File Photo: Mohamed Salah. AFP
The Egyptian star joins a glittering shortlist that includes Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe, Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele, Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, PSG’s Moroccan full-back Achraf Hakimi, and Manchester City’s prolific striker Erling Haaland.
The 33-year-old was integral to Liverpool’s triumphant Premier League campaign, steering the Reds to the title.
He topped the league’s scoring charts to claim his fourth Premier League Golden Boot and also secured the Playmaker award for most assists, becoming the first player in league history to win both honours in two different seasons.
The Egyptian captain delivered a remarkable 47 goal involvements in the league, with 29 goals and 18 assists, equalling the all-time record for combined goals and assists in a single season.
His brilliance was further acknowledged by his peers, who voted him the 2024-25 PFA Players’ Player of the Year for the third time.
Salah, who finished fourth in the 2025 men’s Ballon d’Or award, has also been instrumental in helping the Egyptian national team qualify for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
This latest recognition from FIFA cements his place among the global elite, as he previously finished third in the running for this prestigious honor in both 2018 and 2021.
Should he win, Salah would become the first African player to receive the award since George Weah in 1995 and the first Egyptian to claim this top individual honor in world football.
The winner will be determined by votes from national team captains, coaches, journalists, and fans, with the ceremony scheduled for January 2026 in Zurich.
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