Mohamed Salah is already a legend of African football, but AFCON has been the one major honour that continues to elude him. As he prepares for AFCON 2025, a difficult question surfaces: is this his final realistic chance to lift the trophy?
Egypt’s success has historically come from collective strength, but in the modern era Salah has become the centre of everything. His influence is unmatched, both on the pitch and in the identity of the national team.
However, the team around him is in transition. Several senior players are ageing, and the new generation has yet to show the consistency required for deep tournament runs. This places immense pressure on Salah to produce moments of brilliance — the very thing AFCON knockout football demands.
Salah does not need AFCON glory to cement his legacy, but the narrative is impossible to ignore. Legends of the game are often defined by the international trophies they lift. Egypt came agonisingly close in 2022, losing on penalties to Senegal, and some believe that was the moment that slipped away.
If Egypt fail to challenge in 2025, doubts will grow about whether Salah will ever get the triumphant ending many believe he deserves. The hunger remains, the talent remains, but football waits for no one.
AFCON 2025 might be the last chapter in one of African football’s greatest personal quests.
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