Mohamed Salah resumes Sadio Mane rivalry as Liverpool icons were 'never best friends'

Egypt and Senegal meet in the Africa Cup of Nations semifinal, with Mohamed Salah seeking to overcome his Sadio Mane hurdle and end his international trophy drought

Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah are rivals at international level(Image: Getty Images)

According to someone who knows Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah very well, the pair were "never best friends" at Liverpool and didn't speak much.

Roberto Firmino completed Liverpool's formidable attacking trio, frequently playing second fiddle to Mane and Salah as they hogged the limelight. Both forwards secured the Premier League's Golden Boot, yet beneath their on-field partnership lay a rivalry for continental supremacy.

That competition will be rekindled on Wednesday when Egypt takes on Senegal, yet again, in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Mane has enjoyed the upper hand on the international stage. While their achievements at the club level were always collective, their international careers have told vastly different stories.

Perhaps that rivalry, which only ignited when representing their respective nations, explains why they could never move past the sense of competing against one another.

In his autobiography, Firmino revealed: "I knew these guys better than anyone. They were never best friends. The three of us had very different personalities, Mane the most explosive, my role [was] as peacemaker, unifier. It was rare to see the two of them talking. But they never severed ties, always acted with the utmost professionalism."

That's not to say there weren't moments of tension. Salah has always been known for the kind of selfish streak that every top striker needs. Mane, on the other hand, is perhaps best known for his work ethic and individual brilliance.

Salah and Mane enjoyed considerable success together at Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)

These contrasting styles made them both exceptional, but also led to conflicts. One notable incident occurred against Burnley at Turf Moor in 2019 when Salah opted not to pass to Mane, fluffing his shot instead. The Senegalese star didn't let it slide.

Upon being substituted, he vented his frustration at the bench, likely expressing his feelings to Jurgen Klopp, with his emotional outburst undoubtedly a reaction to his teammate's selfishness.

While Salah's goal tally significantly surpasses Mane's, the latter will leave behind a legacy of success with his national team, something Salah has yet to achieve. Mane is participating in his sixth AFCON, compared to Salah's fifth, and during this time, the 33-year-old duo have each played in two finals. The year they faced each other was four years ago.

Billed simply as Mane vs. Salah, the former had a penalty saved in regular time but bounced back to score the final Senegal penalty in a shoot-out, securing his country's first-ever AFCON victory.

History repeated itself just a month later when Salah missed a penalty in a two-legged World Cup qualifier. Once again, it was Mane who stepped up to take the crucial penalty, scoring to send Senegal to Qatar and leaving Salah to watch the tournament from home.

The fire within him blazes fiercely. Despite Egypt's record seven-time African championship wins, none have occurred during the Salah era - a fact he is keen to change.

"Nobody wants this title as much as I do," declared Salah following Saturday's 3-2 victory over the Ivory Coast, which propelled Egypt into the semifinals. "Thankfully, I have won every title apart from this. But that doesn't help. I've carried the pressure for a long time."

During his tenure at Liverpool, he played a pivotal role in ending the club's 30-year league title drought. He also helped Jurgen Klopp break his own curse, netting the first goal in the Champions League final and halting the German's streak of six consecutive final losses.

Now, it's time for him to confront his personal demons. While this match may only secure a place in the final, where either Nigeria or Morocco will be waiting, overcoming Mane is a challenge Salah has yet to conquer.