Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
Egypt’s coach, Hossam Hassan, has said Mohamed Salah is not affected by the uncertainty surrounding his future at Liverpool as he prepares to lead the Pharaohs into the Africa Cup of Nations, PUNCH reports.
The seven-time champions take on highly unfavoured Zimbabwe on match-day one in Group B, but their talisman is coming into the competition off the back of an outburst after being dropped by the Premier League champions.
He had since apologised to his teammates and reintegrated before proceeding to the AFCON.
“Salah’s morale in training is very high, as if he were just starting out with the national team, and I believe he will have a great tournament with his country,” Hassan told reporters in the pre-match presser on Sunday.
“I feel his motivation is very, very strong. Salah is an icon and will remain so. He is one of the best players in the world, and I support him in everything he does,” Hassan added.
Salah did not start any of Liverpool’s last five games before departing for the Cup of Nations in Morocco and things came to a head following the recent Premier League draw at Leeds United when he claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” by his coach at Anfield, Arne Slot.
That suggested a move away from the troubled Premier League champions during the January transfer window was a real possibility.
“I don’t consider what happened to him to be a crisis. These things often happen between players and coaches,” Hassan added.
“We’ve been in contact with him by phone from the beginning, and I met with him when he joined the national team camp. His focus is entirely on the tournament.”
Salah, 33, is aiming to lead Egypt to a record-extending eighth AFCON title in Morocco. He has never won the continental title, but ended up on the losing side in final defeats by Cameroon in 2017 and Senegal in 2022.
Egypt also breezed through qualifying unbeaten (W4, D2), and are unsurprisingly among the pre-tournament favourites.
His goals this year have already helped Egypt qualify for the World Cup.
“Whenever Salah’s performances dip with his club, he regains his strength with the national team and becomes even better, whether by contributing to goals or scoring himself. Then he returns to his club even stronger,” Hassan added.
“He needs to win the cup by helping us and by helping himself.” Egypt will also face South Africa and Angola in Group B at the Cup of Nations, with all three of their games in the first round being played in Agadir.
