Empty buildings and piles of construction stuff form the background of a grassy courtyard. There are bits of grass and broken goalposts on the field. Teens, running barefoot, are chasing a yellow ball. The only colorful things in this deserted village are the lively shirts and the amazing artwork by Mohamed Salah.
Salah, born to working-class parents in the Nile delta town of Nagrig, about 80 miles from Cairo, wanted to be a professional football player from a young age. He admired the top Egyptian clubs, Al Ahly and Zamalek. Inspired by players like Francesco Totti and Zinedine Zidane, Salah would practice for hours in the dark to imitate their skills, fueled by his deep admiration for them.
Violent clashes during a soccer match in Port Said made the Egyptian Premier League stop. This meant the season for Salah, an Egyptian player, ended early. In a friendly game, Swiss team FC Basel beat Egypt’s U-23 team 4-3, with Salah and another player scoring goals. The head of the club, Bernhard Heusler, was impressed with Salah and asked him to stay for a trial. Salah signed a four-year contract. It was tough for Salah at first in Switzerland because of the language difference and high expectations to replace two Swiss superstars. Despite a slow start, Salah eventually scored the winning goals that helped Basel win their seventh league championship in a row.
How many kids does Mo Salah, the Liverpool soccer player, have with his wife Magi Salah? Mo Salah likes to keep his family private and is a dedicated Muslim.
Chelsea Football Club added another talented African player to their roster in January 2014 by spending 11 million euros to acquire Salah. However, Salah didn’t get much playing time and spent a lot of time on the bench during José Mourinho’s coaching tenure. Despite being younger, he played alongside the legendary Ivorian player Didier Drogba. Chelsea loaned Salah to the Italian club Fiorentina in February of the next year for 18 months. During this period, Salah showcased his impressive speed and goal-scoring skills, making a name for himself with notable performances against Juventus and Inter Milan.
After a successful stint with Fiorentina, Salah moved to A.S. Roma on loan, where he continued to shine. In the 2015–16 season, his 15 goals helped Roma secure a third-place finish, trailing only Napoli and Juventus. They also qualified for the Champions League. In the subsequent season, Roma finished in second place, just four points behind Juventus, and reached the Champions League finals.
In his final game with Roma, a thoughtful decision was made to substitute Salah with Francesco Totti, a club veteran and one of Salah’s idols from his youth. Totti scored nineteen goals for the team throughout his career.
Liverpool F.C. got their first player from Egypt, Salah. They paid a lot of money, 34.3 million euros, to get him in 2017. Salah played in a style that the manager liked a lot, and fans were excited to watch him play. Salah had an amazing first season, scoring more goals than Cristiano Ronaldo’s record. Thanks to Salah, Liverpool made it to the Champions League final. He got awards like PFA Players’ Player of the Year and the Golden Boot. Even though Salah got hurt by Sergio Ramos, Real Madrid still won the game. Salah also led Egypt in the 2018 World Cup, even though he was injured.
Mohamed Salah still has a big dream to achieve, but Liverpool has completed their Europa League games. Recently, people have compared Salah to Messi because of his great performance, like scoring three goals in a 5-0 win against Manchester United. He has won the Premier League and the UCL in the past three years. Despite all the praise, Salah hasn’t forgotten his roots. He has built churches, schools, and hospitals in Nagrig, his hometown in Egypt. This has inspired young Arabs to believe in a better future. During the pandemic, Salah donated to provide emergency oxygen supply. After scoring a goal, he always kneels to show respect for his Islamic beliefs. Salah goes beyond being Liverpool’s top striker, promoting unity, hope, and commitment in a world where prejudice exists. He values everyone’s uniqueness.
