Exercise 2024-2025 will certainly have offered its share of emotions to Mohamed Salah. Author of a flamboyant season with Liverpool, the one who today totals 33 goals and 23 assists in 49 matches in all competitions will necessarily remain one of the great craftsmen of the 20th championship won by the Mersey club. Leader of attack on the formation now trained by Arne Slot, the Egyptian international (103 selections, 58 goals) has also experienced some disappointments. Fallen in front of Plymouth (D2), during the 4th round of the FA Cup, the Reds especially saw their dream of Champions League stop net against Paris Saint-Germain, who is about to find Inter Milan in the final on May 31. Questioned during an interview with France Footballthe former Chelsea player and AS Roma returned to this disappointment.
Salah congratulates PSG
“I must be honest. PSG made a very good first leg. We were so lucky. Alisson made the best match of his career in Liverpool. They were very unlucky. Then they came to Anfield. And it was we who were unlucky because we touched the post two or three times, they saved balloons on their line once or twice. So we were also unlucky. (…) It was their day and I tightened the hands of the players afterwards, I said to them: 'Congratulations, go win it!' 'And that's it. We were in good shape all the season, and in March alone, we have a slight kill. And we meet the best team in Europe at the time “admitted the principal concerned, obviously not resentful. However, this failure could well prove to be unacceptable in the race for the Ballon d'Or. Long announced as the big favorite, the left -hander of 1m75 today seems detached, which is more in view of the exceptional performances produced by Ousmane Dembélé or Lautaro Martinez.
Aware of the consequences of this elimination, the number 11 of the Reds has not completely said goodbye to this distinction … “It is not in my hands but, obviously, that one day I would like to win the Ballon d'Or for my people. When you come from a village in Egypt, a child, it's complicated to dream of the Ballon d'Or. It was by coming to Liverpool that I started to tell myself that, perhaps, one day … But if I do not win it, my career will still be successful. I am only 32 years old (33 in June), several winners in recent years were thirties (Cristiano Ronaldo, 31 years old in 2016, 32 years in 2017; Modric, 33 in 2018; Messi 32 in 2019, 34 in 2021, 36 in 2023; Benzema, 34 in 2022). So who knows? And then, next season promises to be exciting with the defense of our title with Liverpool and the Champions League, the CAN with Egypt (late 2025-early 2026, in Morocco) and, I hope, the World Cup (summer 2026, in the United States, Canada and Mexico). And you already know my ambition: to win everything ”.
Complex negotiations to manage
More than ever determined, Salah has finally returned to his recent extension. And for good reason. In addition to purely sporting considerations, the Reds winger also had to juggle throughout the season with this overall vague contractual context. Announced in the viewfinder of Paris Saint -Germain but also tracked by Saudi Arabia, the 32 -year -old player – at the end of endless negotiations – nevertheless ended up extending his two -season contract with Liverpool. A situation that seems to be, not really disturbing Anfield's darling. “You have to believe that ultimately it was a big asset because I had the best statistical season of my life (49 games, 33 goals and 23 assists in all competitions with your club). The possibility that it is my last season here may have given me the desire to make the most of it, and to give everything to win this title that I had promised. I had this state of mind: if the club does not want to prolong me, no problem, let's finish as best as possible so that I can go through the big door ”.
If he recognizes that the possibility of a departure was very real, Mohamed Salah is now fully focused on the future objectives of the club. “It was a little weird, we walked really very strong this season and there was this negotiation which was not simple. Finally, everything is good that ends well: we are champions and I remain two more seasons. I'm sure I am a legend of Liverpool! (laughs) More seriously, today I am in action, I train, I prepare and I play. And, once at home, I pay my full attention to my family. So, I don't really have the leisure to feel this. But if you ask me the question, then, yes, I know that I am a legend. You know, this season, despite all the uncertainty about my extension, the fans have seen that I gave everything, without cheating, without calculation. And here, perhaps more than anywhere else, that's what they respect the most ”. So, show must go on because you'll never walk alone mo!
