Liverpool’s Salah leads Egypt into Africa Cup of Nations

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is the leading name in Egypt’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations released by the record seven-time titleholder’s Portuguese manager Rui Vitoria on Saturday.

Salah will be joined in attack by Al-Ahly forward Mahmoud Kahraba.

But out of the running for the January 13-February 11 competition in the Ivory Coast are Abdallah Said, of Egyptian club Pyramids, Mahmoud Hamdy from Zamalek, and Al Ahly duo Hussein El Shahat and Mohamed Magdy.

Egypt were beaten by Senegal in the last Cup of Nations final in 2021 and their last triumph dates back to 2010, so Vitoria was cautious about his side’s prospects.

“We will treat each game as a final,” he said of his team who are drawn in Group B with Mozambique, Ghana and Cape Verde.

Goalkeepers: Mohamed Elshenawy (Al Ahly), Ahmed El-Shenawy (Pyramids), Mohamed Abou Gabal (National Bank of Egypt), Mohamed Sobhi (Zamalek)

Defenders: Ahmed Hegazy (Al-Ittihad), Mohamed Abdelmonemem (Al Ahly), Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly), Ali Gabr, Osama Galal, Ahmed Samy, Mohamed Hamdy Sharaf (all Pyramids), Omar Kamal Abdelwahed (Futur), Ahmed Fatouh (Zamalek)

Midfielders: Hamdi Fathi (Al-Wakrah/QAT), Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal/ENG), Marwan Attia, Emam Ashour, Ahmed Nabil Koka (Al Ahly), Ahmed Sayed “Zizou” (Zamalek), Mahmoud Hamada (Al-Masry)

Forwards: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool/ENG), Mostafa Fathi (Pyramids), Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan (Trabzonspor/TUR), Omar Marmoush (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER), Mostafa Mohamed (Nantes/FRA), Mahmoud Abdel Moneim “Kahraba” (Al Ahly), Ahmed Hassan “Kuka” (Bendikspor/TUR).