Mohamed Salah Gets Lucky AFCON Break as Liverpool Star's Dream Not Over Yet

Mohamed Salah and Egypt suffered a heartbreaking semifinal exit from the AFCON 2025 against Senegal, but the defeat hands Liverpool a timely boost with his imminent return.[3][4][5]

Egypt's campaign ended in agony at the Grand Stade de Tanger on January 15, 2026, as Sadio Mané, Salah's former Liverpool teammate now at Al Nassr, scored the decisive goal in the 78th minute via a stunning long-range strike, securing a 1-0 win for Senegal.[3][5][7] Salah endured a dismal night, playing the full 90 minutes without a single shot on target, touch in the opposition box, or successful dribble. He completed just 9 passes, lost possession 14 times, won only 4 of 15 duels, and earned a lowly Sofascore rating of 6.2—his worst among starters.[3][5]

Despite reaching 10 AFCON goals overall (third-most for Egypt behind Hassan El-Shazly's 12 and Hossam Hassan's 11), and netting three in this tournament against Zimbabwe and South Africa, Salah's dream of winning the one major trophy eluding his stellar career remains unfulfilled after five attempts.[2][6] Pre-semifinal, he vowed to shoulder all pressure: "I want this title more than anyone... Let the pressure be on me."[6]

Liverpool fans can breathe easier, though. Egypt's third-place playoff against Nigeria on January 17 means Salah's Reds return is delayed slightly, but victory would end his international commitment far sooner than a final run, providing a "lucky break" amid his title pursuit.[4][5] At 33, the next AFCON in 2027 (when he'll be 35) may be his last shot.[5] Salah's World Cup 2026 qualification is secure after Egypt's 3-0 thrashing of Djibouti, where he scored twice to top the African qualifiers' charts with 9 goals.[1]

This irony—thwarted by ex-teammate Mané—keeps Salah's Liverpool ambitions alive, his Pharaohs legacy intact yet incomplete.[5][7]