All eyes will be on Mohamed Salah as Egypt begin their Africa Cup of Nations campaign, with head coach Hossam Hassan insisting the forward is unaffected by speculation surrounding his future at Liverpool.
The Pharaohs, seven-time continental champions, open their Group B fixtures against outsiders Zimbabwe, and their captain arrives at the tournament following a tense period at club level. Salah had reacted publicly after being left out of recent Premier League matches, an issue he later resolved internally before joining the national team.
Speaking ahead of the opener, Hassan revealed that Salah has shown exceptional commitment in training, describing his attitude as energetic and highly focused. The coach expressed strong belief that the 33-year-old will play a key role in Egypt’s push for the title.
According to Hassan, Salah remains a global football icon whose desire to succeed has not faded. He added that the winger continues to rank among the world’s elite and has the full confidence of the technical crew.
Salah had failed to start any of Liverpool’s final five games before departing for Morocco, with tensions surfacing after a league draw against Leeds United, where he hinted at dissatisfaction with manager Arne Slot. Those comments sparked rumours of a possible January transfer.
Hassan, however, downplayed the situation, describing it as a routine disagreement between a player and his coach. He confirmed that constant communication had been maintained and stressed that Salah’s attention is solely on the tournament.
Still chasing his first AFCON title, Salah is aiming to help Egypt claim a record-extending eighth crown, after falling short in finals against Cameroon in 2017 and Senegal in 2022. Egypt qualified for the competition unbeaten and are widely regarded as one of the favourites.
Hassan also noted that Salah often raises his performance level when playing for Egypt, contributing goals and leadership before returning to club football in stronger form.
Egypt will also take on South Africa and Angola in Group B, with all their first-round matches set to be played in Agadir.
