AFCON 2025
Mohammed Salah and the word “fraud” in the same sentence sound weird given the talent and contributions of the player over the years for Liverpool and the Egyptian national team. The 32-year-old forward is having probably the best season of his career with 32 goals and 22 assists in all competitions this season for the Reds.
However, a closer and more holistic analysis shows that Mohammed Salah tends to disappear like smoke when it matters most either for club or country. He scores goals but to what end in the final analysis? Recent history has shown that Salah doesn’t live up to the billing when push comes to shove.
No doubt, Mohammed Salah is a prolific goalscorer and probably the best in the post-Messi and Ronaldo dominant era in Europe but what impact have his goals made on the biggest stages in football such as the AFCON finals, Champions League, or at the World Cup.
1. International Underachiever
Mohammed Salah has had the opportunity to put his name among the greats in African football but failed on both occasions. The “Egyptian King” was sent into exile as Cameroun beat Egypt in the final of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. In the 2021 final two years later, Salah also failed to lead Egypt to glory just like his predecessors did in the golden era between 2006 and 2010. Senegal got the better Eygpt on penalties to lift their first-ever title.
2. No show in four consecutive finals
Mohammed Salah has failed to turn up in the last four finals he has played in for Liverpool with the most recent being the 2025 League Cup final loss to Newcastle on Sunday. Mohammed Salah played the entirety of that match as Newcastle beat Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley to lift their first trophy in 70 years. Salah didn’t have a shot on target in the loss. Mohammed Salah was also anonymous as Real Madrid beat Liverpool in the 2022 Champions League final in Paris. Even though Liverpool won the 2022 FA Cup final, he wasn’t one of the penalty-takers as Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties 6-5. Van Dijk, not Mohammed Salah secured Liverpool’s League Cup triumph last summer late in extra-time.
3. Mo Salah is one-directional
Put Mohammed Salah on the left and he would probably just occupy space with little or no impact. Unlike [layers like Mbapppe who can confidently play across the forward line and has grown into a proper number 9 with his move to Real Madrid last summer. Mohammed Salah predominantly stays on the right and cuts inside to score or provide assists. The 32-year-old was rendered anonymous in recent Champions League fixtures against PSG and the League Cup final against Newcastle where he was man-marked by two players and forced to use his right leg where he is less effective.
