OPINION: Mo Salah: Liverpool King and Africa’s Premier League GOAT

2026-03-26 - 11:41

When the conversation turns to African royalty in the Premier League, the name Didier Drogba inevitably rises to the surface as his exploits at Chelsea set the benchmark, but he is not alone. The roll call of African excellence in England is rich and enduring with Yaya and Kolo Touré, the mercurial Jay-Jay Okocha, South African trailblazers Benni McCarthy and Lucas Radebe, and the electrifying Sadio Mané. Salah the Egyptian King They have left an indelible imprint on the league’s history. However, when the argument is distilled to its essence, Mohamed Salah is the one figure who stands above the rest. The Egyptian King has not merely matched expectations, he has redefined them. While Drogba’s case remains formidable, Salah’s sustained brilliance gives him the edge as the greatest African ever to grace the Premier League and standing is not confined to just continental debates. ALSO READ: World Cup concerns are exaggerated, says FIFA vice-president At Liverpool, Salah’s legacy draws comparisons with the club’s most revered figures such as Steven Gerrard, Kenny Dalglish, John Barnes and Ian Rush. It is a conversation steeped in history, yet one increasingly tilted in Salah’s favour because the numbers are emphatic and his impact is undeniable. In any rendition of Liverpool’s Mount Rushmore, Salah is not merely included, he towers above it. With confirmation that Salah will depart Anfield at the end of the campaign, concluding a glittering nine-year spell on Merseyside, reflection feels inevitable. Records have tumbled in his wake with startling regularity since his arrival from AS Roma in 2017. He has been central to a period of sustained success, collecting eight major honours: two Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League, an FA Cup, two League Cups, plus the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup. Silverware. Salah’s return of 255 goals in 435 appearances places him third on Liverpool’s all-time scoring list, behind only Rush and Roger Hunt. Along the way, he has claimed four Premier League Golden Boot awards, matching the record set by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry. Standards elevated The 33-year-old reached 100 Liverpool goals in just 151 matches, a club record that underlines his consistency, efficiency and a hallmark of his game. In the league alone, his 281 goal contributions inculdes189 goals and 92 assists. It represents the highest return by any player for a single club in Premier League history. On the European stage, Salah’s influence has been just as profound with 53 goals and 48 of them coming in the Champions League. Salah stands alone as Liverpool’s leading scorer in Europe. He scored the opening goal in the 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspurs in the 2019 Champions League final, proving once again that he delivers when it matters most. The list of individual accolades is extensive, but perhaps secondary to his broader significance. Salah has elevated standards, inspired millions, and carried both Liverpool and the African continent with distinction. It may be some time before a player of comparable impact emerges. ALSO READ: Postecoglou ‘not done yet’ as he watches Spurs and Forest battle relegation There remains a lingering sense that, were he Brazilian or English, his achievements might have attracted even greater acclaim. Regardless, his place in football history is beyond dispute. He’s an icon of the modern era and a standard-bearer for African excellence.