Jamie Carragher has backed Mo Salah to accomplish something in 2025 which has only ever been done once by a player at Liverpool.
The sole instance of the Ballon d’Or being awarded to a Reds player came 23 years ago, when Michael Owen scooped the prize, with Virgil van Dijk (second in 2019) coming the closest to emulating the former England striker.
However, with the Egyptian King enjoying a rip-roaring season so far (19 goals and 15 assists) for an LFC team leading the way in the Premier League and Champions League, he could well be a viable contender at next year’s ceremony.
In his latest column for The Telegraph, Carragher gave a series of predictions across the footballing world in 2025, one of which was to tip Salah for the Ballon d’Or.
The ex-Liverpool defender wrote: “Salah has stated in the past that he wants to become the second African to win the Ballon d’Or after George Weah did so in 1995. I think he has a great chance.
“The judges usually pick the player of the tournament at a World Cup or European Championship. With no international tournament this year, it will probably be dictated by the outstanding players in the Champions League.
“Liverpool may have to win or at least reach the final for Salah’s ambition to be realised, but no attacker in Europe is currently as productive as him, and it is usually the forwards who win.”
As Carragher says, Salah’s Ballon d’Or prospects may rest on whether or not Liverpool win the Premier League and/or Champions League, although that dream double seems to be within their capabilities this season based on what we’ve witnessed so far.
The opportunity to become the first African winner of the prize in 30 years is something which could well drive on the Egyptian, who’s known for relentlessly chasing down individual accolades in addition to producing the goods for his team.
The 32-year-old – who’s in talks with LFC over a potential new contract – seems likelier to contend for major silverware for his club than his country, and with 2026 being a World Cup year, 2025 might represent his best chance of scooping the Ballon d’Or.
If he goes on to hit the 40-goal mark by the end of the season, and if Liverpool become champions of Europe for the seventh time, Salah might indeed assume pole position for the most prominent individual prize in football.
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