Egypt forward Mohamed Salah said his team was not among the favorites to win the Africa Cup of Nations title but insisted the side would do its best to go deeper in the tournament in Morocco.
Liverpool striker Salah scored the third goal on Monday to secure Egypt’s place in the quarter-finals with a hard-fought 3-1 win over Benin.
Hossam Hassan’s side are bidding to win the title for the first time since 2010 and a record eight times in total.
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“I don’t think we are favorites at all (to win the title),” Salah told reporters.
«We have young players, and most of them are playing in Egypt. We are just fighting for our country… but everyone is doing their best and you could see that today.»
The 33-year-old said there were no easy matches in AFCON.
«The level is quite comparable. I told the team yesterday that no team loses by four or five goals. (Benin) has a good team and a good coach… I’m happy that we were able to win in the end.» Salah has scored ten goals in 22 matches in the AFCON, two fewer than Hassan El-Shazly, Egypt’s all-time top scorer in the tournament, and one fewer than his current coach Hassan.
Egypt will face defending champion Ivory Coast or Burkina Faso in the quarter-finals in Agadir on Saturday.
Published on January 6, 2026
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