In less than a week’s time, Africa will gather in Côte d’Ivoire for the 2023 African Cup of Nations. And one of the teams most eagerly awaited is Mohamed Salah’s Egypt, finalists at the last edition. The Liverpool star and captain of the Pharaohs is making it a personal affair and getting the ball rolling.
Several favourites have emerged for the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations. Like the host country, Côte d’Ivoire, who went out in Saturday’s warm-up match against Sierra Leone; Senegal, the reigning champions; Morocco, semi-finalists at the Qatar 2022 World Cup; Algeria, African champions in 2019; and of course Egypt. The most successful team in the Africa Cup of Nations, the Pharaohs have not succeeded in this competition since 2010.
In 2017, Mohamed Salah, then playing for AS Roma, took Egypt all the way to the final. But the Pharaohs ended up losing out to Vincent Aboubakar’s Cameroon. The Liverpool star then suffered the same curse in 2022 in Cameroon against Sadio Mané’s Senegal. The Lions of Teranga won on penalties to lift the trophy, much to Mohamed Salah’s dismay.
Salah wants to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and says so
All the African stars have already won the Africa Cup of Nations. Riyad Mahrez lifted it with Egypt in 2019. Two years later, it was Sadio Mané’s turn. A two-time African Golden Ball winner, Mohamed Salah is still thinking about this failure, as he normally has nothing left to prove in football, having broken everything at Liverpool and in the Premier League. Salah still wants to win something with the Pharaohs and is making his intentions clear just a few days before the start of the 2023 African Cup of Nations, scheduled for Côte d’Ivoire from 13 January to 11 February.
Speaking to reporters after his return to the national team, Mohamed Salah held his head high and left a strong message for all the teams taking part in CAN 2023: he wants to win the trophy for Egypt.
“Egypt means a lot to me. It’s a great feeling every time I step on the pitch in the national team shirt,” said Mohamed Salah before getting things underway.
“It’s something I can’t take for granted. But I’m happy to be here, happy to be playing in this tournament. I don’t want to win this competition, I’d love to win it,” concluded the Pharaohs star.
Salah changes his look for the 2023 African Cup of Nations
Mohamed Salah has left Anfield to return to Egypt to prepare for the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations. The Pharaohs’ captain has changed his look completely for the continental competition. The 31-year-old has a new hairstyle, which has rejuvenated him to the point where he is ready for the mission: to win the 2023 African Cup of Nations for Egypt after losing two finals in 4 years.
Mohamed Salah was a teenager when Egypt last won the CAN. After the 2010 generation, the Pharaohs encountered many difficulties. Salah failed to reach the finals in 2017 and 2021. At the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt are inevitably favourites in their group with Ghana, Mozambique and Cape Verde.
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