The morning after yet another impressive performance, Mohamed Salah was basking in the glory of his latest achievement. Just the day before, during a resounding 4-0 victory against Bournemouth, Salah etched his name in Liverpool’s history books by becoming the first player since Ian Rush in 1988 to notch up 20 goals before the Christmas period.
While the football world was beginning to acknowledge the extraordinary talent Liverpool had in Salah, there was a deeper story unfolding. On a dusty pitch in the Egyptian village of Nagrig, surrounded by the intoxicating fragrance of jasmine fields, it was clear just how many hurdles he had overcome to shine on the global stage.
Daily Mail Sport had the distinction of being the first western media outlet to trace Salah’s roots in this part of Northern Africa. Meanwhile, back in England, his journey was rapidly transforming him into a global icon, a star burning as intensely as a comet. Yet, one might wonder, how did he manage to reach such heights?
Dominic King visited Nagrig, Egypt, in 2017 after Mohamed Salah’s move to Anfield
Salah forged his relentless mentality in Egypt before moving to Europe to pursue football
Salah’s ascent was not merely a stroke of luck; it was the result of sheer dedication, a relentless drive, and an unwavering spirit. His life’s mantra, “never give up,” was boldly displayed on a black T-shirt before Liverpool’s legendary Champions League comeback against Barcelona in May 2019, a match he missed due to a concussion.
From a young age, Salah was resolute in his ambition to become a footballer. At just 14, he undertook a daunting daily journey—a five-hour, 200-mile round trip from Nagrig to Cairo. Instead of discouraging him, these travels only strengthened his resolve to reach the pinnacle of the sport, no matter the cost.
Adversity was no stranger to Salah. After being let go by Chelsea in 2014, he found himself at Fiorentina. It was there that he often shared coffee with Micah Richards, who had also relocated to Florence from Manchester City, finding camaraderie in their shared experiences of overcoming setbacks.
‘I’m going to play for Liverpool one day,’ Salah would tell his pal, explaining how a move that failed to materialise in January 2014, when Brendan Rodgers was manager, had only stiffened his resolve that he would get back to the Premier League and show what he could do.
That is what has separated him. Carrying the burden of being Liverpool’s main source of goals isn’t easy and you need certain characteristics to flourish, possibly some characteristics that you would find off-putting, such as selfishness and arrogance.
He has absolutely displayed that in his game at times but, without it, he wouldn’t have scored 255 goals for Liverpool. Say that again: 255. He zoomed up the charts at a staggering speed, putting the names of giants into the shade.
The fact only Ian Rush and ‘Sir’ Roger Hunt are ahead of him in the all-time list is the biggest endorsement for the scale of what he has achieved and it’s likely he will stay in third place forever; what he has done hasn’t been normal and it should never be taken for granted.
Salah told Micah Richards he would play for Liverpool – and he did, winning two league titles
Salah, simply, is Liverpool’s best of the Premier League era. Yes, this year has come with challenges and the incendiary comments he made in the tunnel at Elland Road in December were unnecessary and out of keeping with how he is regarded in the dressing room.
When Salah holds court at the coffee bar in Liverpool’s training ground, he’s down to earth, the essence of how he was raised in Nagrig. He’ll do anything to help his team-mates in the same way he still helps his community, such as paying for an astroturf pitch to built in his old school.
So when he went on the attack after being dropped at Leeds, it caught those who know him well by surprise. It suggested, though, that Salah was starting to rage against the dying of the light, the realisation his superpowers were starting to wane.
Now this story is poised to reach its conclusion and while parting may be for the best, given the economics and his form, it doesn’t change the fact it is still a shock. He was the boy from nowhere who chased a dream and, ultimately, made dreams come true.
