'Disrespect': Crouch says one Liverpool player is wrongly overlooked when ranking the world's best players
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Mohamed Salah has proven over eight seasons at Liverpool why he is one of the world’s best, without the need for award recognition.
In the Merseyside Derby, the ‘Egyptian King’ added to his goal contributions tally for this season with a brilliant ball to Ryan Gravenberch, sublimely finished by the Dutchman to give the winger his third assist in all competitions.
While he has faced criticism from some pundits, Salah is still quietly on course for a stellar Liverpool season after having one of his best seasons for the club, with multiple records broken and a Premier League title to add to his achievements.
But it has felt as though the 33-year-old has found himself to be overlooked by the wider football community, especially at award ceremonies such as the Ballon d’Or.
This has obviously not stopped him from getting the adulation from the supporters on Merseyside who know he is one of the best in the world and does not need a trophy such as that to prove it.
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Pundits Peter Crouch and Joleon Lescott were asked to give their five best players in the world for TNT Sports, with the pair both picking Liverpool players, but only the former Reds striker put Salah in his list.
Lescott opted for Virgil van Dijk; however, both he and Crouch agreed on why they believe the Egyptian is snubbed in these types of lists by the majority of the footballing public.
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The 44-year-old ex-striker was asked why he thinks the incredible right winger is not considered in the world’s top players.
He said: “It’s kind of a disrespect.
He’s just so efficient, Salah and I think that’s what kind of holds him back in people’s minds.
I think the amount of goals that he scored it’s the consistency for eight seasons in a row, barely missed a game, and I think the lowest tally is like 22 goals in a season in the last eight years.”
Lescott chimed in to agree with the popular footballer, as he made a comparison to Harry Kane.
He explained: “Him and Harry Kane are fundamentally so consistent and unique.
I think they’re just taken for granted because it’s not as glamorous as a Vinicius Junior or the goals that Mbappe scores.”
A final point made by Crouch also raised an interesting idea, which can be said about the Ballon d’Or award at times.
“Its greatness as well.
You can’t look past them,” Crouch stated.
In a single season for Liverpool, Mo Salah scored 34 goals and registered 23 assists in all competitions, and won the Golden Boot, Playmaker, Player of the Season, and Premier League trophy – that is greatness.
Lamine Yamal, the Barcelona standout in contention for the Ballon d’Or, scored 18 and assisted 25 in comparison for his La Liga-winning season.
Salah also achieved this feat in a much harder league in terms of competition depth, and he beats him in overall contributions.
It would be a shame for the Liverpool standout not to rank above Yamal after the season he has had and the fact that the 18-year-old will probably take the award next year, depending on Spain’s World Cup performance.
It is unlikely Salah will win, but a ranking above the Spaniard seems fair given the incredible season he has had.