Hassan backs Mohamed Salah to block out Liverpool noise and lead Egypt’s AFCON charge

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan insists Mohamed Salah has put club-level turbulence behind him and is fully committed to leading the Pharaohs’ Africa Cup of Nations campaign, as the seven-time champions open their Group B programme against Zimbabwe in Agadir on Monday.

Hassan said the Egypt captain has shown no lingering effects from recent controversy at Liverpool, where he was dropped for a Premier League fixture before publicly voicing frustration and later issuing an apology to teammates.

According to the coach, the episode has neither disrupted Salah’s mindset nor diminished his influence within the national squad as preparations intensify in Morocco.

Hassan stressed that Egypt’s senior players understand the responsibility of restoring continental success after more than a decade without the title.

For Salah, now 33, the tournament carries added significance as he chases a first AFCON crown after near misses in 2017 and 2021.

“Salah’s morale in training is very high, as if he were just starting out with the national team, and I believe he will have a great tournament with his country,” Hassan said, underlining the forward’s enthusiasm in camp.

He added: “I believe Salah will be among the best players at the tournament, and he will remain an icon and one of the best players in the world.”

Egypt arrive seeking to convert pedigree into results. The Pharaohs remain the most decorated nation in AFCON history with seven titles, but their last triumph came in 2010.

Hassan acknowledged that Salah’s international medal cabinet does not yet reflect his club achievements and made clear the team is rallying around its leader.

“I support him technically and morally, because we cannot forget that Salah needs to win the Africa Cup of Nations,” he said.

Salah’s recent run has been quieter by his standards. He has not scored since early November and last started for Liverpool in a Champions League defeat at the end of that month. Hassan said he maintained close contact throughout the episode and downplayed suggestions of a crisis.

“There was constant communication with Mohamed Salah during what I don’t want to call a crisis because any player can have a difference of opinion with his coach at his club,” he noted.

Drawing on past experience, Hassan expressed confidence that international duty can reignite Salah’s sharpness.

“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. I believe he will deliver a strong tournament alongside his teammates.”