Sports Correspondent – The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations reaches a decisive stage today in Morocco, with two blockbuster semi-finals on the cards: hosts Morocco take on Nigeria, while Senegal face Egypt in a clash rich in rivalry and history.

All eyes will be on Mohamed Salah as he leads Egypt against Senegal, carrying both national expectation and a deeply personal mission to finally lift the AFCON trophy.

Egypt are the most successful nation in the competition’s history with a record seven titles, but their last triumph came in 2010—one year before Salah made his senior international debut.

Now 33, the Liverpool forward knows time is not on his side. He was part of Egypt’s squads that finished runners-up in 2017 and 2021, with those painful defeats followed by a last-16 exit at the 2019 tournament on home soil. Injury then ruled him out as Egypt crashed out early at the 2023 finals.

After inspiring Egypt to a quarter-final victory over Ivory Coast, Salah laid bare his ambition. “Nobody, even in Egypt, wants to win this trophy more than me,” he said. “I have won almost every prize. This is the title I am waiting for.”

Wednesday’s semi-final in Tangier also carries an added layer of intrigue as Salah comes up against former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mané.

The Senegalese star has enjoyed the upper hand in two of their last three international meetings, including the 2021 AFCON final, where Senegal denied Egypt the title on penalties.

With both Salah and Mané aged 33—and AFCON set to become a quadrennial tournament from 2028—this tournament could represent Salah’s final opportunity to bring continental glory back to Cairo after years of near misses.

Despite his club success and individual accolades, many across Africa believe true greatness is only sealed with an AFCON winner’s medal. For Salah, the semi-final against Senegal may be the most crucial step yet in completing his legacy.