A semi-final that reopened old wounds

For Mohamed Salah, the feeling was painfully familiar. As the referee’s whistle echoed around the Grand Stade de Tangier on Wednesday night, Egypt’s 1-0 defeat to Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final brought another chapter of international anguish.

The contest itself was tense but flat, a cautious affair that never truly ignited. Egypt sat deep, Senegal probed without fluency, and chances were scarce. Then, with just over ten minutes remaining, the moment arrived that has so often defined this rivalry. Sadio Mane struck with force and conviction, a goal that sent Senegal into Sunday’s final and left Salah staring into the void once more.

Egypt had travelled to Morocco with open ambition, targeting a first continental crown since 2010. Instead, they depart the semi-final stage knowing that the gap between hope and history remains stubbornly wide.

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Mane, Salah and a rivalry that refuses to fade

After the match, Mane was generous in victory, speaking of his former club team-mate with empathy. “It is not easy for him but still best of luck. He did everything to carry his team until now. Unfortunately one of us had to lose. I’m happy to be in the final.”

Those words will have rung hollow for Salah. Time and again, it has been Mane celebrating while Egypt’s talisman has been left with regret. The parallels are impossible to ignore.

In the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations final, Mane converted the decisive penalty to deny Egypt the trophy. Months later, when the same two nations met in a World Cup qualifying play-off, it was again Mane who delivered the crushing blow, scoring the winning spot-kick after Salah had sent his effort over the bar. Nearly four years on, history repeated itself in subtler but no less painful fashion.

This semi-final defeat may not have carried the drama of penalties, but it cut just as deeply. Egypt were cautious, at times timid, and when Senegal found a way through, there was no response.

A career overflowing with club success

The cruel irony of Salah’s international story is that it sits alongside one of the most decorated club careers of his generation. Since joining Liverpool in 2017, he has collected every major honour available. Premier League titles, Champions League glory, domestic cups and individual awards have all followed.

Yet the one prize he covets most stubbornly remains out of reach. After Egypt’s quarter-final victory over Ivory Coast, Salah spoke with rare openness. “Nobody, even in Egypt, wants to win this trophy more than me. I have won almost every prize. This is the title I am waiting for.”

That sense of unfinished business has driven him through tournament after tournament, each time believing that this could finally be the year.

A tournament that promised so much

In Morocco, everything appeared aligned. Salah was in outstanding form, scoring four goals and leading Egypt with authority. He spoke of enjoying international football more than ever, free from the relentless pressure that often surrounds him at major tournaments.

Egypt, too, seemed to be growing into the competition. Their quarter-final performance suggested a team peaking at the right moment, blending experience with discipline. There was a feeling that the scars of previous failures might finally be healing.

But against Senegal, old habits returned. Egypt retreated, surrendered initiative and relied heavily on moments of individual brilliance from Salah or Omar Marmoush. When neither could conjure magic from limited service, the team had no alternative plan.

The weight of history and expectation

This defeat carries particular resonance because of Egypt’s past. Salah’s generation has lived in the shadow of a golden era that won three Africa Cup of Nations titles in succession. For a nation that measures greatness in continental triumphs, near misses are not enough.

Political instability disrupted Salah’s early international years, robbing Egypt of continuity and momentum. Even so, he has dragged the team to finals and semi-finals through sheer will, only to fall short at the final hurdle time and again.

Former players and pundits have been quick to reflect on what this means for Salah’s legacy. There is universal agreement on his status as Egypt’s greatest-ever player, but also a shared sense of frustration that his era may be remembered for what it failed to win.

Running out of time or fuelled by it

At 33, Salah is no longer young by international standards, yet he shows little sign of slowing. He has already amassed more than 110 caps and remains central to Egypt’s ambitions. In theory, he could feature in future tournaments before the competition moves to a four-year cycle.

Still, questions linger. His long-term future at Liverpool has been clouded by public frustration earlier this season, and the physical demands of club and country grow heavier with each passing year.

Some believe this will only sharpen his resolve. Others fear the window is closing. The truth likely lies somewhere in between. Salah has never lacked motivation, but time waits for no player, no matter how exceptional.

What comes next for Salah and Egypt

Egypt will contest the third-place play-off on Saturday before Salah returns to England, where the relentless rhythm of club football offers little space for reflection. He will do what he has always done: channel disappointment into performance, pain into productivity.

Whether this proves to be another stepping stone or the beginning of the end of his Africa Cup of Nations journey remains uncertain. What is clear is that each missed opportunity adds weight to the burden he carries.

Salah’s legacy is secure, his greatness beyond debate. Yet African football’s greatest prize continues to elude him, casting a long shadow over an otherwise glittering career. If he is to lift it one day, it will require not just brilliance, but a collective courage from Egypt that has so often been missing at the decisive moment.

For now, the familiar image endures: Salah walking away from the pitch, head bowed, while Senegal celebrate. It is a scene he knows too well, and one he will be desperate not to see again.