Liverpool’s mainstay striker from Egypt, Mohamed Salah successfully won the best player title from the British Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA).
Mohamed Salah, who now wears the number 11 shirt at Anfield, has won the prestigious annual award for the second time.
This follows Salah’s remarkable feat earlier in the 2017/18 season.
Salah was announced as the recipient of the award at the PFA Awards on Thursday (9/6/2022).
Team-mates Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk were also on the list of the last six candidates.
This is the ninth time a Liverpool player has won the award. Salah is the first to win it twice while with the Reds.
“Thank you very much. It’s great, always, to win trophies individually or collectively. This one is big. I’m very happy and very proud of that,” he said, quoted by contentPedia from Liverpool’s official website.
Salah also said that this title was very good for him, especially because the winner was chosen by the players.
According to Salah, of course he wants the Premier League and Champions League trophies above all else.
“But as an individual, it shows you a little bit that you work really hard and you get what you do. Not just individuals, collectively, surely the team comes first. But you won awards from journalists, as well as awards from the players. It shows you that this season has been really good,” said Salah.
The Egypt international played 51 games for the Reds last season as they lifted the Emirates FA Cup and Carabao Cup at Wembley. Liverpool also finished as runners-up in the Premier League and Champions League.
Salah scored 31 goals in all competitions, moving up to ninth on the list of the club’s all-time top scorers. He also recorded 15 assists.
His stunning solo goal against Manchester City at Anfield was voted Premier League Goal of the Season. Salah received the Golden Shoe and Playmaker awards for the most goals and assists each in a top-flight league.
Salah has also been voted Standard Chartered Men’s Player of the Year, English Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year and PFA Fans Player of the Year.
On how his mindset has changed over the years, Salah has an answer. “When you get older. You feel more stable, you handle pressure better and you know exactly what you want from football. I’m just trying to really relax and help the team.”
According to Salah, that might be the reason he won the Playmaker title, because he is more aware of the game.
Salah admitted to trying to make his team-mates better as well and trying to make himself better in the game too.
Previous PFA Award winners include Terry McDermott (1980), Kenny Dalglish (1983), Ian Rush (1984), John Barnes (1988), Steven Gerrard (2006), Luis Suarez (2014), Salah (2018), and Van Dijk (2019). Congratulations to Mohamed Salah !
