Mohamed Salah becomes the first Egyptian to score in 5 consecutive editions of the African Cup

Mohamed Salah became the first Egyptian player to score in five consecutive editions of the African Cup of Nations, after he scored a goal near the end to lead his country to a 2-1 victory over Zimbabwe in the opening of their campaign in the tournament held in Morocco.

Salah, who participated for the first time after sitting on the bench in the last four matches with Liverpool, took possession of the ball inside the penalty area and fired a low shot with his left foot, giving coach Hossam Hassan’s team a successful start in the second group and writing a new record for himself. The Egyptian Football Federation said on the X platform, “Our national team captain, Mohamed Salah, becomes the first Egyptian player to score in five consecutive editions of the African Cup of Nations.”

Salah scored in the 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2025 editions. His goal against Zimbabwe was his eighth in 20 matches he played in the continental championship.

Liverpool’s top scorer (33 years old) will set his sights on becoming the all-time top scorer for Egypt, which won the African title seven times, as he is only four goals behind striker Hassan Chadli, and three behind his current coach Hassan, who scored 11 goals in the African Cup of Nations.

Chadli, the former Al-Tersana striker, scored 12 goals in 10 matches between 1963 and 1974.

Salah will play at least two additional matches in the current tournament, as he will face South Africa next Friday and then Angola on December 29 in the rest of the group stage matches before the start of the knockout rounds, which gives him the opportunity to increase his number of goals.
The Egyptian captain is looking forward to winning the African Cup of Nations and enhancing the team’s record, nicknamed the Pharaohs, after losing the final twice in 2017 and 2021.