Salah’s AFCON 2023 quest reignites football’s club vs country debate

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Salah’s AFCON 2023 quest reignites football’s club vs country debate

5:26 CAT | 03 Jan 2024

FILE - Mohamed Salah has lost two AFCON titles with Egypt [File photo: Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters]

Will the mid-season exodus of Salah, Victor Osimhen and other top players hurt their respective clubs’ title chances?

A few minutes after joining the elite 150-goal club for Liverpool and helping his team climb to the top of a closely contested Premier League table, Mohamed Salah laid bare his ambition to “win this competition”.

The player of the match in Monday’s 4-2 win over Fulham had already shifted his focus to winning a trophy that has eluded him after two finals – the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Egypt’s captain Salah would soon depart the United Kingdom to link up with his teammates for the continental championship being held in the Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11.

The tournament was originally scheduled for the summer of 2023, but was postponed due to the rainy season in the West African host nation.

Following his two goals against Newcastle at Anfield, which also sent him to the joint top of the scoring charts alongside Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, Salah was pressed about his priorities by former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports.

“It means a lot to play in the national team,” Salah replied. “It’s a great feeling every time you step on the field with the national team jersey.”

“It’s something I cannot take for granted. I am just happy to be there, happy to play in the tournament.

“I want to win this competition [AFCON]. I would love to win it,” he reaffirmed.

Salah has been at the losing end of two AFCON finals – in 2017 as a young striker and in 2021 as the captain who tearfully saw his side lose to Senegal in a penalty shootout.

Now a talismanic leader of the Pharaohs, Salah would be determined to ensure his team walks away as champions for a record-extending eighth time.

Source: Al Jazeera