Did Salah Laugh or Sigh? Egypt's AFCON 2025 Bronze Clash Divides Fans
18 January 2026
Video shows Salah's reaction after Marmoush's missed penalty vs Nigeria
Mohamed Salah's reaction after Omar Marmoush's missed spot-kick against Nigeria sparked a heated online debate. Was the Liverpool captain laughing, or simply overwhelmed by emotion?
Egypt finished fourth at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco when Nigeria earned bronze.
The Casablanca clash ended 0-0, with the Nigerians clinching bronze 4-2 on penalties.
Both Salah and Marmoush missed their kicks, allowing the Green Eagles to claim third place for the eighth time.
This marked Salah's fifth penalty miss for Egypt.
Social media circulated photos seemingly showing Salah laughing after Marmoush's miss, raising eyebrows among fans and analysts alike.
However, the official broadcast showed Salah's expression as one of sorrow rather than laughter, signaling disappointment rather than humor.
Meanwhile, Morocco and Senegal were due to meet in Sunday's final at Stade Moulay Abdellah in Rabat.
Punchline 1: If penalties counted as smiles, Salah would be the tournament's top scorer.
Punchline 2: In football and comedy, timing is everything—Salah's timing just missed the target again.
