Who is the best African player of all time? And why is the answer not Mohamed Salah, even though he stands out from most of his peers?
If you ask this question to football fans, the answer often revolves around a group of familiar names. Didier Drogba is almost always mentioned first. Yaya Toure and Samuel Eto'o are also regulars on the nomination list. For previous generations, George Weah, Nwankwo Kanu or Roger Milla still hold a position in the memories of many fans.
In that context, the future of the "Egyptian King" at Liverpool may be uncertain, but his legacy with African football is still a controversial topic.
Salah is often overlooked in the race for the best player in Africa. His name is placed on par with other colleagues instead of standing out. The last time he won this title was in 2018, and in the last season, the award went to Achraf Hakimi of PSG. An AFCON championship in Morocco could therefore be the missing piece for Salah to affirm his undeniable position.
Those who love beauty in football may criticize Salah for prioritizing efficiency over aesthetics, but his numbers are undeniable.
250 goals for Liverpool, fourth in the Premier League's all-time scoring list, and four Golden Shoes in the toughest tournament in the world are proof enough. In the European arena, Salah is a Champions League champion, having participated in the final three times. And no African player has scored more goals than him in the Champions League.
However, the feeling that Salah still has something to prove still exists. He has never won the AFCON - a big gap in his career profile. Egypt is the most successful team in the history of the tournament with seven titles, but what Salah has achieved is only two failed finals in 2017 and 2021.
In the most recent time, he fell to his former teammate Sadio Mane, when Senegal won the title after a penalty shootout. Salah's journey was even more unfinished in 2023, when injuries forced him to leave the tournament early after scoring in the opening match, and Egypt was then eliminated by Congo in the quarter-finals.
However, is the AFCON really the only measure of the greatness of an African player? Drogba has never won this tournament. Weah, who won the 1995 Ballon d'Or, could not bring glory to Iran - a country with much more resources and scale than Egypt. However, their reputation has never been denied.
Salah is currently the artery of Egypt. This is his fifth time attending the AFCON, third time wearing the captain's armband and could be his last chance to complete his legacy with the continental trophy. Although not among the top candidates, Salah's presence still raises the opportunity for Egypt.
Under the leadership of coach Hassan Hassam, who has won the AFCON three times as a player, and the familiar North African climate conditions in Morocco, Egypt has reason to hope. The combination of Salah, Omar Marmoush's experience and new faces could create a surprise.
Whether Egypt can compete with powers like Morocco, the Ivory Coast, Senegal or Nigeria is still a question mark.
But one thing will remain unchanged: Salah's hopes for the country and the dream of being recognized as the greatest African player are still on his shoulders.
