Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi has issued a direct call to Mohamed Salah to use the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the defining moment of his international career. Speaking on SuperSport ahead of Egypt's opening group-stage fixture, as monitored by allnigeriasoccer.com, Akpeyi drew on the painful memories of the Pharaohs' failed 2018 campaign in Russia to underline just how much is at stake for the Liverpool forward in North America this summer.

Akpeyi, himself no stranger to the pressures of representing a football-mad African nation on the biggest stage, was candid about the weight of expectation Salah carries. Just as fans across different sporting codes - from football to those who follow niche pursuits like bet on squash cyprus - understand that elite competition demands elite performers to show up when the lights are brightest, Akpeyi's message was clear: Salah cannot afford to be a peripheral figure. "Mo Salah, this is one of the tournaments he would want to drop everything and leave your name on gold before you leave the national team because this could actually be his last national team engagement," the former Kaizer Chiefs stopper said.

The backdrop to Akpeyi's comments is significant. Egypt's 2018 World Cup appearance in Russia was a chastening experience - the Pharaohs departed without a single victory, despite having Salah in their ranks. Injuries disrupted the forward's tournament almost before it began, and the side never found its rhythm. "It is quite unfortunate that the last World Cup they played in 2018, they didn't win any games in that group," Akpeyi acknowledged. The scars of that campaign have lingered, and with Egypt back on football's greatest stage eight years later, the appetite for redemption is fierce.

A Promising Start, but Questions Remain

Egypt did not begin the 2026 tournament in disaster. Salah contributed directly to the Pharaohs' opener against Belgium, providing the assist for Emam Ashour's composed low strike from outside the penalty area - a goal that briefly suggested Egypt might handle the occasion with composure. However, the lead did not hold. In the 66th minute, Mohamed Hany turned the ball into his own net, handing Belgium an equaliser they scarcely deserved to be chasing. The final scoreline of 1-1 left Egypt with a point but also a reminder that this squad will need Salah at his sharpest if they are to progress from the group stage for the first time in the modern era.

Salah's Moment to Bow With Gold

Akpeyi was measured but firm when assessing the personal dimension of this tournament for Salah. The 32-year-old has endured a turbulent period at Liverpool in recent seasons - injury disruptions and off-pitch uncertainties have at times clouded what remains an extraordinary club career. The World Cup, Akpeyi argued, offers the clean slate and the grand canvas that Salah needs. "Unfortunately, he has been having a series of injuries and issues with Liverpool. But as a soccer player, you want to say, this is a time for me to give everything, leave and bow with gold on my hand," he said.

That sentiment resonates widely across African football. Salah occupies a rare space - not merely a celebrated footballer but a cultural touchstone in Egypt and across the continent. The 2026 World Cup, held across the United States, Mexico, and Canada in an expanded 48-team format, offers African sides more opportunity than ever before to advance deep into the knockout rounds. For Egypt, however, opportunity must be translated into results, and that translation runs through Salah. A strong individual performance, sustained across multiple matches, could do more than secure qualification from the group - it could reframe how an entire generation of Egyptians thinks about their country's place in the global game. Akpeyi's challenge to Salah, then, is less a demand than an articulation of what everyone already knows: the time is now, and the stage will not be this large again.