nyguy
Member
Mohamed Salah just keeps proving himself year after year, but let’s be real—does he even have a chance at the Ballon d’Or? This season, he’s been nothing short of world-class, leading Liverpool’s title charge while stacking up goals, assists, and records. Yet, because he plays for Egypt, he’ll likely never get the recognition he deserves.
Salah just torched Manchester City again, delivering another masterclass in Liverpool’s 2-0 win. His goal and assist brought his league tally to 25 goals and 16 assists in 27 matches, putting him on pace for one of the best individual seasons in Premier League history. He’s on track to win his fourth Golden Boot, and if he does, he’ll tie Thierry Henry for the most in the Premier League era. That’s elite company.
But here’s the problem—he could put up 50 goals and 30 assists, and he’d still struggle to win the Ballon d’Or. Why? Because international tournaments weigh too much in the voting. Former players like Jamie Carragher have said it outright: if Salah were Brazilian, French, or even English, he’d be getting Messi and Ronaldo-level hype. Instead, his international success is measured by AFCON, which simply doesn’t carry the same weight as a World Cup or the Euros.
That’s why players like Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba—despite being absolute legends—never won it. Eto’o won everything with Barcelona and still got overlooked. Drogba was Chelsea’s greatest big-game player but never came close to winning. Unless Egypt somehow wins a World Cup or AFCON, Salah will probably face the same fate.
Even looking at club trophies, Salah has been hurt by Manchester City’s dominance. He’s got just one Premier League title, and while he’s won the Champions League, he’s lost two finals. If Liverpool wins the UCL this year, maybe he has a shot. But even then, would he really beat out players from a potential Real Madrid or Bayern Munich team that wins the treble?
For me, Salah is already the greatest African footballer of all time. His stats and consistency at the highest level outshine Eto’o and Drogba, and if Liverpool wins another title, it’ll only cement his legacy further. But when it comes to individual recognition, unless the criteria change, he’ll probably remain one of the greatest players never to win a Ballon d’Or.
What do you guys think? If Salah wins another league title and racks up 40+ goals, should he finally get the credit he deserves? Or will the Ballon d’Or always be biased against players outside of Europe and South America?
Salah just torched Manchester City again, delivering another masterclass in Liverpool’s 2-0 win. His goal and assist brought his league tally to 25 goals and 16 assists in 27 matches, putting him on pace for one of the best individual seasons in Premier League history. He’s on track to win his fourth Golden Boot, and if he does, he’ll tie Thierry Henry for the most in the Premier League era. That’s elite company.
But here’s the problem—he could put up 50 goals and 30 assists, and he’d still struggle to win the Ballon d’Or. Why? Because international tournaments weigh too much in the voting. Former players like Jamie Carragher have said it outright: if Salah were Brazilian, French, or even English, he’d be getting Messi and Ronaldo-level hype. Instead, his international success is measured by AFCON, which simply doesn’t carry the same weight as a World Cup or the Euros.
That’s why players like Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba—despite being absolute legends—never won it. Eto’o won everything with Barcelona and still got overlooked. Drogba was Chelsea’s greatest big-game player but never came close to winning. Unless Egypt somehow wins a World Cup or AFCON, Salah will probably face the same fate.
Even looking at club trophies, Salah has been hurt by Manchester City’s dominance. He’s got just one Premier League title, and while he’s won the Champions League, he’s lost two finals. If Liverpool wins the UCL this year, maybe he has a shot. But even then, would he really beat out players from a potential Real Madrid or Bayern Munich team that wins the treble?
For me, Salah is already the greatest African footballer of all time. His stats and consistency at the highest level outshine Eto’o and Drogba, and if Liverpool wins another title, it’ll only cement his legacy further. But when it comes to individual recognition, unless the criteria change, he’ll probably remain one of the greatest players never to win a Ballon d’Or.
What do you guys think? If Salah wins another league title and racks up 40+ goals, should he finally get the credit he deserves? Or will the Ballon d’Or always be biased against players outside of Europe and South America?