MO SALAH POISED FOR THE BIGGEST TEST OF HIS CAREER

To Liverpool supporters, Mohamed Salah is their Egyptian King but back in his homeland the Reds ace operates on an even higher plane.

Collectively the Egyptian national team are nicknamed 'The Pharaohs' so in a squad in which everyone is afforded regal status, star man Salah is in essence the king of kings.

Egypt are about to kick-off the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations against Zimbabwe on Friday and a football-obsessed nation of almost 100million expects victory – not just on the night but overall.



The burden of history weighs heavily on the shoulders of Egypt's greats because there's just so much of it.

This was the nation that built the Great Pyramid of Giza over four-and-a-half thousand years ago – the oldest and only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to remain intact and also the tallest man-made structure on the planet for more than 3,800 years (before being overhauled by Lincoln Cathedral!).



But in football terms too, Egypt expects.

While never a powerhouse on the World Cup stage – they are yet to win a match in the finals – at continental level they are the most-successful nation at the Africa Cup of Nations having won the competition a record seven times (nearest challengers Cameroon have five wins).



It was Cameroon, who haven't hosted the event since 1972, where these, the first finals to be held in the European close season, where originally supposed to take place.

However, delays in the delivery of the required infrastructure prompted the Confederation of African Football to strip the Indomitable Lions of hosting duties last November and come January Egypt were given the role instead.



On three of the four previous occasions that Egypt has hosted (1959, 1986, 2006) they have won the trophy with 1974 (when a World Cup-bound Zaire, now DR Congo triumphed) being their only failure.

If they're to add to that total in 2019 then Salah is the man expected to spearhead their challenge.



Having just turned 27 earlier this week, the Liverpool player is at the peak of his powers.

Although he went into last year's World Cup finals on the back of a career-best 44-goal debut season at Anfield, his campaign had ended with disappointment following a shoulder injury inflicted by Sergio Ramos in the Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid which left him fighting just to be fit to play in Russia.



Despite scoring twice, Salah looked uncomfortable and unhappy throughout Egypt's brief involvement in the tournament.

However, 12 months on, the mojo is back and buoyed of course by netting in Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Tottenham in the Champions League final.



While Salah is surrounded by a strong supporting cast among the galaxy of stars that make up Jurgen Klopp's squad at Anfield, with Egypt he is required to work miracles more or less on his own.


His strike rate of 39 goals in 63 internationals is better than a goal every other game but among the entire Egyptian squad, not a single other player has even netted double figures at international level.



Salah is one of four English-based players in the squad along with Arsenal's Mohamed El Neny; captain Ahmed El Mohamady of Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion's Ahmed Hegazi.

In addition there are a couple of players who ply their trade in Greece and one in Turkey but the rest are all based domestically.



Artist Guy McKinley produced the 'Mo Mural' in Liverpool city centre last year ahead of Kiev with his 'Ode to Mo – the Golden Smile of the Nile – but seemingly wherever you turn in Cairo, Salah's image gazes back upon you.

As well as his contract with Adidas, Salah's endorsements include deals with Vodafone; Falken (a tyre manufacturer) and Uber while he has made many financial donations to communities in Egypt including paying for the construction of a hospital in his native village of Nagrig.



Back in April, he made the cover of Time magazine after they judged him to be one of the world's 100 most influential people.

Indeed, as well as being the poster boy for Liverpool's considerable global fanbase, he is also an iconic figure beyond the boundaries of Egypt across the whole Arab world.



Anfield wishes him well for the next month – so long as he returns fit and healthy in time for the kick-off of the 2019/20 season – because then there's another huge prize to be won.