Mo Salah’s Touching Gestures Toward Mascots Steals Show in AFCON Clash With Ghana: Video

• Egypt and Ghana faced off in round two of the Group B AFCON fixture
• Mohamed Salah was one of the stars that heralded the pulsating encounter
• The Egyptian captain melted the hearts of many fans with a pre-match gesture

The term, 'The Beautiful Game', aptly captured the exceptional gesture of Liverpool forward and Egypt's captain, Mohamed Salah, in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) showdown between the Pharaohs and the Black Stars of Ghana.

This highly anticipated match, featuring standout players like Mohammed Kudus, Inaki Williams, and record-setting Andre Ayew, truly provided fans worldwide with one of the most thrilling encounters of the competition.

However, while the on-field action was indeed admirable, it was the off-field gesture by marquee forward Salah that has melted people’s hearts.

Mo Salah’s AFCON gesture

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Ahead of the kick-off of the clash at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, the two-time Africa Footballer of the Year took a moment to acknowledge and greet all the matchday mascots, a group primarily composed of children under the age of 12, who were visibly overjoyed by the presence of the Liverpool star.

In a heartwarming scene captured in a video shared by CAF Online on social media, Salah responded graciously to their laughter and took the time to shake hands with each of the young mascots.

This touching gesture by the 31-year-old has resonated deeply, prompting an outpouring of reactions from fans across various social media platforms.

@HowUBenFeller expressed empathy, saying,

"I wish he didn't get injured."

@Rexemma153 added,

"He is a legend."

@lady_z86 shared,

"The smiles on the children's faces are priceless🥹 I wish that all children across our beautiful continent could feel like this always!❤️ Thank you for putting smiles on their precious faces."

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@CephasZeroth remarked,

"The kids are so happy."

@Ahmed77Callme declared,

"Africa’s legend."

Salah's act of kindness is viewed as a beautiful moment that has touched many. However, Egyptian fans remain hopeful that their talisman will recover in time for the crucial final group fixture against Cape Verde, especially after he requested to be substituted in the first half of the draw against the Black Stars.

Salah’s heated argument with referee

Sports Brief in a previous report highlighted the heated arguments that occurred between Mo Salah and referee Pierre Atcho during the AFCON clash between Egypt and Ghana.

The Egyptian captain was livid after he thought his side should have been awarded a penalty when teammate Omar Marmoush was fouled in the 18-yard box.

However, the referee blatantly denied Salah’s request and instead awarded a free kick in favour of the Ghanaians.