Salah has one final opportunity to make history at the Afcon representing Egypt.

Morocco and Senegal are currently the top contenders, but Egypt has a proud history and holds the most victories in the Africa Cup of Nations. As they enter this month’s tournament, there is a sense of anticipation for them to excel once again.

With the added factors of logic and significance, they possess Mohamed Salah. The 31-year-old holds the captaincy for the Pharaohs and is one of the top football players in Africa. He enters the tournament in the Ivory Coast in excellent form. Additionally, he is expected to surpass Hossam Hassan’s record of 68 goals for Egypt, as he currently sits 13 goals behind with 178 caps. Furthermore, barring a major upset in the group stage, Salah will reach 100 international appearances during the 2023 Afcon, further solidifying his legacy on the international stage.

His talent on a national level is undeniable, and he is unparalleled in his position. He has won a Champions League title, a Premier League championship, and numerous cups with Liverpool. He has also received Golden Boot awards, Player of the Year awards, and Team of the Year selections, as well as a Puskas Award, all of which he has earned consistently and rightfully.

However, despite his numerous accomplishments such as being the first Egyptian to score a goal from open play at a World Cup since 1934 and one of only two Egyptians to score multiple goals at a World Cup finals, there is one achievement that eludes him. This one title holds a special significance as it represents leading his team and country to victory in an international competition.

It is quite astounding, and possibly frustrating, that Egypt’s anomalous continental drought coincided with Salah’s rise to prominence.

It was Egypt who won the first-ever official Afcon final, triumphing in 1957. While the earliest decades of the tournament saw victors spread across the continent, a rough consolidation of success between fewer nations has been the trend since the 80s: nine different victors across just 24 years up to 1980, compared with ten different victors in the four decades from ‘82 onwards.

During a more recent period, Egypt quickly established itself as a dominant African nation. Their victory in ’98 was soon followed by an unprecedented three consecutive triumphs in 2006, 2008, and 2010, which have not been matched or surpassed since then.

Salah debuted in the senior international level the following year. The Pharaohs have not achieved a significant victory since then.

It is not, of course, to say that Salah has been a cause of that, nor that he has not contributed to the national team legacy – the aforementioned World Cup exploits are proof of that. Egypt had not been to a finals since Italia ‘90; at Russia in 2018 Salah was unfit and beset by off-field arguments with the national team association, yet still had an historic impact for the team on the pitch.

However, they were unsuccessful in reaching the Afcon finals for three consecutive tournaments after their victory in 2010. This meant that their journey to the 2017 final was the first time Salah had the opportunity to compete in an international event. He contributed to the team’s success by scoring one goal in the group stage and one in the semi-finals, as well as converting a penalty in a shootout to secure their spot against Cameroon. Unfortunately, they were unable to continue Egypt’s strong legacy in the competition and fell short of adding another victory to their record.

After two years, he scored two goals in the group stage, but that was the end of it. Egypt was eliminated in the round of 16 by South Africa, making it a forgettable experience for Salah’s team, especially after their success in reaching the World Cup the previous year. However, in the 2021 event – which was actually held a year later, as was common for international tournaments at the time – a low-scoring Egypt only needed two more goals from Salah to secure a spot in the final.

In the quarter-finals, he scored again after previously making a shootout penalty in the previous round. However, during the final match, which also went to penalties, Salah’s position as Egypt’s final penalty taker did not result in success. His former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane scored the final penalty for Senegal, ending the game. Due to two earlier misses by his team, Salah did not get the opportunity to take his own penalty and add a new record to the Afcon history, as well as secure his first international title.

The question often arises about when a top performer may reach the decline of their peak, and when their abilities on the largest platform begin to diminish.

With Salah, there’s no immediate feeling that this tournament is his last at his best, but it could of course be his last as this particular type of player. Will he have the same acceleration and dribbling as he approaches age 34, when Morocco host the 2025 Afcon? Will Egypt still be built largely around him, or indeed will he hold his own fitness for that particular month?

Salah needs have no fear of effectiveness in the relatively near future, yet must also be conscious of the importance of the present: it could be his last chance, at least at the elite level.

He holds the record for the most goals scored by an African player in Premier League history, the highest number of goals scored by an African player in Champions League history, and the most goals scored by an African player in a single season in England’s top league. He also has the most assists of any African player in the history of the Premier League.

In brief, he possesses all the essential attacking skills necessary to excel in achieving success, and consistently demonstrates them game after game, year after year.

Although Egypt is not the top pick, they do have the most exceptional player in the competition, making them a team to keep an eye on. Even without their impressive track record of wins, Salah is determined to make his own mark in history. He has another opportunity to make a significant impact.

Source: independent.co.uk