When the round of 16 match of the 2025 CAN Cup entered the final minutes of added time of extra time, Egypt was leading Benin by 1 goal but had to resist fierce pressure. A very long curling shot was sent straight into the penalty area, the ball was cleared and found Mohamed Salah's position.
The Benin goalkeeper rushed forward and hesitated in the decisive moment, and that was more than enough. From a distance of about 30m, Salah launched a touching left-footed outside shot, drawing a perfect curved trajectory beyond the goalkeeper's reach, sealing the victory and putting Egypt on a ticket to the quarterfinals. The smile on Salah's face at that time seemed to never fade.
That moment not only made the Egyptians burst into tears, but also excited Liverpool fans. Perhaps, the adventure with the national team came to Salah at a time that could not be more suitable - for himself and for the club he is playing for.
At this moment, Salah seems to have regained his true rhythm of form. And that is good news for everyone. After the match, he appeared in the interview with a calm attitude - not at all an easy statement that caused Arne Slot to remove his name. Instead, Salah talked about the pride of wearing the national team jersey. He is a lightweight Salah, not under pressure at club level.
Egypt is not ranked among the top candidates for the championship, but since his first time in the national team more than 14 years ago, Salah's dream has remained consistent. He is a strong patriot, and especially values the role of role model for the young Egyptian generation.
Egypt's continued journey at the CAN Cup - with the quarter-finals taking place this weekend - means Salah will be absent from Liverpool's Premier League match against Arsenal. Of course, he will also not be able to participate in the FA Cup match against Barnsley, regardless of the developments in Morocco this weekend.
That means Salah will miss at least 6 matches for Liverpool in the period of returning to play for the national team. However, there is currently no sign that he will not return to play for Liverpool.
When Salah ran around Anfield to thank fans after the victory against Brighton last month, even captain Virgil van Dijk admitted that he was not sure if that was the last time Salah appeared in Liverpool's colors or not. But the breakup scenario at this time seems unlikely, especially in the context that Alexander Isak has to be out of action for a while, and Hugo Ekitike is also having physical problems.
Slot needs as many attacking options as possible. Liverpool is actually still playing well when Salah is absent, with a record of 2 wins and 2 draws in the last 4 Premier League matches.
However, it is easy to see that the team still lacks a special threat that a high-performing Salah can create. The problem is that in the first half of the season, Salah has not really reached the peak - he only has 5 goals and 4 assists in 20 appearances.
On the contrary, at the CAN Cup, Salah scored 3 goals in 3 matches. On the international stage that he clearly loves, the Egyptian star may be gradually finding his best version. And that is good news not only for Egypt, but also for Liverpool fans.
