Senegal v Egypt: Africa Cup of Nations 2026 semi-final | Africa Cup of Nations 2025

Mané v Salah: During their five seasons together at Liverpool, the pair formed a formidable partnership, both devastating on each side of the pitch. On the international stage, they have met five times but Salah is still waiting for meaningful victory.

In 2022, Senegal and Egypt met three times. The Afcon final in Cameroon and the two-legged World Cup qualifier tie. The Lions of Teranga beat Egypt on penalties to lift their maiden Afcon trophy. Less than two months later, they booked their spot in Qatar, also defeating Egypt on penalties.

Mané and Salah are both 33, born 66 days apart on opposite sides of the continent. Mané, the elder, is the son of an imam from Bambali, on the north bank of the Casamance. His family didn’t want him to be a footballer so he ran away from home aged 15, taking the bus to Dakar. Salah was born in Nagrig, just east of the Nile. His family were less wary of football, but having made a bus journey of three-to-four hours to training with the Cairo club Al Mokawloon and back every day, he too ended up, aged 15, leaving home to live in his country’s capital.

Their careers have run along not dissimilar lines. Both, for instance, have funded significant infrastructure projects in their home countries. But the sense at Liverpool was that their relationship was always a little spiky.

Read more from Jonathan Wilson below on the two fading giants.