Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah stood in disbelief as the referee’s whistle echoed through the Grand Stade de Tangier on Wednesday night, marking Egypt’s 1-0 defeat to Senegal in the semi-final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
In a match that lacked excitement, Sadio Mane’s powerful strike 12 minutes before the final whistle secured Senegal’s place in the championship game on Sunday.
This outcome deviated sharply from Salah’s expectations and those of the Egyptian team, who had set their sights on claiming their first Afcon title since 2010.
After the match, Mane expressed his empathy for his former Liverpool teammate, stating, “It is not easy for him – but still best of luck. He did everything to carry his team until now. Unfortunately, one of us had to lose. I’m happy to be in the final.”
For Salah, witnessing Mane revel in international success while he endured another heart-wrenching defeat has become a recurring theme in recent years. In the 2021 Afcon final, Mane, still a Liverpool player at the time, converted the decisive penalty that denied Egypt the trophy, handing Senegal its first title.
Months later, during a two-legged playoff for a spot in the 2022 World Cup, Mane again emerged victorious, scoring the winning penalty in the shootout after Salah missed his attempt.
Now, nearly four years later, this latest setback—a lackluster performance from Egypt in the semi-final—will resonate deeply with Salah.
Since joining Liverpool in 2017, Salah has amassed every major club trophy, including two Premier League titles and a Champions League victory. Yet, the pursuit of continental glory has eluded him, and at 33, he remains determined to capture that elusive Afcon title.
“Nobody, even in Egypt, wants to win this trophy more than me,” Salah declared after leading his team to victory against Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals. “I have won almost every prize. This is the title I am waiting for.”
While it may be premature to label this his final Afcon, given Salah’s impressive tally of over 110 caps since his debut in 2011, the uncertainty surrounding his future at Liverpool and the passage of time raise questions about his next appearances in the tournament, particularly as it transitions to a four-year cycle.
John Obi Mikel, the former Chelsea and Nigeria midfielder, reflected on Salah’s journey, stating, “He has been waiting. We are all fans of Mo Salah. He has won everything at club level, but everyone wanted him to win this title. Now he needs to return to Liverpool and continue his career.”
Hassan Kachloul, a former Morocco midfielder, cautioned Salah about the dwindling opportunities to lead Egypt to an eighth Afcon title. “He will not stop until he gets his rewards. He will play again in two years. He will focus on the next tournament and strive to win the title—otherwise, it may slip away.”
Salah and Egypt will compete against Nigeria in the third-place playoff on Saturday before he heads back to Liverpool, eager to move past this disappointment.
All signs indicated that this was the moment for Salah to finally secure his first Africa Cup of Nations title in Morocco. He delivered some of his best performances in the tournament, relishing the camaraderie with teammates away from the pressure of international scrutiny, enjoying the serene surroundings of their coastal camp in Agadir.
With each game, Egypt appeared to gain momentum, peaking at the right time, particularly with their impressive quarter-final victory over Ivory Coast. Yet, the familiar challenges of the Salah era resurfaced, as the team relied too heavily on individual brilliance from Salah or Omar Marmoush, struggling to create effective scoring opportunities.
This disappointment will weigh heavily on Salah, who followed a legendary Egyptian generation that triumphed with three consecutive Afcon titles. Political issues marked his early years with the national team, and near misses in the finals of 2017 and 2021 compounded his frustration, culminating in this semi-final loss to Senegal.
The lingering question remains: will he, like Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez, consider this his final Afcon?
Regardless of how his career unfolds, Salah’s legacy as Egypt’s greatest player is firmly established—yet the prospect of retiring without lifting Africa’s most prestigious trophy will undoubtedly be a source of deep frustration for him.
