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Mohamed Salah

Ch. 1 of 8
— CH. 1 · INTRODUCTION —

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Mohamed Salah

8 sections
  • Mohamed Salah walked off the pitch in tears during the 2018 Champions League final. In the 30th minute against Real Madrid, a challenge from the defender Sergio Ramos wrenched his left shoulder. He tried to carry on, went to the ground a second time, and could not continue. Liverpool lost 3-1. The next day, Ramos sent him a message with good wishes.

    Salah is an Egyptian forward who captains his national team. He is the highest-scoring foreign player in Premier League history, and he is the top African scorer in the Champions League. Egyptians call him the "Egyptian King".

    But his path was never a straight climb. He passed through five clubs in four countries before he became a fixture at Liverpool, and he was once dismissed as surplus at one of Europe's biggest clubs. Why did a boy who cried over missed chances keep being moved on? What did Liverpool see that others missed? And why did the individual prize he most wanted keep slipping away?

  • In 2006, a scout travelled to watch another child play and ended up watching Salah instead. The boy was 14 and had come up through the local youth sides Ittihad Basyoun and Othmason Tanta. He now joined the youth team of Al Mokawloon Al Arab. He named Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and Francesco Totti as his childhood idols. Training meant a three-hour journey, and he often missed school to make it.

    At 15, he caught the eye of first-team manager Mohamed Radwan, who moved him into the senior squad immediately. His muscles had not fully formed, so the club designed a special diet and training programme for him. The American coach Bob Bradley saw him there and noted his speed, explosiveness and intelligence at such a young age.

    Salah had started out as a left-back. After a 4-0 win over the youth team of the Egyptian club ENPPI, he broke down in tears over the clear chances he had missed. His coach read that as a sign of how badly he wanted to score, and moved him up to forward.

    His first-team debut came on the 3rd of May 2010, as a substitute in a 1-1 away draw at El Mansoura. Minutes were easy to come by. Goals were not. Radwan recalls that Salah sometimes wept in the dressing room after matches, and says it only made him work harder. The first goal finally arrived on the 25th of December 2010, in a 1-1 draw away at Al Ahly. In 2011-12 he appeared in every game.

    Then the Port Said Stadium riot of the 1st of February 2012 suspended the Egyptian Premier League. On the 10th of March, the Egyptian Football Association cancelled the rest of the season.

    Six days later, at the Stadion Rankhof in Basel, the Swiss club Basel played a friendly against Egypt's under-23 team. The club had been monitoring Salah for some time. He played only the second half and scored twice in a 4-3 win. Basel invited him to stay a week to train, and on the 10th of April 2012 announced a four-year contract starting on the 15th of June.

    Settling in was hard. He arrived unable to speak the local language, signed as the replacement for Xherdan Shaqiri. His official debut came on the 8th of August, as a 74th-minute substitute in a Champions League preliminary match against the Norwegian club Molde. He started his first league game on the 12th of August against Thun, and a week later scored his first league goal in a 2-0 home win over Lausanne-Sport.

    Europe brought bigger stages. On the 11th of April 2013, he scored his first Europa League goal in the quarter-final, and Basel beat Tottenham Hotspur on penalties after a 4-4 aggregate draw. In the semi-final he scored away to Chelsea, but Basel lost 5-2 on aggregate. Basel still won the 2012-13 Swiss Super League title and finished runners-up in the Swiss Cup.

    The 2013-14 season began with controversy. Salah scored his first Champions League goal against Maccabi Tel Aviv on the 6th of August 2013. Afterwards, he drew criticism because he appeared to deliberately avoid shaking hands with the Israeli club's players in both legs. Later that autumn he scored twice against Ludogorets Razgrad of Bulgaria, equalised in a 2-1 away win over Chelsea on the 18th of September, and struck the winner in a 1-0 home win against them on the 26th of November. Basel still went out in the group stage. At home, a double against title rivals Young Boys helped Basel win the league for a fifth straight year.

    In all, Salah played 79 games for the club and scored 20 goals. Nine came in the league, four in the cup and seven in Europe. On the 23rd of January 2014, Basel announced he would leave, and the destination was London.

  • Chelsea agreed to pay a reported £11 million for Salah, a fee that Liverpool had also offered before losing out. Three days after the agreement, the transfer was completed, and he became the first Egyptian to sign for the London club. When the move happened, José Mourinho described him this way: "He's young, he's fast, he's creative, he's enthusiastic. When we analysed him he looks the kind of humble personality on the pitch, ready to work for the team." Mourinho compared his qualities to those of Gareth Bale and Arjen Robben.

    The early signs were encouraging. Salah made his debut as a substitute in a 3-0 win over Newcastle United on the 8th of February. On the 22nd of March he scored his first Chelsea goal in a 6-0 win against Arsenal, coming on for Oscar. On the 5th of April he opened the scoring against Stoke City, won a penalty, and set up the third goal in a 3-0 win.

    Then the next season began badly. Reports suggested he might be forced back to Egypt for military service, after his registration for an education scheme was rescinded by the country's Minister of Higher Education. A meeting with Egyptian prime minister Ibrahim Mahlab, the minister, and national team manager Shawky Gharieb spared him. He switched from squad number 15 to 17, a number freed when Eden Hazard moved to 10.

    But he was barely used. He made three Premier League, two Champions League and three cup appearances without scoring. On the 28th of October 2014, after a 2-1 League Cup win at League Two side Shrewsbury Town, Mourinho publicly criticised Salah and fellow winger André Schürrle. Still, Mourinho said Salah would receive a replica winner's medal for his contribution that season.

    On deadline day, the 2nd of February 2015, Salah left on an 18-month loan to the Italian club Fiorentina, in a deal that sent Juan Cuadrado the other way. Six days later he made his debut off the bench in a 3-2 win over Atalanta. He picked the number 74 shirt in honour of the victims of the Port Said Stadium riot.

    His first start came on the 14th of February against Sassuolo. He scored in the 30th minute, and two minutes later he set up Khouma Babacar for a 3-1 win. Twelve days after that, he scored his first European goal for the club as Fiorentina knocked Tottenham out of the Europa League. He scored the winner against Inter Milan on the 1st of March. Four days later, he scored both goals in a 2-1 away win at Juventus in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg.

    At season's end, Fiorentina activated the option to make the loan permanent. Salah refused. Despite the loan agreement running for 18 months, he declined to return and joined another Serie A club, Roma. On the 11th of September, Fiorentina complained to FIFA that Chelsea had breached the contract by letting him go to Roma on loan. The Court of Arbitration for Sport cleared both Salah and Chelsea of wrongdoing.

    On the 6th of August 2015, Roma took him on a season-long loan for €5 million, with an option to buy him for a reported €15 million. He wore number 11. His debut was a 1-1 draw away at Hellas Verona on the 22nd of August. On the 25th of October he scored the opener against his former club Fiorentina in a 2-1 away win. He was then sent off in the closing minutes after two yellow cards in quick succession. On the 4th of November, he scored the opening goal of a 3-2 Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen. On the 4th of March, he scored a double against Fiorentina again, in a 4-1 win. That season he scored 15 goals in 42 matches as Roma finished third and qualified for the Champions League. The club named him its 2015-16 Player of the Season.

    The Italian media gave him a nickname, the "Egyptian Messi", for his technique, pace, left foot and direct style. The Brazilian Ronaldo, whom Salah had idolised as a boy, said, "Salah is an incredible player with a tremendous quality. He looks like Messi."

    On the 3rd of August 2016, Roma made the move permanent for €15 million. On the 6th of November, he scored his first career hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Bologna. A ruptured ankle ligament then kept him out for the first half of December. He returned as a half-time substitute on the 17th of December in a 1-0 defeat to title rivals Juventus, then went two months without a goal. The drought ended on the 19th of February against Torino in a 4-1 win.

    In the Europa League round of sixteen, Roma lost the first leg 4-2 to Lyon, with Salah scoring the opener, and went out 5-4 on aggregate. On the 28th of May, in the final game of the season, he came off for captain Francesco Totti, who was playing his last match for Roma, in a 3-2 win over Genoa. Roma finished second, four points behind champions Juventus. Salah scored 19 goals in all competitions. A few weeks later he agreed to join a club that had never stopped wanting him.

  • On the 22nd of June 2017, Salah agreed to join Liverpool for an initial £36.5 million that could rise to £43 million. It was a club record, eclipsing the £35 million spent on Andy Carroll in 2011. He took the number 11 shirt from Roberto Firmino, who moved to number 9. He officially joined on the 1st of July, becoming Liverpool's first Egyptian player.

    He scored on his Premier League debut on the 12th of August in a 3-3 draw away at Watford. His first goal at Anfield came in the Champions League play-off round against Hoffenheim, a 4-2 win. Three days later he scored and set up a goal in a 4-0 win over Arsenal, and supporters voted him their Player of the Month for August. On the 17th of October, he scored twice in a 7-0 win over Maribor, the largest away win by an English club in the competition.

    His change of role helped. He told ESPN, "I play closer to the goal than any club before." Manager Jürgen Klopp had asked him to occupy more advanced central positions, often as the main striker.

    On the 26th of November 2017, he scored against his old club Chelsea and refused to celebrate. He said it was out of respect for the club, and for the victims of the Sinai mosque attack two days earlier. That gesture became a pattern, and he has been praised for declining to celebrate against former clubs.

    On the 17th of March 2018, he scored four times in a 5-0 win over Watford, his first hat-trick for Liverpool. It took him past Lionel Messi and Harry Kane as the leading scorer in Europe's top five leagues. Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said, "we are witnessing the start of greatness."

    He scored in both Champions League quarter-final games against Manchester City. On the 22nd of April he won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award. Two days later, he scored twice in a 5-2 semi-final first-leg win over his old club Roma. That made him the first African and the first Liverpool player to reach 10 goals in a single Champions League campaign. It also took him to 43 for the season, passing Roger Hunt's 42 and leaving only Ian Rush ahead of him at Liverpool. He had already beaten Robbie Fowler's 36 for the Premier League era and Fernando Torres's 33 for a debut season. His 32nd league goal, in a 4-0 win over Brighton, set a record for a 38-game season and earned the Golden Boot.

    On the 2nd of July 2018, he signed a new long-term contract. Klopp called it a statement of intent about the club's status. Salah received the FIFA Puskás Award for his goal in his first Merseyside derby, a decision that prompted online protests. He finished third for the Best FIFA Men's Player.

    On the 24th of October, against Red Star Belgrade, he scored his 50th goal for Liverpool in his 65th game, the fastest in the club's history. In February 2019, West Ham said it was investigating a video that allegedly showed fans racially abusing him, including for being Muslim. The fan involved was banned for three years. On the 26th of April, in his 100th appearance, he scored twice in a 5-0 win over Huddersfield Town. That took him to 69 goals, more than anyone had scored in a first hundred games for the club, a mark Hunt and Sam Raybould had shared.

    On the 1st of June 2019, after missing the semi-final through injury, he opened the scoring from a penalty in a 2-0 win over Tottenham in the Champions League final. It came in the opening two minutes. Only Paolo Maldini's goal for AC Milan against Liverpool in the 2005 final was faster.

    In the 2019 UEFA Super Cup, he scored the fifth and decisive penalty in a 5-4 shoot-out win over Chelsea after a 2-2 draw. Liverpool then won the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup, and Salah took the Golden Ball for the tournament's best player.

    On the 29th of January 2020, he scored in a 2-0 win at West Ham, completing a first in the club's 127-year top-flight history: a league win against every opponent in a single season. On the 7th of March, he scored the opener in a 2-1 win over Bournemouth, extending an English top-flight record to 22 straight home wins. It was his 70th Premier League goal in 100 appearances, seven more than Torres had managed in the same time. After the title was confirmed, he scored twice more against Brighton, then lifted the Premier League trophy after a 5-3 win over Chelsea.

  • On the 12th of September 2020, Salah scored a hat-trick in the first league game of the season, two of the goals penalties, in a 4-3 win over Leeds United. He became the first Liverpool player to score in four consecutive league openers. In the Premier League only Teddy Sheringham had done it before. No Liverpool player had scored a hat-trick in a first league match since John Aldridge in 1988-89.

    On the 17th of October 2020, he scored his 100th Liverpool goal in a 2-2 draw away at Everton. It came in his 159th game, third fastest in the club's history behind Roger Hunt, who needed 144, and Jack Parkinson, who needed 153. But Salah reached it entirely in England's top flight. On the 31st of January 2021, a double against West Ham made him the fifth Liverpool player to score more than 20 goals in four seasons in a row. On the 13th of May, his goal in a 4-2 win at Manchester United was his team's first away win at Old Trafford since March 2014.

    The 2021-22 season opened with a goal and two assists in a 3-0 win away to Norwich, making him the first player to score in the opening game of five straight Premier League seasons. On the 25th of September, he scored his 100th Premier League goal for Liverpool, in a 3-3 draw away at Brentford. He needed 151 games, one fewer than Hunt. On the 19th of October, he scored twice in a 3-2 win away at Atlético Madrid. It made him the first Liverpool player to score in nine consecutive games. His second goal was his 31st in the Champions League, passing Gerrard's 30.

    Five days later, he scored a hat-trick in a 5-0 win at Manchester United. It made him the highest-scoring African in Premier League history, passing Didier Drogba's 104 goals. A dribbling goal against Manchester City on the 3rd of October won the Premier League Goal of the Month, and later Goal of the Season. On the 22nd of May 2022, he shared the Golden Boot with Son Heung-min on 23 goals, and added the Playmaker award with 13 assists. Liverpool lost the Champions League final to Real Madrid. They narrowly missed a quadruple by finishing second in both the league and the Champions League, but they did win the EFL Cup and the FA Cup.

    On the 1st of July 2022, he signed a contract lasting until at least 2025. On the 12th of October, he came off the bench away at Rangers and scored three goals in six minutes and twelve seconds in a 7-1 win. That broke Bafétimbi Gomis's record for the fastest Champions League hat-trick. It also made him the top scorer for an English club in the competition, with 38, passing Drogba and Sergio Agüero.

    On the 5th of March 2023, he scored twice and set up two more in a 7-0 win over Manchester United. That made him Liverpool's leading Premier League scorer with 129 goals, one more than Fowler. It also made him Egypt's highest scorer ever, with 303 career goals. He passed Hossam Hassan, who scored 302 for club and country between 1985 and 2007. At the end of the season, Liverpool narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification. Salah called himself "totally devastated".

    That summer brought an offer from beyond Europe. Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad put a two-year contract worth £155 million in front of him. He would have joined his former teammate Fabinho in Jeddah, and Liverpool would have received a £52 million fee. On the 7th of August 2023, his agent Ramy Abbas Issa said his client was "committed" to Liverpool. On the 1st of September, Al-Ittihad sent a £150 million offer, and Liverpool turned it down that same day.

    Salah stayed, and in 2023-24 he moved into more of a playmaking role. Klopp said Salah was "smart enough to adapt to all these different things" and "in all phases world class". The change showed in the numbers. He recorded 25 assists across 2021-22 and 2022-23, compared with 33 across the four seasons before.

    On the 21st of October 2023, he scored the 200th and 201st league goals of his career in the Merseyside derby. On the 9th of December, he scored his 200th goal for Liverpool, becoming the fifth player at the club to do so after Rush, Hunt, Gordon Hodgson and Billy Liddell. On the 14th of March 2024, in a 6-1 Europa League win over Sparta Prague, he became the first player to score 20 goals in seven straight seasons for Liverpool. That broke Rush's record of six. On the 7th of April, a goal in a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford brought his Premier League tally there to six, the most of any visiting player. When Klopp left at the end of the season, Salah was the player he had used more than any other.

  • On the 17th of August 2024, Salah scored in a 2-0 win over newly promoted Ipswich Town, setting a Premier League record for goals on opening day. Behind the scenes, a different question hung over the season: contracts. Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold were all nearing the end of their deals. The pundit Micah Richards said Liverpool had to sign Salah up, and that giving him a two-year deal was imperative.

    On the 2nd of October, a curled goal in a 2-0 Champions League win over Bologna made him the highest-scoring African in the competition, passing Drogba. On the 20th of October, a penalty against Chelsea brought his Premier League total that season to five goals and five assists in eight games. No Liverpool player has reached those numbers earlier in a season.

    On the 4th of December, a brace and an assist in a 3-3 draw with Newcastle United made him the first Premier League player to score and assist in 37 different matches, passing Wayne Rooney's 36. Ten days later, he provided his 100th assist for Liverpool in all competitions, against Fulham. On the 22nd of December, a brace and two assists in a 6-3 away win over Tottenham Hotspur gave him 15 goals and 11 assists, the first double-digit tallies in both before Christmas. That brace also lifted him above Billy Liddell to fourth on Liverpool's all-time scoring list, with 229 goals.

    On the 29th of December, he scored and set up two more in a 5-0 win at West Ham. He became the first player to score and assist in eight different games in one season. He reached 30 goal involvements in fewer matches than anyone before, and he made more in a single month than any player in the competition's history. He also moved into the league's top 10 for career assists with 81, passing David Beckham.

    On the 21st of January 2025, he scored his 50th goal for Liverpool in European competition, a 2-1 win over Lille. In the next two league matches he scored against Ipswich and twice at Bournemouth, passing Thierry Henry and Frank Lampard on the all-time list. On the 12th of February, in the last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, he became the fourth player to reach 100 goal involvements in 100 Premier League matches. On the 23rd of February, a goal and an assist at Manchester City made him the first player to score and assist in 11 Premier League matches in a season. No one in a top-five European league had managed that many since Lionel Messi in 2014-15.

    On the 11th of April, he signed a two-year contract extension, after months of speculation and interest from the Saudi Pro League. Two days later, he set up Luis Díaz against West Ham for his 18th league assist. It was his 45th goal involvement, a record for a 38-game campaign.

    On the 27th of April, Liverpool beat Tottenham 5-1 at Anfield to secure their second Premier League title. Salah scored the fourth goal, which made him the highest-scoring foreign player in the competition's history, passing Agüero. He won the Player of the Season, Golden Boot and Playmaker awards in the same year, a first. It was his fourth Golden Boot, equalling Henry's record. Only Andy Cole in 1993-94 and Harry Kane in 2020-21 had topped both the goal and assist charts before.

    Sixteen of his 29 league goals came away from home, a joint record. All 18 of his assists came from open play, behind only Henry's 20 in 2002-03. He created 86 chances and 27 big chances for teammates. He took 130 shots, had 394 touches in the opposition box, and registered an expected-goals figure of 25.4, the best in the league. He finished with 47 goal involvements, equal to the record shared by Alan Shearer and Cole, and the most since the league shrank to 20 teams in 1995-96.

    On the 19th of August, he won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award for a record third time, passing Henry and five others.

  • On the 3rd of September 2011, Salah made his debut for Egypt's senior team in a 2-1 away defeat by Sierra Leone. A month earlier he had been on the youth stage at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup, scoring a penalty against Argentina in a 2-1 round-of-sixteen defeat. His first senior goal came on the 8th of October, in a 3-0 win over Niger in qualifying for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.

    The 2012 Olympics gave him a first big stage. He scored in all three group games. He got the second goal in a 3-2 defeat to Brazil on the 26th of July, equalised in a 1-1 draw with New Zealand, and opened the scoring in a 3-1 win over Belarus. That sent Egypt into the knockout round, where Japan won the quarter-final 3-0. His performances earned him the CAF Most Promising African Talent of the Year award.

    On the 10th of June 2012, he scored in the 93rd minute to give Egypt a 3-2 away win over Guinea in World Cup qualifying. A year later he scored a hat-trick in a 4-2 win in Zimbabwe, then the only goal away to Mozambique. But in November 2014, a 2-1 defeat in Tunisia meant Egypt missed the Africa Cup of Nations finals for a third consecutive time.

    The 2017 tournament in Gabon changed that. On the 25th of January, he scored a free kick in a 1-0 win over Ghana that secured first place in Group D. He took Egypt to the final, scoring twice and assisting twice in six games, and earned a place in the team of the tournament. Egypt finished runners-up.

    In qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, he scored five goals, including both in the decisive 2-1 win over Congo. One was a penalty in the last minute. It sent Egypt to their first World Cup finals since 1990.

    Doubts over his fitness remained after his shoulder injury, but he was named in the final 23-man squad on the 4th of June. He missed the opener against Uruguay on the 15th of June, which Egypt lost 1-0 after conceding in the 89th minute. Four days later, he scored a penalty in a 3-1 defeat to hosts Russia at the Krestovsky Stadium. On the 25th of June, he chipped goalkeeper Yasser Al-Mosailem in a 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia in Volgograd.

    On the 16th of June 2019, he wore the captain's armband for the first time in a 3-1 friendly win over Guinea, setting up two goals as a substitute. The national team named him captain in September 2019. At the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil that summer, he scored against DR Congo and from a free kick against Uganda as Egypt won Group A.

    In 2021-22, he faced Liverpool teammate Sadio Mané twice, as Egypt played Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations final and the World Cup qualifying third round. Egypt lost both on penalty shoot-outs.

    On the 24th of March 2023, he scored his 50th international goal, making Egypt the only African team with two players on 50 or more. On the 16th of November, he scored four in a 6-0 win over Djibouti, passing Mohamed Aboutrika as Egypt's highest scorer in World Cup qualification matches. On the 14th of January 2024, a stoppage-time penalty against Mozambique made him the first Egyptian to score in four different Africa Cup of Nations. Four days later, he suffered a hamstring injury against Ghana and withdrew.

    On the 10th of June 2024, he earned his 100th cap, scoring in a 1-1 draw away to Guinea-Bissau. On the 8th of October 2025, a brace in a 3-0 win over Djibouti sealed Egypt's place at the 2026 World Cup. It took him to 20 goals in African World Cup qualifying, the most ever, past the 18 shared by Drogba, Samuel Eto'o, Moumouni Dagano and Islam Slimani.

    On the 10th of January 2026, he scored against Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, becoming the first African to score against 11 different nations in the tournament's history. Egypt finished fourth. He has been named in Time magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential People, in 2019, and is regarded in Egypt as a symbol of national pride.

  • On the 3rd of December 2018, Salah was ranked sixth at the Ballon d'Or ceremony. A year later he finished fifth. On the 29th of November 2021 he was voted seventh. He said, "It shocked me, but there's nothing I can say… No one in the world expected that I would be seventh, but that's what happened." He suggested prejudice against his Egyptian nationality may have hindered him. In 2022 he finished fifth. On the 4th of September 2024, he was controversially not even nominated.

    On the 19th of May 2025, Gary Neville interviewed him on Sky Sports. Salah said the omissions used to drive him crazy before. He said some things are out of your hands, and that his goal each season was to push harder. He called 2024-25 his best chance to win it "while I'm in the club".

    Many footballing figures, including Casemiro, Hossam Hassan, Mido, Abedi Pele, Paolo Di Canio, William Troost-Ekong and Patrice Motsepe, backed him for the 2025 award. Liverpool manager Arne Slot said, "He's had very, very, very good seasons at Liverpool but this one probably stands out in terms of numbers." On the 22nd of September, Salah was placed just fourth, and did not attend the ceremony. Charlie Malam of the Daily Express wrote that he "will surely go down as one of the best players never to win it, and one of the most disrespected players of all time".

    On the 22nd of November, Salah made his 300th Premier League appearance for Liverpool, in a 3-0 home defeat by Nottingham Forest. Only Jamie Carragher, Gerrard, Jordan Henderson and Sami Hyypiä had done so before him. But he had been substituted in three straight league games, and on the 6th of December he was left unused in a 3-3 draw at Leeds United.

    Afterwards, he said Liverpool had "thrown him under the bus", and called the club's situation "not acceptable". He said he was confused about why he was not playing, adding, "I am not bigger than anyone but I earned my position." His relationship with Slot, once good, had deteriorated, and he said "someone doesn't want him in the club". He was left out of the Champions League trip to Inter Milan.

    On the 13th of December, he returned off the bench and set up a goal in a 2-0 win over Brighton. It gave him 277 goal involvements for one club, the most in Premier League history, passing Rooney. His overall total of 280 trailed only Shearer's 324 and Rooney's 311.

    On the 28th of January 2026, his 80th Champions League appearance for Liverpool matched Carragher's club record, in a 6-0 win over Qarabağ. In March, he set the record outright with his 81st appearance, against Galatasaray in the round of sixteen. On the 24th of March 2026, Salah announced he would leave Liverpool at the end of the season.

    His last game for the club was on the 24th of May, the final day of the season, a 1-1 draw against Brentford. He set up a goal. It was his 93rd Premier League assist for Liverpool, enough to pass Gerrard's previous record for the most in the club's Premier League history.

Updated

Common questions

Which clubs did Mohamed Salah play for before Liverpool?

He played for Al Mokawloon, Basel, Chelsea, Fiorentina on loan, and Roma. He joined Liverpool in 2017.

Why did Salah leave Basel for Chelsea and then leave Chelsea?

Chelsea signed him from Basel for a reported £11 million in 2014, but he was rarely used. He then went on loan to Fiorentina and Roma.

What records did Salah set in the 2024-25 Premier League season?

He won the Player of the Season, Golden Boot and Playmaker awards in the same year, a first. He also set a record of 45 goal involvements in a 38-game season and matched the record of 47 overall.

What has Salah achieved with Egypt?

He captains the team, helped Egypt reach the 2018 World Cup, finished runner-up at the 2017 and 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, and became the all-time top scorer in African World Cup qualifying.

When did Salah announce he would leave Liverpool?

On the 24th of March 2026, he announced he would leave at the end of the 2025-26 season. His final game was on the 24th of May.

All sources

656 references cited across the entry

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  12. 50Basel take heart after Chelsea defeatTrevor Haylett — UEFA — 3 May 2013
  13. 51Switzerland 2012/13Karel Stokkermans — Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
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  16. 59Schalke see of ten-men Basel to progressUEFA — 11 December 2013
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  20. 70Match Report: Chelsea 3 Stoke City 0Chelsea F.C. — 6 April 2014
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  23. 78Salah completed Fiorentina loanChelsea F.C. — 2 February 2015
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  25. 82UEFA Europa League round of 16 drawUEFA — 27 February 2015
  26. 83Inter 0–1 FiorentinaLega Serie A — 1 March 2015
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  28. 89Press releaseTransfer Market Mohamed Salah Ghaly (Translation)AS Roma — 6 August 2015
  29. 92Mohamed Salah to wear number 11 at RomaPaul Rogers — AS Roma — 6 August 2015
  30. 93Hellas Verona 1–1 RomaLega Serie A — 22 August 2015
  31. 99Roma 4–1 Fiorentina4 March 2016
  32. 103League Table Lega Serie ASerie A — 15 May 2016
  33. 105NewsSalah move finalisedChelsea F.C. — 3 August 2016
  34. 109Salah injury blow for Roma9 November 2015
  35. 110Fixtures and Results Season 2016–17 17^ Match DayLega Serie A — 17 December 2016
  36. 112NewsLyon 4–2 Roma9 March 2017
  37. 114NewsRoma 3–2 Genoa28 May 2017
  38. 118Roma and Liverpool agree Salah transferAS Roma — 22 June 2017
  39. 120Mohamed Salah picks his number in LiverpoolRafik Zoghlami — 23 June 2017
  40. 121NewsLiverpool FC complete signing of Mohamed SalahDavid Lynch — Liverpool F.C. — 22 June 2017
  41. 122Watford 3–3 LiverpoolNeil Johnston — 12 August 2017
  42. 123NewsLiverpool 4–2 HoffenheimScott Murray — 31 March 2018
  43. 124NewsLiverpool 4–0 ArsenalPhil McNulty — 27 August 2017
  44. 125NewsMohamed Salah claims Player of the Month award for AugustLiverpool F.C. — 5 September 2017
  45. 129NewsStoke City 0 Liverpool 3Mike Henson — 29 November 2017
  46. 130Liverpool Make History with Record Away Goal TallyStephen Crawford — 17 December 2017
  47. 133Manchester City 1–2 LiverpoolPhil McNulty — 10 April 2018
  48. 139Mohamed Salah wins Premier League Golden BootShina Oludare — 13 May 2018
  49. 144Mohamed Salah signs new long-term Liverpool dealJames Carroll — Liverpool F.C. — 2 July 2018
  50. 145Jürgen Klopp: Salah's commitment is a sign for LiverpoolJames Carroll — Liverpool F.C. — 2 July 2018
  51. 146NewsLiverpool 4–0 West HamSteve Sutcliffe — 12 August 2018
  52. 153The Best FIFA Men's PlayerFIFA — 24 September 2018
  53. 160NewsBournemouth 0–4 Liverpool8 December 2018
  54. 167NewsMohamed Salah scores stunning goal as Reds reclaim leadAlistair Magowan — 14 April 2019
  55. 168NewsMohamed Salah sets new LFC goalscoring recordChris Shaw — Liverpool F.C. — 26 April 2019
  56. 171NewsTottenham Hotspur 0–2 LiverpoolPhil McNulty — 1 June 2019
  57. 172Salah candidate for FIFPro World 11Ahmed Wagih — 5 September 2019
  58. 176NewsVirgil van Dijk finishes runner-up for 2019 Ballon d'OrChris Shaw — Liverpool F.C. — 2 December 2019
  59. 177NewsSalah Achieves EPL Milestone, Joins Africa's EliteLiam Bekker — 10 December 2019
  60. 178NewsSalah headlines Qatar 2019 award winnersFIFA — 21 December 2019
  61. 182NewsSalah and Milner reaction: 'We showed our mentality to win'Sam Williams — Liverpool F.C. — 7 March 2020
  62. 183NewsLiverpool rally to beat BournemouthMatthew Howarth — 7 March 2020
  63. 184Match report: Reds close in on title with Palace victory at AnfieldJames Carroll — Liverpool F.C. — 24 June 2020
  64. 186Brighton v Liverpool, 2019/20 Premier LeaguePremier League — 8 July 2020
  65. 187Report: Champions beat Chelsea in eight-goal thriller before PL trophy liftSam Williams — Liverpool F.C. — 22 July 2020
  66. 189'I'm surprised there are more records Mo Salah can break!'Glenn Price — Liverpool F.C. — 11 September 2020
  67. 190Liverpool 4–3 Leeds UnitedPhil McNulty — 12 September 2020
  68. 191Everton 2–2 LiverpoolPhil McNulty — 17 October 2020
  69. 192Mohamed Salah joins Liverpool's 100-goal clubChris Shaw — Liverpool F.C. — 17 October 2020
  70. 194NewsSalah double helps Liverpool up to thirdMichael Beardmore — 31 January 2021
  71. 195Brilliant Salah strike wins Budweiser Goal of the MonthPremier League — 8 February 2021
  72. 198Mo Salah is only the second player in Liverpool's history to score away to Man Utd in two different games in a season, after Harry Chambers in 1920–21. Crucial13 May 2021
  73. 209Salah completes double with Budweiser Goal of the MonthPremier League — 12 November 2021
  74. 218NewsLiverpool 0–1 Real MadridPhil McNulty — 28 May 2022
  75. 221NewsNunez scores as Liverpool win Community ShieldShamoon Hafez — 30 July 2022
  76. 228Mohamed SalahLFCHistory.net
  77. 249Salah sets record with opening-weekend goal at IpswichPremier League — 17 August 2024
  78. 270Amazing Salah stats after another sensational displayPremier League — 23 February 2025
  79. 273NewsSalah sets another record with assist against West HamPremier League — 13 April 2025
  80. 298Salah left out by Liverpool for Inter Milan gameAadam Patel — BBC Sport — 8 December 2025
  81. 301277 and out? Liverpool's Salah turns record breaker againCharlotte Coates — BBC Sport — 13 December 2025
  82. 302Liverpool will fancy their chances in knockout phasePhil McNulty — BBC Sport — 29 January 2026
  83. 303Mo Salah ties Steven Gerrard's Liverpool record for Premier League assistsGlenn Price — Liverpool F.C. — 11 February 2026
  84. 304Salah moves joint-seventh for Premier League assistsPremier League — 11 February 2026
  85. 312Why is Mohamed Salah signing for Trabzonspor, the fourth-biggest club in Turkey?Nick Miller — The New York Times — 6 August 2026
  86. 325NewsLondon 2012 Olympics Result: Japan 3–0 EgyptBarney Corkhill — 4 August 2012
  87. 334AFCON 2015 – Tunisia vs Egypt Live CommentaryOmar Ahmed Morsy — 19 November 2014
  88. 341Salah confirmed in provisional Egypt World Cup squadChris Shaw — Liverpool F.C. — 16 May 2018
  89. 345NewsSaudis beat Egypt despite Salah strikeSaj Chowdhury — 25 June 2018
  90. 351Egypt beat DR Congo to progress to next roundConfederation of African Football — 26 June 2019
  91. 358The Egyptian King hits a half-centuryFIFA — 25 March 2023
  92. 360Players with 30 or more goalsRoberto Mamrud et al. — Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
  93. 361Egypt 6–0 DijboutiESPN — 16 November 2023
  94. 364Mohamed Salah's injury at AFCON worse than feared, agent saysMark Ogden — ESPN — 22 January 2024
  95. 371Salah set to captain Egypt at World CupEmily Salley — BBC Sport — 21 May 2026
  96. 372Egypt hold Belgium in Seattlewww.fifa.com — 15 June 2026
  97. 375Salah's World Cup nightmare ends as he fires Egypt to historic winAndy Cryer — BBC Sport — 22 June 2026
  98. 381Messi, Argentina ride VAR drama to complete epic comeback vs. EgyptMark Ogden et al. — www.espn.co.uk — 7 July 2026
  99. 385NewsKen Early: Mohamed Salah is not a truly great wingerKen Early — 27 November 2017
  100. 387Xavi: Salah's speed is unbelievableAS Roma — 29 March 2016
  101. 390Salah Ghaly, MohamedTreccani: Enciclopedie Online
  102. 391NewsLiverpool's Mohamed Salah: Premier League is perfect for meGlenn Price — ESPN — 28 June 2018
  103. 393NewsThe Making of Liverpool's Egyptian Superstar Mo SalahDean Jones — 13 December 2017
  104. 398Salah deal 'influenced by Mata move'Miguel Delaney — ESPN — 24 January 2014
  105. 401All crazy about Salah, the Messi of Egypt (Translation)Matteo Politanò — Panorama.it — 5 March 2015
  106. 409Unusual name: Mohamed Salah welcomes third childGoal.com — 3 September 2026
  107. 418NewsMo Salah faces backlash for sharing Christmas photosKamal Tabikha — 27 December 2021
  108. 427NewsSalah's stunning gesture to supporter is reminiscent of MessiKristian Walsh — 1 February 2018
  109. 429Children among dozens killed in Egypt church fireMostafa Salem et al. — CNN — 14 August 2022
  110. 440NewsEgypt's 'fourth pyramid' Mohamed Salah: 'He is one of us'Mohamed Mahmoud — 22 February 2018
  111. 444JournalCan Exposure to Celebrities Reduce Prejudice? The Effect of Mohamed Salah on Islamophobic Behaviors and AttitudesAla’ Alrababa’h et al. — 2021
  112. 448NewsNY Times Square displays Mohamed Salah's huge muralHend El-Behary — 10 June 2018
  113. 451NewsEgypt's 'fourth pyramid' Mohamed Salah: 'He is one of us'Mohamed Mahmoud — 10 January 2018
  114. 452The Unstoppable Rise Of Mo SalahAli Khaled — 16 December 2018
  115. 456NewsMohamed Salah's GQ photoshoot causes outrage in EgyptAlex del Río — 22 October 2019
  116. 459Mohamed Salah – Goals in International MatchesHazem Adel — Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation — 15 February 2024
  117. 508Mohamed Salah: SummaryPerform Group
  118. 509Mohamed Salah: OverviewPremier League
  119. 510NewsChelsea 0–0 LiverpoolPhil McNulty — 14 May 2022
  120. 511NewsChelsea 0–0 LiverpoolPhil McNulty — 27 February 2022
  121. 512NewsChelsea 0–1 LiverpoolPhil McNulty — 25 February 2024
  122. 513NewsLiverpool 1–2 Newcastle UnitedPhil McNulty — 16 March 2025
  123. 514Liverpool 3–1 Manchester CityShamoon Hafez — 30 July 2022
  124. 517NewsReal Madrid 3–1 LiverpoolPhil McNulty — 26 May 2018
  125. 519NewsLiverpool 1–0 FlamengoHarry Poole — 21 December 2019
  126. 520NewsEgypt 1–2 CameroonStephen Fottrell — 5 February 2017
  127. 521NewsSenegal 0–0 EgyptRob Stevens — 7 February 2022
  128. 522Toure wins his second African Player of the Year AwardConfederation of African Football — 21 December 2012
  129. 523Fact file: Mohamed Salah's career so far in numbersDavid Lynch — Liverpool F.C. — 22 June 2017
  130. 524NewsMohamed Salah Takes Three27 January 2014
  131. 526NewsMohamed Salah wins 2017 Arab player of the year pollAl-Masry Al-Youm — 27 December 2017
  132. 529CAF News Awards Winners Previous Editions 2016Confederation of African Football — 5 January 2017
  133. 530Salah and Mane picked first in Africa best 11Raymond Beaard — FIFPro — 8 January 2019
  134. 531NewsMane, Oshoala named African Footballers of 2019 at CAF AwardsConfederation of African Football — 7 January 2020
  135. 534Not your average players Here is the #TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 best XI #AFCON20217 February 2022
  136. 538Salah wins PFA Player of the MonthSam Williams — Liverpool F.C. — 8 January 2018
  137. 539Salah named PFA Player of the MonthJames Carroll — Liverpool F.C. — 5 March 2018
  138. 540Mohamed Salah named PFA Player of the Month for MarchJames Carroll — Liverpool F.C. — 9 April 2018
  139. 541Mohamed Salah named PFA Player of the MonthSam Williams — Liverpool F.C. — 7 January 2019
  140. 542Mohamed Salah wins PFA Player of the Month awardSam Williams — Liverpool F.C. — 4 February 2019
  141. 543Mohamed Salah clinches PFA Player of the Month prizeJames Carroll — Liverpool F.C. — 6 May 2019
  142. 544Mo Salah named PFA Fans' Player of the Month for SeptemberChris Shaw — Liverpool F.C. — 14 September 2021
  143. 551NewsMohamed Salah named BBC African Footballer of the YearPiers Edwards — 11 December 2017
  144. 557NewsSalah named FWA Footballer of the YearDavid Lynch — Liverpool F.C. — 1 May 2018
  145. 558NewsMohamed Salah named FWA Footballer of the YearSam Williams — Liverpool F.C. — 29 April 2022
  146. 559NewsMohamed Salah named 2025 FWA Footballer of the YearJames Carroll — Liverpool F.C. — 9 May 2025
  147. 562Mohamed Salah takes top prizes at LFC Players' AwardsChris Shaw — Liverpool F.C. — 10 May 2018
  148. 566Mohamed Salah named PFA Fans' Player of the YearLiverpool F.C. — 21 May 2018
  149. 567NewsMohamed Salah wins PFA Fans' Player of the Year awardLiverpool F.C. — 11 June 2021
  150. 568NewsMohamed Salah wins PFA Fans' Player of the YearLiverpool F.C. — 30 May 2022
  151. 571NewsSquad of the SeasonUEFA — 27 May 2018
  152. 573NewsESM Team of the Season – 2021–22Jamie Rainbow — World Soccer — 13 June 2022
  153. 574Résultats des votesJune 2018
  154. 575NewsSalah's Merseyside derby goal wins Puskas AwardLiverpool F.C. — 24 September 2018
  155. 576NewsMohamed Salah wins FSF Men's Player of the Year awardLiverpool F.C. — 3 December 2018
  156. 577Mohamed Salah voted FSA Men's Player of the YearLiverpool F.C. — 30 November 2021
  157. 579NewsRevealed: The LFC Players' Awards 2019 winnersChris Shaw — Liverpool F.C. — 27 May 2019
  158. 580NewsFrom the Archives: Goal of the Season Winners 🎞️🧵Liverpool F.C. on X — 13 June 2024
  159. 582CAF MEN TEAM 2020 by IFFHSIFFHS — 13 December 2020
  160. 583CAF MEN TEAM 2021 by IFFHSIFFHS — 23 December 2021
  161. 584IFFHS MEN'S CONTINENTAL TEAMS 2022 – CAFIFFHS — 17 January 2023
  162. 585IFFHS MEN'S CAF TEAM 202315 January 2024
  163. 590Mohamed Salah By John OliverJohn Oliver — 3 December 2024
  164. 595Mo Salah takes the top two spots, but you voted his strike against Man City as the goal of the month for October. #MOTD2Match of the Day — 7 November 2021
  165. 599FPL Pod: The 2024/25 season reviewPremier League — 28 May 2025
  166. 601NewsREVEALED: 2024/25 Fan Team of the SeasonPremier League — 30 May 2025
  167. 603Top 100 World Cup players rankedThe Athletic — December 3, 2025
  168. 612NewsSalah named EA SPORTS Player of the Month for FebruaryPremier League — 9 March 2018
  169. 613Salah makes history with EA SPORTS awardPremier League — 13 April 2018
  170. 614Salah 'proud' to set new Premier League markPremier League — 13 May 2018
  171. 615NewsWhen, where and how Salah broke record after recordDominic Raynor — Liverpool F.C. — 16 May 2018
  172. 629Is Salah having the best individual season in Premier League history?Adrian Kajumba — Premier League — 25 May 2025
  173. 634NewsMohamed Salah wins 2024–25 Premier League Golden BootGlenn Price — Liverpool F.C. — 25 May 2025
  174. 639NewsLiverpool 5–2 RomaEmlyn Begley — 24 April 2018
  175. 643Champions League: Goalscorerslfchistory.net — 20 October 2021
  176. 663NewsMohamed Salah OverviewLega Serie A

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