After beating the Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals, Salah made his feelings clear. “Nobody, even in Egypt, wants to win this trophy more than me,” he said. “I have won almost every prize. This is the title I am waiting for.”
Adding extra intensity to the match is Salah’s reunion with former Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane. The Senegal star has had the upper hand in two of their last three international meetings, making this semi-final feel like a chance for revenge.
With both players now 33 and AFCON set to become a four-year tournament from 2028, this could be Salah’s final realistic chance to bring the trophy back to Cairo. Many fans across Africa believe a player’s legacy is only complete after winning AFCON.
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Their rivalry goes back to the 2021 AFCON final in Cameroon. Mane missed an early penalty, saved by Egypt keeper Gabaski, but Senegal eventually won their first title after a penalty shootout. Mane scored the winning kick, while Salah never got the chance to take his penalty.
Just weeks later, the two sides met again in a World Cup playoff. Once more, penalties decided the tie. Salah missed his kick, and Mane again scored the winner, sending Senegal to Qatar.
Salah now has 11 AFCON goals, level with Coach Hossam Hassan and just one behind Egypt’s record holder Hassan El-Shazly. For Senegal, Mane remains the team’s inspiration. He has started all five matches, scoring once and providing three assists. His leadership, work rate, and experience continue to guide the defending champions.
When Mohamed Salah leads Egypt against Senegal in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-final, pressure will be heavy on his shoulders. He carries the hopes of a nation and his own strong desire to finally lift the one major trophy missing from his career.
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The 33-year-old forward finished as a losing finalist in 2017 and 2021. Between those defeats, Egypt were knocked out in the last 16 on home soil in 2019. Injury then ruled Salah out as Egypt exited early at the 2023 tournament.
Egypt is the most successful team in AFCON history, having won the title seven times. However, their last triumph came in 2010, a year before Salah made his international debut. Since then, success has slipped away despite several close attempts.
