In the pantheon of African football greats, Mohamed Salah’s place is already secure. He is the Premier League’s African king, a Champions League winner, and a global icon who has shattered scoring records with the ease of a man breathing. Yet, when he looks in the mirror wearing the red jersey of Egypt, a glaring omission stares back.
As the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) kicks off this week in Morocco, the stakes for the 33-year-old captain have never been higher. Egypt is the record holder with seven continental titles, but Salah has won none of them. With Father Time ticking and a new generation rising, this winter tournament in North Africa feels less like just another attempt and more like a final crusade.
The Weight of the “Golden Generation”
To understand Salah’s burden, one must look at the ghosts he walks amongst. Egypt’s modern footballing identity is defined by the “Golden Generation”—led by icons like Mohamed Aboutrika, Ahmed Hassan, and Wael Gomaa—who ruthlessly annexed the continent three times in a row between 2006 and 2010. They were kings of Africa without ever needing to conquer Europe.
Salah is the inverse. He conquered Europe, becoming perhaps the greatest African player in Premier League history, but the continent of his birth has denied him its crown.
His relationship with AFCON has been a tragic opera. In 2017, he dragged Egypt to the final, only to watch Vincent Aboubakar snatch victory for Cameroon in the dying minutes. In 2019, on home soil in Cairo, the pressure suffocated the team, leading to a shock Round of 16 exit. And in 2021, arguably the most painful of all, he stood helpless in the center circle as his teammate Sadio Mané struck the winning penalty for Senegal, leaving Salah in tears without even getting to take a kick.
The Landscape of 2025: Winter in Morocco
This tournament is different. Shifted to December 2025 and January 2026 due to crowding in the global football calendar, the harsh heat of sub-Saharan Africa has been replaced by the cool, crisp air of a Moroccan winter.
For Salah, the timing is complex. At club level, he remains elite, having recently surpassed Wayne Rooney for the most goal involvements for a single Premier League club. However, reports of friction with Liverpool manager Arne Slot and uncertainties over his future suggest a player at a crossroads. The national team has often been his sanctuary, but even here, the narrative is twisted: Egypt’s current head coach is none other than Hossam Hassan, the legendary striker whose all-time scoring record Salah is on the verge of breaking.
The dynamic between the legend in the dugout and the legend on the pitch will be scrutinized intensely. Can Hassan, a three-time AFCON winner, transmit that winning DNA to a captain who has suffered only heartbreak?
Not a Solo Mission
For the first time in years, Egypt does not feel like a one-man army. While Salah remains the talisman, the emergence of Omar Marmoush has alleviated the creative burden. Marmoush’s electric form in Europe has given Egypt a legitimate second prong in attack, preventing defenses from simply triple-marking Salah. With the industrious Trezeguet still patrolling the wings and Mostafa Mohamed offering a focal point, Salah may finally have the space to operate as a creator and finisher rather than a savior.
The “Last Dance” Narrative
Why is this viewed as the last chance? Salah will be nearly 35 by the time the next AFCON rolls around in 2027 (hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda). While his physical conditioning is legendary—often compared to Cristiano Ronaldo’s longevity—explosive wingers rarely dominate tournaments deep into their mid-30s.
Furthermore, the emotional toll of near-misses accumulates. There is a sense that if this group, blending the wisdom of veterans with the spark of Marmoush, cannot win on North African soil, the window will slam shut.
Defining a Legacy
If Mohamed Salah retires without an AFCON title, he will still be remembered as one of the world’s best. But in the coffee shops of Cairo and the streets of Alexandria, the “Greatest of All Time” debate always comes with a caveat: “Aboutrika won it three times.”
For Salah, the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is not about proving his talent; the world knows how good he is. It is about validation. It is about filling the empty space in his trophy cabinet that haunts him the most.
As Egypt prepares for their opening clash, the world watches. The King has his crown, his riches, and his records. Now, he just wants his country’s cup.
