Mohamed Saleh won the big titles for his team, Liverpool. In 2019 and 2020, he led them to the UEFA Champions League and the English Premier League.

And that is just the prizes and personal awards. The Club World Cup is another big one on the list.

Mohamed Salah eyes elusive Africa Cup of Nations success with Egypt | Arab News

But, and this is something that everyone in Egypt knows, the Africa Cup of Nations is missing.

If he can make up that difference in the event that starts on Saturday in Ivory Coast, he would have won all of his trophies.

He is come in second place twice in European races. The 2017 tournament was won by Egypt over Burkina Faso with a goal from Salah. In the final, he set up the first goal for Mohamed Elneny, which put Egypt ahead of Cameroon in Gabon. However, Nicolas Nkoulou tied the game on the hour mark, and Vincent Aboubaker scored the game-winner late in the game.

That was very sad, but the 2021 final was even worse.

Before the final against Senegal, Egypt looked like they would be very hard to beat. However, after two hours of football with no goals, the game went to a penalty shootout. Salah was set to take the fifth and final kick, but two of his teammates missed, and the game was over.

In the year 2019 there was a tournament held at home. It was thought that Egypt would win the tournament and take home its eighth title and first since 2010.

They easily got through their group, beating all three teams without giving up a goal. This put them in a match against South Africa in the second round. As time ran out, the 75,000 people who were in Cairo’s International Stadium were silent when Thembinkosi Lorch scored the game’s only goal. It was a very frustrating game.

Egypt is the most successful team in the history of the event, but they are not the favorites for the new one. However, they have one of the best players in the world in Salah, so anything could happen.

The player has been in great shape for Liverpool this season, as they usually are, and he comes to Ivory Coast tied with Erling Haaland for the most goals scored in the English Premier League with 14.

The 31-year-old player is still at the very top of the world game. There is a lot of great football coming up in Africa, but Salah’s name is the most famous and respected.

The first game in Group B is against Mozambique, which is a game that can be won. The next game is against Ghana, which is a game of glamour, and the last game is against Cape Verde. It should not be too hard to deal with. After that, the real fun starts.

As of right now, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Morocco, and Algeria, the host country, are the favorites over Egypt. This time, Salah should have more freedom to attack than during the last event when Carlos Queiroz was in charge. If he hits a home run, he could lead them to victory.

That would not only be his last medal—Egypt probably will not win the World Cup any time soon—but it might be more than that as well.

Since 2017, he has been named African Footballer of the Year twice. However, he has never won the Ballon d’Or. Salah has been in the running a lot. In the last five years, he has finished fifth twice, sixth, seventh, and eleventh. At the end of 2023, he was in the lowest place, but he was not sad.

Saleh told Egyptian TV, “At the end of the day, it is just people’s opinions, but I tell myself all the time that I am the best player in the world.”

“I want to win both the Ballon d’Or and FIFA’s The Best. I can not say I do not want to win either one.” But it does not matter if I do not win either one. Most of the time, I get everything I want. “Do not worry, I know I will win either one in the end,” the forward said.

Liverpool may have done enough if they win the AFCON, the Europa League, and make it into the Champions League later in the year. The main trouble is that he is the best player on an Egyptian team that is not very good.

Some people, like Arab foes, are stronger overall.

Morocco will want to build on their success at the World Cup. The Atlas Lions shocked millions of people when they made it to the World Cup semifinals at the end of 2022. They beat Belgium, Spain, and Portugal on the way.

Algeria won in 2019 and has what it takes to go far again. Tunisia is always a tough battle.

There will be a lot of support for the Egyptian king from both neutrals and Liverpool fans. Even Jurgen Klopp, who wants his star player back at Anfield more than anything, might not mind if he has to stay for a long time if it means winning the title.

That one prize has been hard to get, but Africa’s biggest star is now back in range to win it.