Mohamed Salah’s status as one of Liverpool’s greatest ever players goes beyond his sporting achievements.
When Mohamed Salah plays his final game for Liverpool this Sunday, he will leave as a cultural icon who has left a lasting legacy far beyond the game.
The 33-year-old Egyptian forward announced in March that he would be leaving Anfield at the end of the season, with Liverpool manager Arne Slott saying he “deserved a big departure” after nearly a decade at the Premier League club.
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Liverpool face Brentford at Anfield this Sunday, a fitting venue for the striker to play his final game for the club.
Salah’s status as one of Liverpool’s greatest ever players goes beyond his monopoly of awards and top-level results, including over 250 goals for the club, two Premier League titles, four League Golden Boots and three PFA Player of the Year awards.
His achievements in Europe as an openly Muslim and North African player were genuine and unapologetically real, leaving a lasting impact on thousands of fans and up-and-coming players.
“If you had told me at 10 years old that the best player in the league was a Muslim, I would have called you a liar. And if you had told me his name was Mohamed Salah, I would have basically told you to get out of the room,” London-based soccer journalist Ahmed Schubul told Al Jazeera last month.
As a young fan, Schuble recalls struggling to navigate the typical English football atmosphere, which was synonymous with drinking and gambling, which are forbidden in Islam.
Salah is a devout Muslim and his “authentic self”, but for Schubre it was the first time he had seen his own identity take up space on the world football stage. For Shubre, even the celebration of Salah’s trademark sujood (prostration) was proof that nothing is possible without God.
“I hate to say it too much, but Islamophobia is on the rise again, not just in the UK but across Europe,” Schuble said. “I think Salah helps alleviate that by simply being himself.”
He emphasized that the great Egyptian figure did not force any kind of narrative regarding the faith, nor was he overly histrionic.
“The kind of piety and humility he shows when it comes to his faith is impressive, and I think a lot of what people hear about Muslims on a daily basis is completely false,” Schuble explained.
North African sports journalist Maher Mezahi told Al Jazeera that in addition to being one of England’s most clearly Muslim athletes, Salah’s identity as a North African player has similarly upended the European football scenario.
According to Mezahi, despite being ranked highly in European football, Salah had a difficult upbringing. Five days a week, he made the four-hour bus trip each way from his hometown of Nagrig to the capital, Cairo, to train at a club called El Mokawloon, instilling a sense of discipline in his formative years that he carried onto the world stage.
According to Mezahi, Salah’s journey was an inspiration for fellow Egyptian international Ibrahim Adel to make a move from the UAE club to Denmark’s Nordskjälland in a bid to emulate Salah’s success in the Europa League as a North African.
The two will play together as Salah captains Egypt at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“What he accomplished was a pioneer, and if that is the standard of greatness, he is without a doubt the greatest Egyptian player of all time,” Mezahi said. “If he can do it, anyone can.”
Mr. Schuble expressed a similar opinion.
“The 10-year-old kids watching him today can grow up in a world with that role model and I don’t think that’s beyond their wildest dreams,” he said.
