Four Facts You Didn’t Know About Mo Salah

Mohamed Salah, also known as “The Pharaoh” or “The Egyptian King,” is the most recognizable Egyptian footballer ever, and a player any gambling enthusiast would bet on. Since he moved from Roma to the Premier League in 2017, Salah has been a revelation to many. That same year, he won the BBC African Footballer of the year prize and added his name to the list of legends alongside Didier Drogba,  Mohamed Barakat, and Yaya Toure.

There’s a lot more we could say about him, which is why we decided to compile some of the most interesting facts we bet you didn’t know about the Egyptian star.

1. The British Museum has displayed Mo Salah’s boots.

(The Guardian)

In total, the British Museum collection has more than eight million objects. However, only 1% of them are publicly displayed, amounting to around 80,000 items. The display includes some of the most important assets the museum has, and Mo Salah’s boots are among them. These boots helped him score 32 Premier League goals in the 2017-18 season – there were 38 games in total – and set a new record.

While some greeted this decision warmly, others didn’t like it as much. Zahi Hawas, the renowned Egyptian archaeologist and former Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs, felt it was disrespectful for Salah’s shoes to be displayed alongside the priceless Egyptian historical artifacts.

1. Salah’s estimated net worth is $41 million.

(Forbes)

With his $41 million net worth, Salah places fifth on the list of the world’s five highest-paid soccer players in 2021. Christiano Ronaldo has overtaken Messi with $125 in total earnings, while the following three places are filled by Neymar Jr, Mbappe, and Salah, respectively.

Last October, Salah scored his 100th goal for Liverpool and became the fastest player ever to do so. The club is now in negotiations to keep the player at Anfield after his current five-year contract expires.

1. He started his career in El Mokawloon.

(Independent)

Mohamed Salah was born June 15, 1992, in Nagrig, Egypt. Not many fans know that Salah started his career when he was only fourteen by signing a contract with Egyptian club Al Mokawloon.

Throughout his professional career, Salah has played in Al Mokawloon, Basel, Chelsea, Fiorentina, Roma, and Liverpool. He opened the 2020-21 season with a goal and two assists for a 3-0 win in the Reds’ game with Norwich. By doing this, he became the first player to score in the opening match of five consecutive Premier League seasons.

1. Salah scored three goals at the 2012 Olympics.

(International Olympic Committee)

Back at the 2012 London Olympics, Mo Salah scored three goals in total: One in each of Egypt’s group games against Brazil, Belarus, and New Zealand. The team qualified for the last eight, but got eliminated in the first quarterfinal match by Japan.

Salah didn’t have the opportunity to play for his country in the 2020 Games, as Liverpool refused to release him for the Tokyo Olympics. The Tokyo Olympics ran from July 23 till August 8, which was just a week away from the start of the Premier League. Therefore, Salah’s club prevented him from joining Egypt’s Olympic team.