Portal:Football in Africa/Selected biography/25
Mohamed Salah is an Egyptian professional footballer who plays as a forward for English club Liverpool and the Egyptian national team as a winger.
Salah began his youth career at El Mokawloon, making his senior debut in 2010 before moving to Swiss side Basel on a four-year contract in June 2012. He made his competitive debut for the club in a UEFA Champions League preliminary stage match against Norwegian club Molde on 8 August, coming on as a substitute in the 74th minute. After making 77 appearances in all competitions over his two seasons at the club, helping them win the Swiss Super League in both seasons, Salah joined English giants Chelsea for a reported fee of £11 million in January 2014. Salah struggled for playing time at the club, spending his final season-and-a-half on loan at Fiorentina and Roma, for whom he signed permanently in August 2016 for a reported €15 million.
Following consistent match-winning performances in Rome to lead them to second-placed finish and a record points-tally in 2017, Salah relocated back to the Premier League to sign for Liverpool for a then club-record fee of £36.9 million. During his second spell in England, Salah adapted his game from a natural winger to a complete forward, and quickly became the focal point of the team. He would go on to break the club's scoring record for a debut season, receiving the Premier League Golden Boot after registering a record 32 goals in 36 league games. He also became the first player to win three Premier League Player of the Month awards in the same season. His record breaking performances saw him receive a number of other accolades at the end of the 2017–18 season, including the PFA Players' Player of the Year, the Football Writers' Player of the Year, and the PFA Fans' Player of the Year awards. He was also named in the 2017–18 PFA Team of the Year.
Salah represented Egypt at under-20 and under-23 level before making his senior debut against Sierra Leone on 3 September 2011. He was an important part of the squad that participated in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, notching 2 goals and 2 assists to help his side reach the final where they lost to Cameroon.