Mohamed Salah has shown no signs of being distracted by the uncertainty surrounding his future at Liverpool as he prepares to lead Egypt to the Africa Cup of Nations, Pharaoh’s coach Hossam Hassan said on Sunday.
«Salah’s morale in training is very high, as if he is just starting with the national team, and I believe he will have a great tournament with his country,» Hassan told reporters on Monday ahead of Egypt’s opening match against Zimbabwe in Agadir.
«I feel his motivation is very, very strong. Salah is an icon and will remain so. He is one of the best players in the world and I support him in everything he does,» Hassan added.
Salah did not start in any of Liverpool’s last five games before heading to the Cup of Nations in Morocco, and matters came to a head after the recent Premier League draw against Leeds United when he claimed he had been ‘thrown under the bus’ by his Anfield coach Arne Slot.
That suggested a move away from the troubled Premier League champions during the January transfer window was a real possibility.
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«I don’t consider what happened to him as a crisis. These things often happen between players and coaches,» Hassan added.
«We have been in contact with him by phone from the beginning and I met him when he was participating in the national team camp. His focus is completely on the tournament.»
The 33-year-old Salah wants to lead Egypt to a record-extending eighth AFCON title in Morocco. He has never won the continental title but finished on the losing side in the last defeats against Cameroon in 2017 and Senegal in 2022.
His goals this year have already helped Egypt qualify for the World Cup.
«Every time Salah’s performance at his club declines, he regains his strength with the national team and becomes even better, whether by contributing goals or scoring himself. Then he returns to his club even stronger,» Hassan added.
“He has to win the cup by helping us and by helping himself.”
Egypt will also face South Africa and Angola in Group B during the Cup of Nations, with all three first round matches being played in Agadir.
Published on December 21, 2025
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