Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has claimed that Karim Benzema is the best player in the world – aside from the Egyptian himself.
Speaking to BT Sport ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League final, Salah was asked whether he considers himself the best on the planet.
“Yeah, I would say that,” said Mo. “In my mind, yeah. It doesn’t matter if you choose someone else or not, I respect it. But in my mind, yeah.”
Liverpool’s number 11 did throw out another name though, and it’s hardly a surprise either.
“If I don’t pick myself, I pick Benzema,” concluded Salah.
Ballon d’Or battles in Paris
As well as a battle for the Champions League title, Saturday evening in Paris will surely decide the destination of this year’s Ballon d’Or.
Unless Liverpool can beat Madrid, that particular gong will be in the hands of Benzema. Doubtlessly, he’d be as deserving-a winner as any down the years.
Some of the things he’s managed to pull off in the Champions League this season have been truly jaw-dropping.
If The Reds can bring the trophy back to Merseyside though, they’ll have a couple of candidates of their own.
Salah will be one of them, despite his poor form in 2022. Had he have kept up his blistering levels from the start of the season, it would definitely be a straight shootout between himself and Benzema at this stage.
As things are though, Sadio Mane has probably overtaken him as a candidate. Mane has come into form at exactly the right time and has also famously pipped Mo on the international stage, too.
If either can make a big contribution to Liverpool winning the cup, that will sit high in the minds of the voters.
The galling thing is that, should Mane claim the award, he may not even be a Liverpool player any more at the time. No Reds player has won it since Michael Owen in 2001. If Mane can end that streak but as say, a Bayern Munich player, it would be a little bit of a shame.
First, to more important matters though. Let’s go and win the thing first, and then we’ll see where we are once the dust has settled. Come on you Reds!
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