Egyptian king Salah has become the champion of an entire faith in his hometown

Forward has divided opinion on Merseyside but his countrymen are fully behind national hero who is hoping to land first Afcon winner’s medal

No single player is bigger than Liverpool Football Club, unless you happen to be in Egypt. In which case, there really is no competition at all. Liverpool are a global brand and a big beast on the international sporting landscape, but for those in Egypt there is only ever one story worth following at Anfield: Mohamed Salah.

For British football supporters it can be hard to comprehend fully the scale of Salah’s fame in his home country. English football has its heroes, but none comes close to triggering an emotional response comparable to Salah in Egypt. More than one million people, after all, reportedly spoilt their ballots in the 2018 presidential elections by voting for Salah.

Similarly, if you thought Salah’s bombshell interview earlier this month made big news in British football, it was nothing compared to the reaction in his homeland. Within 48 hours of Salah’s explosive comments at Elland Road, in which he claimed he had been “thrown under the bus” by Liverpool, the Youm7 newspaper had published more than 50 articles about the man called Egypt’s “fourth pyramid”.

One wonders if Salah’s awareness of his own status – his agent once described him as “the only truly international Arab global icon” – explains the jaw-dropping punchiness of his comments in that interview. Salah may have upset some British fans and pundits, but he knew he would always have the support of Egypt, and indeed the Arab world as a whole. This is an “Egyptian king”, as Liverpool fans have called him for years, who can say what he wants.

For Salah, the timing of his return to Africa could not be better. Amid clouds of uncertainty at Liverpool, he now steps into the warm light of adulation. Egypt’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign begins in Morocco against Zimbabwe on Monday, and Salah is expected to lead his nation’s charge (Egypt are second favourites). It will be his first start since November.

The love for Salah in Egypt has many roots. An obvious reason for it is national pride in his inspirational rise, from the village of Nagrig to the top of the global game. Another is his extensive charity work, to the tune of multiple millions of pounds.

Perhaps even more important is the wider sense of cultural significance to his story. “He is considered by pretty much all Egyptians, other nations in the Middle East and the wider Muslim world, to be an icon and sporting phenomenon that has galvanised billions of people,” says Ahmed Mousa, an Egyptian national based in the UK.

“You need to look at the history of the region to really appreciate the impact he has had. In Egypt, there is a deep-rooted belief that Westerners are better than us in many ways. It is known as the “foreigners complex”.

“At the same time, there’s also a very strong feeling of pride and nationalism amongst Egyptians. People recognise the incredible history this country has had and its contributions to early civilisation.

“When Salah burst on to the scene in the Premier League he immediately captured the hearts and minds of people. It was unbelievable to see one of us smashing the strongest football league in the world, breaking records and being compared to the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

“He had Scouse supporters singing that they’d go to the mosque, if that’s where Salah is. It really felt like a fever dream. Arabs and Muslims are used to always being portrayed negatively in the media, but there was Salah, praying on the pitch after scoring, and still receiving all the praise and admiration from the whole society.”

Indeed, a study by Stanford University found that there was a significant drop in hate crimes in Merseyside, and in anti-Muslim online posts, following Salah’s arrival and subsequent success at Liverpool. Salah is regarded by many in the Arab world as not only a champion of his nation, but also of an entire faith.

None of this is to say, though, that he arrives at Afcon without any pressure on his shoulders. Egypt have won more Afcon titles than any other country, but Salah has not won it himself (he has twice finished as runner-up, in 2017 and 2021). At the 2024 tournament, he was criticised in Egypt for his performances and for returning to Liverpool for treatment on a hamstring injury. The accusation from the dissenters was that Salah was prioritising club over country.

Such a discussion will not be repeated this time around, after Salah in effect went to war with Liverpool earlier this month. A cynic may suggest the timing of his outburst, generating the maximum amount of attention and support in his homeland, was calculated to provide a welcome pre-Afcon boost.

At the age of 33, Salah is running out of time to realise his trophy-winning ambitions on the international stage. He is in serious danger of ending his career as one of the greatest African players to never win an Afcon. A poor performance at the tournament will add to the growing concern that his best days are now past him.

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

Victory in Morocco would cement Salah’s status as a legendary figure of the game, underline his enduring class and would perhaps serve as the ultimate power play in his curious dance with his employers back at Anfield. The outcome of the Afcon could even dictate his movements, or otherwise, at club level. These are the stakes for Salah, a modern great and an Egyptian icon, but also a player for whom there is still plenty on the line.