Tribal Football

EXCLUSIVE: Zidan admits Egypt will rely on Liverpool star Salah for AFCON success

Shina Oludare
Mohamed Salah in action for Liverpool
Mohamed Salah in action for LiverpoolAction Sports
Borussia Dortmund legend Mohamed Zidan has acknowledged Egypt's reliance on Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah to help the Pharaohs end their Africa Cup of Nations drought.

The North Africans are the most successful team in the competition's history, having won the tournament a record seven times since its inception in 1957.

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However, the title has eluded them in the last seven editions, with their most recent triumph coming in Angola 2010, where they defeated Ghana 1-0 in a tightly contested final, decided by Gedo’s late strike.

As Egypt prepares for their 27th appearance at the biennial African showpiece in Morocco, the three-time AFCON winner is hoping the Premier League icon will inspire the country to end their 15-year wait.

"Salah has already accomplished so much - he's won the Champions League, the Premier League, been named Premier League Player of the Year, and was the top scorer. We truly hope he can now lead Egypt to victory in the African Cup," Zidan told Flashscore.

"I truly hope so. I sincerely wish Egypt can reclaim the African Cup of Nations, especially after my generation won it three times in a row - 2006, 2008, and 2010. Since then, Egypt have yet to win it again,

"We reached the final in two tournaments but unfortunately lost both. Since 2010, we’ve lost two finals, and I truly hope Egypt can bring the trophy back home once again."

 

 

Salah is the second-highest goal scorer in Egyptian football history, with 59 goals in 103 appearances, just ten short of Hossam Hassan's all-time record.

Given his stunning form for Premier League leaders Liverpool this season, the two-time Bundesliga winner says it’s only natural to rely on the two-time African Player of the Year.

Zidan acknowledges Salah's immense talent and global stature, highlighting the pressure he faces to replicate his success with Liverpool on the international stage. 

Nevertheless, he remains optimistic about the influence of head coach Hassan, another legend in Egyptian football, in guiding the team back to its golden days.

He added: "Salah is a top footballer and one of the biggest names in the game right now. When you have a player like him, performing at such a high level for his club in England and being among the best three or four players in the world, it's only natural to rely on him.

"You naturally depend on him to perform for the national team the way he does for Liverpool. However, the quality of players, the style of play, the level of competition, and the systems of the national team and Liverpool are completely different. 

"The game they play is not the same, so it does create pressure. I experienced this myself when I played in Germany and then returned to the national team."

"I believe captain Hassan, as the head coach of the national team, has the experience to lead us to victory.

"He has won the African Cup of Nations three times himself and is a true legend in the history of Egyptian football. I sincerely hope he can also help the team reclaim the trophy."

The former Chelsea and AS Roma star won the AFCON title for the first time in his career, after finishing as runners-up twice in Gabon 2017 and Cameroon 2021.

In the qualifiers, the Pharaohs were placed in Group C alongside Cape Verde, Mauritania, and Botswana. They secured their spot by topping the group, with notable performances including a 2-0 victory over Mauritania, where Salah scored.

Hossam's team will discover their opponents on January 27th, when the Confederation of African Football conducts the draw in Rabat.

Cote d'Ivoire, the defending champions, claimed the title by defeating Nigeria in the final on their home turf with Egypt crashing out in the Round of 16. 

Shina Oludare
Shina OludareFlashscore