Ever since his arrival in the summer of 2017, Mohammed Salah has been nothing short of a sensation. With his deadly flair in front of the goal, the Egyptian attacker has made Klopp’s Liverpool a force to be reckoned with. Mo’s masterclass has helped The Reds to win several accolades including the Champions League and the Premier League. Though his meteoric rise might not be anything unfamiliar to you, however, some facts might have gone under your radar. So here are the 10 unknown facts about Mo Salah that you might not be aware of.
10 Unknown Facts About Mo Salah
Salah has a school named after him
Yeah, you heard it right. Salah is more than a footballer in Egypt. Back at home, he is celebrated as a national hero and has turned into an idol to the young generation. However, the height of the Egyptian people’s love for Salah surfaced when Egypt qualified for the 2018 World Cup. Upon scoring the winner against DR Congo in the qualifiers, the principal of Salah’s former school decided to rename the institution after the forward! Now that’s how you celebrate your hero!
Salah finished Second in the Egyptian Presidential elections
Salah’s popularity among his countrymen reached a new height when voters for the 2018 Presidential Elections in Egypt dropped in-write votes with his name on it. Had the votes been counted, Salah would finish runner-up in that election. King Mo could have become the ‘King’ of Egypt, quite literally!
Salah used to play as a defender
The Mo Salah we know today is famed for tearing up defences but back when he was an amateur, he used to play as a defender! He was a fullback back then! But one day his youth team lost badly. Failing to help his team score, he broke into tears. Upon seeing that, Salah’s coach decided to play him upfront. And since then wherever he has been to, he has killed it in front of the goal! gone, he has scored tons and tons of goals! We can’t even imagine him playing in any other position today!
Salah considers Muhammad Ali as his role model
That’s correct! One Mohammed idolizes another Muhammed. When the legendary boxer passed away in 2016, Salah posted a picture of him with a Muhammad Ali t-shirt. He believes that Ali has had a deep impact on athletes and sportspersons.
Salah’s favorite dish
Salah loves to eat Kushari! You might ask, what is that? Well, it is an Egyptian dish made of- rice, lentils, pasta, tomato sauce, garlic, vinegar and is garnished with fried onions and chickpeas. That’s a whole lot of carbs, isn’t it! It’s quite a popular dish in Egypt. However, back in Liverpool, he is often spotted visiting local restaurants serving hummus and falafel, some popular Arab dishes.
Salah had an open marriage
For every human being, marriage is a special day. And what more than to celebrate it with anyone and everyone! Well, Salah just did that! He had an open marriage, where anyone could join in as a guest. Lots of Egyptian celebrities were present and several musicians performed! Boy, what an event it must have been!
Read More: Mohamed Salah’s Wife | Check Out Who Is The Wife Of Egyptian Star
Salah used to play with Liverpool on PlayStation
Salah used to pick Liverpool when he played the PlayStation. “I loved that when I was a kid, I was playing the PlayStation as Liverpool”- he said. One of his friends also mentioned that he loved to play with Real Madrid! It’s not too late, Mo!
And Salah could have become one of them. In July 2014, the Egyptian Prime Minister and the Minister of Education sat down with the Egyptian football team coach to draft players for military service. But luckily for Mo and us, he was kept out of it. He’s good at shooting but COME ON!
Salah almost served in the military.
The Egyptian military often forces its people to serve in the military. And Salah could have become one of them. In July 2014, the Egyptian Prime Minister and the Minister of Education sat down with the Egyptian football team coach to draft players for military service. But luckily for Mo and us, he was kept out of it. He’s good at shooting but COME ON!
Klopp didn’t want Salah
This might be a shocker considering how best the duo has worked it out together, but Klopp was hesitant to sign Salah in the first place. According to German journalist Raphael Honigstien, Klopp initially decided to go for Julian Brandt. However, Liverpool’s sporting director Michael Edwards persuaded Klopp to go for the Egyptian. The rest is history.
Read More: Top 5 Best African Players In European Football
Salah has helped to fight Islamophobia
According to a study of 2018 by Stanford University, Salah has helped reduce islamophobia. The study stated that he helped in bringing an 18.9% decrease in hate crimes against Muslims in the Merseyside area. His arrival has halved the number of anti-Muslim tweets posted by the Reds fans. He has used his influence to spread positivity and love!
So, these were the 10 unknown facts about Mo Salah. We hope you found it informative and entertaining. Do drop back to TheSportsLite.com to read more articles on the fascinating facts about your favorite footballers.
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