Mohamed Salah has etched his name into Egyptian football history after becoming the country’s all-time leading international goalscorer with 70 goals. The Egyptian captain achieved the remarkable milestone
during his side’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Malawi in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers on Friday, November 13.
The 34-year-old produced a match-winning performance, scoring twice in the closing stages to take his international tally to 70 goals and move ahead of former Egypt striker Hossam Hassan, who previously held the record with 69 goals.
Playing at the Cairo International Stadium, Egypt dominated proceedings against Malawi under newly appointed head coach Ali Maher. Nasser Maher opened the scoring in the sixth minute before Omar Marmoush doubled the advantage five minutes later. Mohamed Hany added a spectacular third goal before half-time to put Egypt firmly in control.
However, the biggest moment of the evening belonged to Salah. The former Liverpool forward scored Egypt’s fourth goal in the 84th minute with a close-range header after receiving a delivery from Ibrahim Adel. He then stepped up to convert a stoppage-time penalty, completing his brace and reaching the historic 70-goal landmark.
Mohamed Salah surpasses Hossam Hassan’s record
With this achievement, Salah has moved ahead of Hossam Hassan to become Egypt’s leading goalscorer. Hassan, who also served as Egypt’s head coach before his recent departure, finished his international career with 69 goals.
Salah’s remarkable consistency at the international level has made him one of the greatest footballers in Egyptian history. His achievement is another major milestone in a career that has seen him establish himself among the biggest names in world football.
There is, however, a statistical distinction worth noting. Some records exclude two goals Salah scored against Swaziland in a 2013 friendly that was not recognised as an official international. Under that stricter count, his tally stands at 68, rather than 70.
Egypt continue their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign
The victory marked an impressive beginning to Ali Maher’s tenure as Egypt’s head coach. The Pharaohs moved to the top of Group B with seven points from three matches.
Egypt will face Malawi again in the return fixture on November 17, with Salah looking to extend his remarkable scoring record.
