Egypt’s Salah Stirs Debate as AFCON Quest Continues with a 3-2 Victory over Ivory Coast
11 January 2026
Egypt Advances to AFCON Semis After Dramatic Win
Mohamed Salah, Egypt's captain and Liverpool star, repeated a line after Egypt's 3-2 victory over Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal.
With the win, Egypt booked a semifinal date with Senegal on Wednesday.
Salah stirred debate after the Round of 16 win over Benin by saying Egypt isn’t the clear favorite, noting the side relies on domestic players while many rivals boast Europe-based stars.
Speaking to BeIN Sports after the Ivory Coast clash, he said that he cannot say we are 100% title contenders... we must look at opponents with many players active in Europe.
He also added that facing Senegal is very tough; they have wonderful players playing in Europe at high levels.
He stressed that Egypt is fighting to brighten the fans' morale and win, stressing that their success comes from a strong domestic league and a proud local squad.
Punchline 1: If humor were a goal, Salah would already lift the trophy.
Punchline 2: Smart quotes, big mic—Salah's press conferences deserve a trophy.
