The stage is set for a monumental clash of African football titans as Senegal and Egypt prepare to meet in the semi-final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The fixture is dominated by the enduring rivalry between two former Liverpool teammates, Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah, whose fates were sealed by penalty drama four years ago.
The Ghosts of 2022: Penalties That Defined a Rivalry
The narrative is inextricably linked to two decisive encounters in 2022. The first was the Africa Cup of Nations final in Yaoundé on 6 February 2022. After a tense 0-0 draw, the match went to a penalty shootout. With Senegal leading 3-2, Sadio Mané stepped up with the chance to win the trophy for his nation.
This moment carried immense personal weight for Mané, who had missed a penalty in the fifth minute of the same game and had previously faltered in a 2017 quarter-final shootout. He later revealed the psychological toll, stating he was "sleeping four or five hours a night" due to the pressure of his obsession with winning the tournament for Senegal.
Using meditation techniques, Mané composed himself and drilled his kick home. As Senegal celebrated their first-ever Afcon title, a distraught Mohamed Salah was left on the halfway line, pulling his shirt over his head. The defeat was sealed before he could take what would have been Egypt's fifth penalty.
Their duel resumed just seven weeks later in Dakar on 29 March 2022, in a World Cup qualifying playoff. After a 1-0 Senegal win levelled the aggregate score, another shootout ensued. This time, Salah took Egypt's first kick but blasted it over the bar. Once again, Mané scored the decisive penalty, sending Senegal to the World Cup and compounding Salah's international heartbreak.
A Personal Duel Within a National Contest
Wednesday's semi-final in Tangier will be the fifth international meeting between the two superstars. In the previous four, Salah has been on the winning side only once—a first-leg playoff victory that was ultimately rendered meaningless. This lopsided history in direct contests adds a profound personal stake for the Egyptian king, who is still seeking a meaningful victory over his long-time rival on the international stage.
Both players are now 33, with careers that have followed parallel tracks from humble beginnings. Mané, the son of an imam from Bambali, ran away to Dakar at 15 to pursue football. Salah, from Nagrig, made a similar journey to Cairo at the same age, enduring long daily commutes before moving to the capital.
Their relationship at Liverpool was famously professional rather than warmly fraternal. Former teammate Roberto Firmino noted they "were never best friends" and kept to themselves, a dynamic perhaps influenced by their nations' sporting rivalry. This occasionally spilled over, most notably during a 2019 match at Burnley where Mané was visibly frustrated with Salah's decision-making.
Both have since downplayed any significant rift, attributing tensions to a shared, burning desire to win. "Off the pitch we weren't very close, but we always respected each other," Salah stated last year.
Fading Giants With One More Chapter to Write
While both remain pivotal figures for their countries, they are in the latter stages of illustrious careers. In this tournament, Salah has scored four goals but has not consistently dominated games. Mané has found the net just once and has lost a fraction of his explosive pace, though his intelligent passing and movement remain.
This semi-final is far more than a two-man show, featuring other world-class talents and tactical battles. Yet the Mané versus Salah framing is unavoidable. It represents a potential final act in their storied on-field rivalry, with the tantalising possibility of a Saudi Pro League reunion next season.
For Mohamed Salah, the match in Tangier presents a golden, perhaps final, opportunity to exorcise the demons of Yaoundé and Dakar and finally claim a decisive victory over his old teammate when it matters most. For Sadio Mané, it is a chance to reaffirm his historical upper hand and steer Senegal one step closer to defending their crown.
