Mohamed Salah faced an awkward moment at Cairo International Airport as Egypt’s national team returned from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
The Pharaohs finished fourth after losing 1–0 to Senegal in the semifinal and then falling to Nigeria on penalties in the third-place playoff.
In a video widely shared on social media, a fan surprised Salah with direct and mocking criticism while the Liverpool star was walking out of the terminal towards a private car. The supporter began by telling him that Egyptian fans were sad and disappointed, then escalated his remarks.
At one point, he said to Salah: “You’re finished, my friend… You need to go back to your hometown in the Gharbia Governorate.”، implying that the captain’s time at the top level was over.
Salah did not respond and chose to remain silent throughout the incident captured in the clip, which fuelled debate online about the boundaries of fan reactions and respect for players after difficult tournaments. The forward had decided to stop over in Cairo before heading back to England to rejoin Liverpool.
By contrast, teammate Omar Marmoush travelled directly from Morocco to England to link up with his club Manchester City, avoiding the emotional scenes that greeted the squad’s arrival in Egypt.
The episode underlined the intense scrutiny Salah continues to face as the national team’s leading star and symbol, especially when Egypt falls short of expectations on the continental stage.
