Will Mohamed Salah play again at AFCON 2023? | OneFootball

Egypt may be the most successful country in AFCON history, but no African nation is currently more dependent on one superstar than the Pharaohs.

Egypt's hopes of glory have been harboured on the broad shoulders of Mohamed Salah since his rise to superstardom, but an eighth AFCON crown has continued to elude the North African country after they claimed three titles in a row between 2006 and 2010.

Salah has inspired his country to two finals, but the final hurdle has twice proven to be a leap too far.

Heading into the 2023 tournament, Egypt's hopes once again rested with the form of their twinkle-toed king. A late Salah penalty ensured their campaign didn't get off to a shock defeat to Mozambique, but that will likely prove to be the 31-year-old's final major contribution at this year's tournament.

The Liverpool winger succumbed to a hamstring injury on Matchday 2 against Ghana and, despite initial optimism that Salah's AFCON was not yet over, it looks increasing unlikely that Egypt's captain will return to the Ivory Coast.

When will Mohamed Salah return from hamstring injury?

Salah's tournament is likely over / MB Media/GettyImages

Three 2-2 draws were enough to see Egypt squeeze through Group B in second place and they'll thus be competing in the knockout stages. Their round of 16 tie has been scheduled for 28 January.

Salah was always expected to miss the start of the knockouts, but a "proper tear in his hamstring" is set to keep the winger out of action for a month.

Egypt's captain has returned to Liverpool where he'll undergo an "intensive rehabilitation programme" after the Reds struck an agreement with the Egyptian FA.

"Because of the first message that came out that it would only be a few days, or a week, a detailed scan was then made and it showed a proper tear in his hamstring," Jurgen Klopp's assistant, Pep Lijnders, said ahead of Liverpool's Carabao Cup tie against Fulham on Wednesday.

"His expected return will be between three and four weeks if everything goes right."

It's not a major disaster for Liverpool, but a detrimental blow for Egypt who will now compete in the knockouts without their talisman. Salah will certainly miss the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals if the Pharaohs progress, but he might have a slim chance of making the final if his country defies the odds.

The 2023 AFCON final will take place on 11 February. With many in his homeland believing Salah requires a major international title to cement his legacy, the skipper will be desperate to be fit in time. However, given Egypt's group stage performance, a deep run seems unlikely.