Egyptian football star Mohamed Salah bid farewell to Egypt’s head coach Rui Vitoria following the latter’s dismissal after a disappointing campaign at the African Cup of Nations.
Despite Egypt advancing to the knockout stage, their group stage performance was lackluster, with draws against Mozambique, Cape Verde, and Ghana.
The Pharaohs’ journey ended abruptly in a penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo. Vitoria, who took charge in July 2022, was sacked despite winning 12 out of 14 matches leading up to the AFCON.
Mohamed Youssef was appointed interim manager following Vitoria’s departure. Salah, who earned 13 caps under Vitoria, expressed gratitude on Instagram, wishing the coach success in the future.
Notably, Salah’s final appearance under Vitoria was marred by injury, with the Liverpool forward substituted during a match against Ghana.
Additionally, tensions rose between Vitoria and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp after Klopp publicly discussed Salah’s injury and potential return, prompting a sharp response from Vitoria.