Mohamed Salah has begun seriously considering retiring from international football with the Egyptian national team, according to reports in the past few hours.
Salah once again failed to lead the Pharaohs to victory in the Africa Cup of Nations, after the Egyptians were eliminated in the semi-finals following a 1-0 defeat to Senegal in Tangier.
This was Salah’s fifth appearance in the Africa Cup of Nations, and the “Egyptian King” remains without an international title. His greatest achievement remains leading Egypt to the 2018 and 2026 World Cup finals.
Salah is deeply disappointed this time, especially since the atmosphere within the Pharaohs’ camp was ideal, and he had hoped to finally win the title.
The Liverpool star faced heavy criticism from Egyptian fans after the Senegal match, with many believing he did not fulfill his role as captain and star player to the required standard.
Salah is currently considering staying with the Egyptian national team until the 2026 World Cup, after which he will end his international career at the age of 35.
The Egyptian national team, through its media spokesperson, denied reports that Salah had already informed the coaching staff, led by Hossam Hassan, of this decision.
Salah will play with Egypt in the third-place match against Nigeria on Saturday, after which the situation may become clearer.
It is worth noting that the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco was Salah’s most successful individual performance in his history at the tournament, having scored four goals and provided one assist in six matches from the group stage to the semi-finals.
