Achraf Hakimi and Mohamed Salah will be looking to captain their national teams to glory at the Africa Cup of Nations
After an intense debate on player availability and the timing of the tournament, the focus has begun to shift to the pitch as another mid-season edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) kicks off in Morocco on Sunday.
On the face of it, the two main talking points ahead of the 2025 finals are whether the host nation can extend their world record run of 18 consecutive wins and claim just a second title, and if Mohamed Salah will finally lift the trophy with Egypt.
The 33-year-old's future at Liverpool has dominated headlines since his explosive assertion on 6 December that he has been "thrown under the bus" by the club.
After making his return from the bench at Anfield last Saturday, Salah will now be focused on his fifth attempt to clinch the continent's biggest prize - especially after two previous defeats in finals.
