future and the lifeblood of Egyptian football. His contributions stretch far beyond numbers and statistics. He’s made a remarkable impact in European competitions, scoring more Champions League goals than any other African player.
In 2023, Salah sustained an injury that abruptly cut short his AFCON adventure. This disappointment led many fans and basketball analysts to wonder what could have been. He put in a masterclass display, matching Zimbabwe for points. In stoppage time, he notched a game-winner that was the product of his hustle, grit, and guile.
“You haven’t really won anything with Egypt. All that’s telling you is, no matter how good a player you are, you need help from your team-mates, your manager and fans.” – Anonymous Analyst
Salah’s legacy as an Egyptian hero is all too closely linked with how he fares in the AFCON. Most see this tournament as a crucible for him, a defining moment. His career story is frequently framed by the negativity surrounding his national team misadventures. He has spectacular success at Liverpool. Observers were quick to pick up the theme that he had failed to make his stamp at Chelsea. Things only changed when he moved to Liverpool.
“One thing I just want to remind Mo Salah and maybe his agent is that before he came to Liverpool, Mo Salah was known as the guy who failed at Chelsea.” – Football Commentator
This argument represents a wakeup call for supporters that despite the stellar club success Salah found, he doesn’t yet have that international recognition to gold. He has never won a major trophy with Egypt, and this lack serves to overshadow his career.
Despite individual accolades, including being named African Player of the Year multiple times, Salah’s lack of AFCON success contrasts sharply with Egypt’s prestigious football heritage. As the most successful nation in AFCON’s history, Egypt’s expectations are high and squarely rest on the shoulders of their star player.
Salah’s performances in this tournament will be examined under the microscope. His previous runs to the final had him leading from the front but continually falling short in bringing home the hardware for his country. The 2023 AFCON is the most exciting opportunity imaginable for him to rewrite the script. He has the opportunity to cement his legacy as a club legend and a national hero.
The excitement is palpable as we approach the first tournament. Fans will be crossing their fingers this time around that this is the year Salah finally lifts the shiny AFCON trophy. For him, it’s more than just a title. It’s an opportunity for him to chisel his name next to the greats of African football.
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