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African Players in Europe: Salah Takes Break after Sinking Villa

Liverpool's Egyptian striker #11 Mohamed Salah controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League football match between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield stadium, in Liverpool, north west England, on November 5, 2024. ( AFP)
Liverpool's Egyptian striker #11 Mohamed Salah controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League football match between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield stadium, in Liverpool, north west England, on November 5, 2024. ( AFP)
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African Players in Europe: Salah Takes Break after Sinking Villa

Liverpool's Egyptian striker #11 Mohamed Salah controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League football match between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield stadium, in Liverpool, north west England, on November 5, 2024. ( AFP)
Liverpool's Egyptian striker #11 Mohamed Salah controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League football match between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield stadium, in Liverpool, north west England, on November 5, 2024. ( AFP)

Egypt captain Mohamed Salah has been excused from Africa Cup of Nations duty after creating the first goal and scoring the second for Liverpool in a 2-0 Premier League win over Aston Villa.

The record seven-time African champions play Cape Verde away and Botswana at home on November 15 and 19, having already qualified from Group C for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.

In his absence, Egypt will look to in-form Omar Marmoush for goals. He took his season tally to 11 in the Bundesliga with one in a 3-2 win over Stuttgart.

Here, AFP Sport highlights some African headline-makers in the major European leagues:

ENGLAND

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

Salah took his tally for the season to 10 goals and 10 assists with one of each in Liverpool's win over Villa on Saturday. Darwin Nunez raced on to the Egyptian's touch to open the scoring before Salah broke clear late on to set the seal on a victory that moves Liverpool five points clear at the top of the Premier League. The 32-year-old's eighth league goal of the campaign also moved him in to a share of second place in the race for the Golden Boot behind Manchester City's Erling Haaland, who has 12.

YOANE WISSA (Brentford)

Wissa is averaging a goal every 81 minutes in the Premier League this season after scoring twice in Brentford's thrilling 3-2 victory over Bournemouth. The Democratic Republic of Congo international headed in the first of two Bees equalizers before scoring the winning goal with a deft chip over on-loan Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. Wissa is up to seven goals in eight league appearances, either side of an ankle injury that sidelined him for just over a month.

AMAD DIALLO (Manchester United)

Diallo was handed a start by interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy for United's 3-0 win against Leicester as a reward for his double to beat PAOK in the Europa League in midweek. The Ivorian played a key role in the Red Devils' opening goal with a backheel assist for Bruno Fernandes to fire home from outside the box.

ITALY

HASSANE KAMARA (Udinese)

A thunderous strike from the Ivory Coast international gave Udinese the lead on the stroke of half-time at Atalanta, who recovered to win 2-1 and lie second behind Serie A leaders Napoli. "I could have had a brace today," said the midfielder. "When our backs are up against the wall, as was the case in the second half today, we have got to be tighter in defense and more direct in attack."

GERMANY

OMAR MARMOUSH (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Marmoush extended his astonishing run of early-season form with a goal and an assist in Eintracht's win over Stuttgart. Marmoush set up Hugo Ekitike for the opener before curling in a brilliant free-kick from 25 yards out just after the hour mark. He is level with Bayern Munich's Harry Kane at the top of the Bundesliga scoring charts, with 11 goals and seven assists.

SERHOU GUIRASSY (Borussia Dortmund)

Guirassy won and converted a penalty in the 40th minute, but it was not enough as 10-man Borussia lost 3-1 at Mainz. Emre Can's early red card put pressure on struggling Dortmund. The Guinea international's form has been a rare bright spot in a challenging campaign for last season's Champions League finalists. The 28-year-old has nine goals and four assists in 13 matches.

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Sports

Neymar Says He May Retire by End of 2026

Santos' forward Neymar #10 looks on during the Campeonato Paulista football match between Santos and Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Santos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on February 5, 2025. (AFP)
Santos' forward Neymar #10 looks on during the Campeonato Paulista football match between Santos and Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Santos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on February 5, 2025. (AFP)
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Neymar Says He May Retire by End of 2026

Santos' forward Neymar #10 looks on during the Campeonato Paulista football match between Santos and Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Santos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on February 5, 2025. (AFP)
Santos' forward Neymar #10 looks on during the Campeonato Paulista football match between Santos and Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium in Santos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on February 5, 2025. (AFP)

Brazil striker Neymar, ‌who extended his contract with his childhood club Santos last month, said that he may retire by the end of the year.

The 34-year-old forward returned to his boyhood club Santos in January 2025 and played a key role in their survival in the Brazilian top flight, scoring five times in their last ‌five matches.

But Neymar, ‌who has struggled with ‌injuries ⁠in recent seasons, ⁠remains doubtful for participation at the World Cup this year.

"I don't know what will happen from now on, I don't know about next year," he told Brazilian online channel Caze on Friday.

"It ⁠may be that when December comes, ‌I'll want to ‌retire. I'm living year to year now."

"This ‌year is a very important year, not ‌only for Santos, but also for the Brazilian national team, as it's a World Cup year, and for me too," Neymar said.

Neymar, ‌who recently underwent successful knee surgery, has scored 79 goals ⁠for ⁠Brazil, the highest by any player, but he has not featured for the national side since October 2023.

Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti has made it clear over the past year that he will only include players who are fully fit for the World Cup, scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19 in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Sports

Arteta Dismisses ‘Bottlers’ Talk Amid Title Wobble

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds the fans following the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on February 18, 2026. (AFP)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds the fans following the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on February 18, 2026. (AFP)
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Arteta Dismisses ‘Bottlers’ Talk Amid Title Wobble

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds the fans following the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on February 18, 2026. (AFP)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds the fans following the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on February 18, 2026. (AFP)

Arsenal manager Mikel ‌Arteta rejected the term 'bottlers' ahead of Sunday's Premier League visit to Tottenham Hotspur, as the title race heats up after their lead was cut short by successive Premier League draws at Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Arsenal have won just two of their last seven league games, with second-placed Manchester City now five points behind with a game in hand.

Under ‌Arteta, the ‌North London club has finished as ‌the ⁠runners-up in their ⁠last three campaigns.

"It’s not part of my vocabulary and I don’t see it like this because I don’t think anybody wants to do that as an intention," Arteta told reporters on Friday, when asked about ⁠the term being used regarding their ‌latest wobble in ‌the title race.

"That’s individual opinion, perspective. You have to ‌respect that. That’s what I said after ‌in the press conference. You lose two points against Wolves in the manner that the game played out, you have to take it on ‌the chin. It's part of our role."

"What I’m very interested in ⁠is ⁠the next one, what we are made of, what we love about this and how we write our own destiny from here."

Arsenal have also reached the League Cup final and the round of 16 in the Champions League and the FA Cup.

Meanwhile, Tottenham, who are 16th in the Premier League, will enter into Sunday's game under newly appointed manager Igor Tudor, who replaced Thomas Frank last week.

Sports

IOC Boss Coventry Hails Milano Cortina Games a Success

20 February 2026, Italy, Milan: President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Kirsty Coventry holds a press conference. (dpa)
20 February 2026, Italy, Milan: President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Kirsty Coventry holds a press conference. (dpa)
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IOC Boss Coventry Hails Milano Cortina Games a Success

20 February 2026, Italy, Milan: President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Kirsty Coventry holds a press conference. (dpa)
20 February 2026, Italy, Milan: President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Kirsty Coventry holds a press conference. (dpa)

The Milano Cortina Olympics exceeded expectations despite a shaky build-up, IOC President Kirsty Coventry said on Friday, hailing the first spread-out Winter Games a success.

"These Games are truly ... successful in a new way of doing things, in a sustainable way of doing things, in a way that I think many people thought maybe we couldn't do, or couldn't be done well, and it's been done extremely well, and it's surpassed everyone's expectations," Coventry told a press conference.

It was the International Olympic Committee chief's clearest endorsement yet of a format that split events across several Alpine clusters rather than concentrating them in one host city.

Her assessment came after two weeks in which organizers sought to prove that a geographically dispersed Games could still deliver a consistent athlete experience.

The smooth delivery ‌comes after years ‌of logistical and political challenges, including construction delays at Milan’s Santagiulia Arena ‌and ⁠controversy over building ⁠a new sliding center in Cortina against IOC advice.

Organizers have also faced isolated disruptions during the Games, such as suspected sabotage on rail lines and protests in Milan over housing and environmental issues.

Transport concerns across the dispersed venues have been mitigated by limited cross-regional travel among spectators, though some competitors had to walk to the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in heavy snowfall that stopped traffic.

Central to the success of the Games, Coventry argued, was the effort to standardize conditions across multiple athlete villages despite the distances separating venues from Cortina d’Ampezzo to ⁠Livigno and Bormio.

Italian athletes’ performances also helped ticket sales, which amounted to ‌about 1.4 million.

"And the athletes are extremely happy. And they're happy ‌because the experiences that the MiCo (Milano Cortina) team and my team delivered to them have been the same," she ‌said.

Mixed relay silver medalist Tommaso Giacomel did, however, lament the fact there was no Olympic village near ‌the Antholz-Anterselva Biathlon Arena and that competitors were dotted around different hotels near the venue instead of in one place.

TWO OPENING CEREMONIES

Two opening ceremonies were held - the main one at Milan’s San Siro stadium and a more low-key parade on Cortina d’Ampezzo's Corso Italia, where athletes and spectators were within touching distance.

Feedback from competitors suggested the more intimate ‌settings had in some cases enhanced the Olympic atmosphere, Coventry said, taking the Cortina opening ceremony as an example.

The Zimbabwean, presiding over her first Games ⁠as IOC chief after elections in ⁠2025, framed Milano Cortina as proof of concept for future hosts grappling with rising costs and climate constraints, while acknowledging adjustments would follow.

"It allows us to really look at ourselves and look at the things that we have in place and how we're then going to make certain adjustments for the future," she said.

Beyond logistics, Coventry pointed to the broader impact of the Games, highlighting gender balance - with women making up 47% of competitors - and global engagement as marks of progress.

"But it's been an incredible experience and we're all very proud to have gender equity playing a big role in the delivery of the Games," she said, describing a "tremendous Games" in which athletes have "come together and shared in their passion".

With the closing ceremony in Verona approaching, Coventry said the focus would soon shift to a formal evaluation process, but insisted the headline conclusion was already clear.

"So we look forward to doing that and to learning from all the incredible experiences that I think all of the stakeholders have had across these Games, across these past two weeks," she said.