“Mane ruins Salah’s dream again at the Afcon – will he have another opportunity?”

The stage was set for Mohamed Salah to shine on the African football stage, but once again, his quest for the coveted Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) title was thwarted. On Wednesday night, the Grand Stade de Tanger was the scene of a painful defeat for Egypt, which fell 1-0 to Senegal in a semi-final marked by frustration and disappointment. Sadio Mane, the Senegalese star and former Salah teammate at Liverpool, was the protagonist of the night, scoring the decisive goal just 12 minutes from the end, thus securing a place in the final.

Egypt, which arrived in Morocco with high hopes of claiming its first title since 2010, faced an apathetic and uninspired performance. Salah’s hopes, having been a key figure in the Egyptian national team, were dashed on a night that has become all too familiar for him in recent years. After the final whistle, Mane, who has always shown mutual respect for his former colleague, commented: “It’s not easy for him – but still, good luck. He did everything to take his team this far. Unfortunately, one of us had to lose. I’m happy [to be] in the final.”

For Salah, watching Mane enjoy success while he himself faces the pain of defeat is a recurring scene. In 2021, in the Afcon final, it was Mane who sealed Senegal’s triumph with a decisive penalty, dashing Egyptian dreams. Months later, in the battle for qualification for the 2022 World Cup, it was again Mane who converted a penalty to secure Senegal’s presence in Qatar, while Salah missed his attempt. This latest defeat in Tangier, following a disappointing performance from his team, has deeply cut Salah’s hopes.

The 33-year-old player, who made a name for himself at Liverpool with several titles, including the Premier League and the Champions League, has emphasized his burning desire to win the Afcon. After the victory over Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals, Salah stated: “No one, not even in Egypt, wants to win this trophy more than I do. I have won almost every award. This is the title I am waiting for.” However, the looming question is whether we will have the opportunity to see him in action at the Afcon again, given his advancing age and uncertainty about his future at Liverpool.

The possibility of Salah participating in the 2027 and 2028 editions remains open, but the pressure is mounting. John Obi Mikel, former Chelsea player and Nigerian international, commented on the situation: “He has been waiting. We are all fans of Mo Salah; I played with him, he is a great man. He has won everything at club level, but everyone wanted him to win this title.” On the other hand, Hassan Kachloul, former Moroccan midfielder, warned that Salah is running out of time: “He won’t stop until he gets his rewards. He will play again in two years. He has to focus on the next tournament, or this will be the one that slips away from him, as there won’t be many more opportunities.”

Now, Salah and the Egyptian national team are preparing to face Nigeria or Morocco in the third-place playoff before returning to Liverpool, where he will likely try to put this disappointment behind him. Salah’s hopes of one day lifting the Afcon trophy remain intact, but the pressure for that to happen is increasing with each passing edition.