Manchester United s Aaron Wan-Bissaka, bottom, save the ball in front Liverpool s Mohamed Salah during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, April 19, 2022. AP
The 29-year-old Egyptian international is competing this year with Polish Robert Lewandowski, 33, of Bayern Munich and French Karim Benzema, 34, of Real Madrid to claim Ballon d’Or this year after he ended up seventh in the vote for the best player in the world in 2021 last November.
“Of course, it means a lot, it would mean a lot to win it,” Salah told FFT.
“One of my purposes in life is to change the people, especially in my country, an Arab country – [to believe] that they can achieve what they want to achieve,” Salah stressed.
“Those things give them more belief in themselves, that they can do whatever they want,” he added.
Salah is the only Egyptian player ever to be nominated for the prestigious award, which was established in 1956.
He was nominated for the award two times, finishing sixth in 2018 and fifth in 2019.
Lionel Messi of the Barca at the time won the award in 2018 and Lewandowski won it in 2019.
The Ballon d’Or was went hiatus in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He scored 30 goals in 42 appearances so far this season in all competitions and provided 12 assists.
“I will never say, ‘Yeah, I’m better than this person or I’m better than that person’, no – but in my mind I’m always choosing myself as the best, I don’t choose anyone other than me. It’s always opinion, though. I respect all other players.” he said.
Salah, who has 18 months left in his current five-year 52-million-euro deal with Liverpool, has been in talks with the club about an extension but has not yet received what he deems an acceptable offer.
The Egyptian international netted 155 goals in 245 games and provided 59 assists since he joined Liverpool from AS Roma in the summer of 2017.
He has already claimed eight trophies with the Reds, including the UEFA Champions League title in the 2018/19 season as well as the 2020 English Premier League title, which had eluded the team since 1981.
Salah has also become the second fastest Liverpool player to break the 150-goal mark, just behind Roger Hunt, who achieved that feat in 226 games.
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