Mohamed Salah reveals his idol and what he does after a bad game

Egyptian star Mohamed Salah, the Liverpool forward, has spoken about the challenges he faced throughout his football career, what he does after playing a bad game, and his love for football.

In an interview published by Liverpool’s official account on the platform X, Salah answered a series of questions asked by two young players from the club’s women’s academy.

Salah said in a video posted by Liverpool’s official account:

“When I was young, maybe seven or eight years old, I used to play football with my friends in the street just for fun, because I loved the game,” he said.
“I told my father that I wanted to play football, and he supported me in every possible way.”

The Egyptian star continued:

“Ronaldo Nazário was my idol.”

Speaking about the difficulties he encountered in his career, Mohamed Salah explained:

“I still face challenges even now. When I was younger, I had to travel to Cairo every day for training—around four and a half hours each way. At that time, I wasn’t always part of the starting lineup, so doubts would come to my mind and I would ask myself, ‘Why am I doing this?’ But my father was always supportive and encouraging. He used to tell me, ‘Just keep trying, and you’ll see that your effort will pay off in the end.’”

When asked what he does after a bad game, Salah said:

“I usually play with my kids after the match and try to disconnect completely from the world. I don’t use my phone at all. When you get a bit older, you realize that these things are part of football—and part of life as well.”

Concluding his remarks about his passion for football, Mohamed Salah said:

“I still love playing football. I love being on the pitch, doing what I adore, and seeing people happy when we win. I never take anything for granted, and I remind myself every day where I came from and what I’ve become. It’s something great, and I’m grateful for every moment. When we won the Premier League, my happiness was indescribable. It’s for those moments that I play football.”

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