Salah Leaves Liverpool Drama Behind for 'Last Chance' at AFCON Glory, Says Egypt Coach

Egypt's superstar captain Mohamed Salah has put his recent turmoil at Liverpool aside and is fully focused on winning the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), according to his national team coach, Hossam Hassan. Despite a fiery public outburst at his club, Salah's morale is described as "very high" ahead of the tournament in Morocco.

Speaking on Sunday before Egypt's opening Group B match against Zimbabwe in Agadir, Hassan assured reporters that the recent controversy hasn't affected his star player. "Salah’s morale in training is very high, as if he were just starting out with the national team," Hassan said. "I believe he will have a great tournament with his country."

The comments come after a difficult period for Salah at Liverpool. He was dropped for a match against West Ham United after a 4-1 Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven in late November. Following a draw on December 6, he lashed out, telling journalists he felt like a "scapegoat" for the team's poor form and hinted that his time at Anfield might be limited.

Hassan confirmed he was in "constant communication" with Salah throughout what he called a "difference of opinion" any player can have with their club coach. At 33, this tournament is widely seen as arguably Salah's last chance to win an elusive major trophy with Egypt, adding to his vast collection of club-level medals. He has been a runner-up twice, in 2017 and 2021.

The coach also brushed off concerns about Salah's recent goal drought, noting he hasn't scored since early November for Liverpool. "The same situation happened with Salah when he went through a period of not scoring goals with Liverpool," Hassan explained. "Then he returned to the right path through the national team, and as a result, he came back at a level even better than before."