‘I Played 359 Games For Liverpool - Salah is the Most Selfish Player I’ve Ever Seen’

Summary
Mohamed Salah is regarded as one of the finest Liverpool players of all time.
Club luminaries, like Steven Gerrard, have previously praised the ‘Egyptian King’.
However, Graeme Souness has not been as complimentary, calling Salah ‘the most selfish’ player he has ever seen.
Mohamed Salah is widely regarded as one of the best Premier League players of all time, and the Egyptian winger is still going strong at 33. Arne Slot’s Liverpool have been in good form this season, with the former Roma and Fiorentina attacker continuing to be the Reds’ main offensive danger.

He is the fifth highest-scoring player in the division’s history, and he will almost surely move up the list before his time at Anfield ends. Fans of the Merseyside club have fallen in love with the guy affectionately called as the ‘Egyptian King’, with club icons even showering praise on the exciting wide player.

Steven Gerrard, possibly the best player in the club’s history, has previously praised the Reds’ all-time top Premier League scorer (according to The Daily Mail): “I think he’s going to be one of these players that we’ll all appreciate even more when the day eventually comes when he moves on.”

While Gerrard clearly admires Salah, some former Liverpool players have been equally complimentary of the Egyptian international. For example, Graeme Souness had some harsh words for Salah after the 32-year-old’s infamous touchline altercation with Jurgen Klopp against West Ham United last season.

Graeme Souness Slams Mohamed Salah
He slammed the winger as’selfish’.

Then-manager Klopp had decided not to send the Egyptian winger to the London Stadium as the Reds frantically clung to their dwindling Premier League title ambitions. When the German manager finally called on his clinical striker, he was spotted exchanging pleasantries with him at the side of the pitch before introducing him.

On William Hill’s Three Up Front podcast, Souness, who played 359 times for the club, was forthright in his assessment of the situation. The Scottish midfielder-turned-pundit stated, “He no doubt has an exceptionally high opinion of himself, and he’ll have been angry at not starting the game against West Ham last week.” I believe the problem with Jurgen Klopp was a reaction to being brought on with only 10 minutes remaining – Salah was more involved in that altercation than Klopp.”

Not stopping there, Souness went on to say that Salah is the’most selfish’ player he’s ever seen in his long career in the game. He continued:

“Salah is the most selfish player I’ve ever seen. Even before that game, he is always unhappy when Klopp takes him off. That’s what you want from your players; if you pull them off after two goals, they should want to stay and score a third. When Sadio Mane was there, they had frequent disagreements.”

This notion was reinforced when Souness wrote in his column for The Times, “He is maybe as greedy a player as I have seen. All of the big celebrities have some of that, but he is incredibly selfish.”

Souness Says Salah ‘Will Disappear’ in Games
He doesn’t think the Reds’ ace is willing to ‘get himself hurt’

Not only did the Liverpool veteran dispute Salah’s status as a true team player, but he also stated that he does not believe the Egypt international enjoys engaging in fierce clashes with opponents on the pitch. Known for his hardman image on the pitch, Souness stated:

“When the going gets tough and another player puts it on him, Salah will disappear from a game.”

“Last season at Old Trafford, Lisandro Martínez went through him early on, and Salah spent the rest of the game looking over his shoulder for Martinez, which he dislikes.” “He will never hurt himself.”

Souness was a hard-tackling, bruising midfielder in his prime, whereas Salah is a graceful and exquisite winger. The two are highly different, with distinct philosophies and approaches to the beautiful game.

Salah’s Liverpool Career So Far
The Egyptian is already one of the club’s greats.

Since joining Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017 for a small cost of £36.5 million, he has consistently been the best-performing player at Anfield. He will go remembered as Klopp’s finest signing at the English club, ahead of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker.

The most difficult talent in football is consistently getting the ball into the goal. Salah, on the other hand, has made this appear easy at times, having initially broken the Premier League record for the most goals in a season during his debut campaign in the red shirt. He also ranks in the top ten in all-time assists, demonstrating that he is not a one-dimensional player.

With his new contract signed towards the end of the 2024/25 season, the explosive winger will be able to add to his impressive record of accomplishments at Anfield, which now includes a second Premier League triumph.

Mohamed Salah’s Statistics

Competition

Games

Goals

Assists

The Premier League

288

184

The Champions League

Champions League Qualifying

The Europa League

Club World Cup