Liverpool star Mohamed Salah was in good spirits as Egypt trained for their AFCON opener(Image: FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images)

What Liverpool star Mohamed Salah did in Egypt training ahead of AFCON opener

by · Liverpool Echo

New images of Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah emerge from the Egyptian national team camp as the Africa Cup of Nations gets underway in Morocco

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Liverpool star Mohamed Salah was in good spirits as Egypt took part in their final training session ahead of beginning their Africa Cup of Nations group stage campaign. The Pharaohs face Zimbabwe in their tournament opener in Morocco on Monday night.

Salah jetted off for AFCON following Liverpool's win over Brighton nine days ago. Immediately following a whirlwind of doubt over his future on Merseyside after the January transfer window, the 33-year-old was seen embracing the Anfield crowd, possibly for the final time.

The attacker had only registered four goals and three assists in the Premier League before joining up with his Egypt teammates, therefore he should be hoping to use this international tournament as a springboard for a free-scoring second half of the campaign.

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Therefore Liverpool supporters will be pleased to see Salah with a huge smile on his face leading into the start of AFCON, as images from Egypt training appeared one day out from the opening game.

  1. Something funny, Mo?

    Salah's smile has returned. The attacker clearly found something funny as he took part in warm-up drills with his Egyptian teammates at their training camp in Taghazout, a fishing village on Morocco's Atlantic coast.
    1 of 6(Image: FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images)

  2. Air Salah

    More drills in the Egypt camp sees Salah take flight. Might he score his first headed goal for club and country since May 2024, when the Reds beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-2?
    2 of 6(Image: FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images)

  3. Partners in attack

    Salah sprinting in Egypt training, and watching behind him wearing No.22 is none other than Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush. The 26-year-old has also been called up for AFCON this winter and the duo will want to form a deadly bond if Egypt are to lift the trophy for the first time since 2010.
    3 of 6(Image: FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images)

  1. Up close: Salah's new boots

    Liverpool's talisman could be seen wearing his new boots - the F50 Elite x Salah - which have been specially designed by adidas for him heading into AFCON. The white boots feature gold patterning including Egyptian hieroglyphic and a stone tablet pattern on the heel that reads: "Egyptian King 11."
    4 of 6(Image: FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

  2. Manager's comments

    As well as Egypt's training session, national team manager Hossam Hassan also addressed the media in Morocco. He believes Salah always returns to Liverpool stronger after spending time with his country.
    "Salah’s morale in training is very high, as if he were just starting out with the national team, and I believe he will have a great tournament with his country I feel his motivation is very, very strong. Salah is an icon and will remain so. He is one of the best players in the world, and I support him in everything he does," the 59-year-old explained.
    "I don’t consider what happened to him to be a crisis. These things often happen between players and coaches.
    "We’ve been in contact with him by phone from the beginning, and I met with him when he joined the national team camp. His focus is entirely on the tournament."
    5 of 6(Image: FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images)

  3. Egypt's schedule

    Salah has already missed Saturday's 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur. He is set to miss at least one more Liverpool fixture - Wolves at home on December 27 - due to Egypt's AFCON schedule.
    The seven-time African champions play Zimbabwe tonight as mentioned, as well as South Africa (December 26) and Angola (December 29).
    They are predicted to go deeper into the tournament through the knockout stages, which means the Reds could be without their star man for at least their next six matches.
    6 of 6(Image: FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images)