Liverpool and Egypt star forward Mohamed Salah is focused on winning his first African Cup of Nations title.
Published December 21, 2025
Egypt captain Mohamed Salah has put aside his struggles with Liverpool and is focused on his national team’s African Cup of Nations (AFCON) success, coach Hossam Hassan said on Sunday.
The Egyptian talisman is playing in the competition in Morocco in the aftermath of violent outbursts after being dropped by the Premier League champions, but his comments and subsequent apology to his team-mates have had no effect on his form, Hassan said ahead of Egypt’s Group B opener against Zimbabwe in Agadir on Monday.
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“Salah’s morale during training is very high, as if he has just joined the national team. I believe he will have a great tournament with his country,” the coach said.
For 33-year-old Salah, this is undoubtedly his last chance to win the elusive trophy for Egypt and add international honors to his impressive collection of medals at club level.
“I believe Salah will be one of the best players in this tournament and will continue to be an icon and one of the best players in the world.
“I support him technically and mentally because we must not forget that Salah needs to win the African Cup of Nations,” added Hassan.
Liverpool are struggling to get back on track
Salah enters Monday’s game having last started for Liverpool in the 4-1 home defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League at the end of November.
He was left out of the squad for the next game against West Ham United, and after the draw with Leeds United on 6 December, he lashed out at the club and Liverpool manager Arn Slott, telling journalists that he felt he had been made a scapegoat for their poor start to the season, and suggested he might not remain at Anfield for long.
Hassan said he had been in contact with the captain throughout the dispute.
“I don’t want to call it a crisis, but there was constant communication with Mohamed Salah during this situation, because any player can have a disagreement with the club’s coach.”
Salah has not scored since Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa in early November, including an appearance for Egypt in a friendly against Uzbekistan last month.
“The same situation happened during the period when Salah could not score goals for Liverpool,” Hassan told reporters.
“He then got back on the right path through the national team and as a result, he came back at an even better level than before. I believe he will have a strong tournament together with his teammates.”
Salah has been the Nations Cup runner-up twice, in 2017 and 2021. Egypt has won a record seven AFCON titles, their last success coming in 2010.
