Is There a Personal Rivalry Between Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah?

Two Legends Who Conquered Europe Face To Face: The Story of a Professional Friendship Marked by Tension and a Hunger for Glory.

Destiny crosses the paths of Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah once again. Tonight, the stars of Senegal and Egypt will face each other in the Africa Cup of Nations semifinals, rekindling one of the most fascinating rivalries in modern football.

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A shared past at Anfield

For five years, Mané and Salah formed one of the deadliest duos in Liverpool’s history. Together they played 223 matches and combined to produce 35 goals. However, behind the trophies and Premier League glory, their relationship always sailed between mutual respect and competitive friction.

The cameras captured gestures of disapproval on multiple occasions over a lack of passes, with the 2019 match against Burnley being the most memorable episode, when a furious Mané had to be restrained on the bench after Salah’s selfishness in front of goal.

The truth behind the protagonists

Far from fueling a personal feud, both footballers have defined their relationship as strictly professional.

Salah told L’Équipe*: “Off the pitch we weren’t close, but there was always respect. It’s normal for a competitor to want more.”*
Mané, for his part, explained in a conversation with Rio Ferdinand that the Burnley incident actually brought them closer together: “He didn’t do it for personal reasons, he’s simply a goalscorer who, when he sees the ball, sees no one else.”

Even Roberto Firmino, the third member of that historic trio, confirmed in his memoirs that although they were rarely seen talking to each other, their professionalism was what kept Liverpool at the top.

Mané’s dominance at international level

While they shared honors in England, at international level the balance tilts toward the Senegalese. In their five meetings with their national teams, Mané has emerged victorious four times, including the painful AFCON 2021 final in which Senegal snatched the title from Egypt on penalties.

Today, Salah seeks revenge and the only trophy missing from his cabinet, while Mané aims to reaffirm why he remains the “king” in head-to-head duels against his former ally.

Tonight, the semifinal is not just a tactical battle between Senegal and Egypt; it is the latest chapter in a saga of ambition and respect. With the opening whistle, the Anfield brotherhood will be put on hold, and only one will be able to claim the African throne, proving that at football’s elite level, the greatest rivalries often arise between those who were once allies.