LONDON: Mohamed Salah’s incredible season is not just about winning individual awards or helping Liverpool to a possible UEFA Champions League win — the Egyptian star is inspiring millions of fans across the Arab world.
On Sunday the Egyptian ace won the PFA Premier League Player of the Year award, after his stunning exploits since joining Liverpool from AS Roma last summer. The 25-year-old leads the scoring charts with 31 goals this season so far, and is on target to beat Andy Cole’s record of 34 strikes in a single Premier League campaign.
And while that is great for both Salah and Liverpool, it is also great for the Middle East.
“When there is a player like Salah performing, scoring and playing at the level he is playing at then it is amazing for Arabian football,” Nelo Vingada, former coach of Cairo giants Zamalek and the Egyptian Under-23 team, told Arab News.
Vingada believes that the January departure of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool to Barcelona has given the forward the extra freedom he needed to excel in the Premier League.
“The people of Egypt are proud and very excited about Salah.
Football is one of the things that unites the country and they are loving that he is playing so well,” added Vingada, who also led Saudi Arabia to the 1996 Asian Cup title.
Pat Janssen, CEO of Saudi Arabian club Al-Shabab, has been watching Salah’s success with a lot of enthusiasm and pride from Riyadh.
“There is no question that Salah is inspirational for all Arabic players, and that includes those from the Asia side,” Janssen told Arab News.
“I can’t recall a higher profile player to come from the region. What he is doing with Liverpool can energize the region simply because Egypt is a massive football nation.”
It is hoped that the sight of Salah scoring goals by the bucketload and grabbing personal awards will inspire other Arab footballers to go to the big leagues in Europe and prove their
talent on some of the biggest stages in the world.
“It has always been difficult for players to head overseas. In Egypt, it is different. They are open to fighting hard to make a better life for themselves,” Vingada said.
The rest of the world will get a chance to see how far Salah can take Egypt in the World Cup when the team’s chances of a place in the knockout stage may depend on the final game against Saudi Arabia. The two Arab nations have been drawn together in Group A with hosts Russia and South America powerhouses Uruguay.
“In Saudi Arabia, people will be proud of what he has doing as he is a Muslim and an Arab but ultimately he is Egyptian,” said Vingada. “It won’t be easy for Saudi Arabia to stop him. He is one of the best players in the world at the moment and if anyone can lead Egypt to the second round, he can.”
That would end what may just be a perfect season for Mohamed Salah.
'Mohamed Salah's PFA Player of the Year award can inspire all Arab footballers'
'Mohamed Salah's PFA Player of the Year award can inspire all Arab footballers'
- Mohamed Salah is the second Arab to win the sought-after award.
- Former Saudi Arabia coach Nelo Vingada claims win will persuade more Arabs to play in Europe.
Ex-Tottenham player Bentaleb back training with Lille after cardiac arrest
- Coach of the Ligue 1 side, Bruno Genesio, said Bentaleb resumed individual training a few days ago
- Bentaleb collapsed on June 18 while playing a five-a-side match with friends, French media reported at the time
LILLE: Nabil Bentaleb, the former Tottenham and Algeria midfielder who suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest less than seven months ago, is back training with his club Lille.
Coach of the Ligue 1 side, Bruno Genesio, said Bentaleb resumed individual training a few days ago with a physical trainer and started practicing with the ball on Monday.
“I’ve seen him, and spoken to him for the past two or three days. He’s in good spirits, he’s motivated,” Genesio said.
Bentaleb collapsed on June 18 while playing a five-a-side match with friends, French media reported at the time. At Lille University Hospital, he was put into an artificial coma before being fitted with a pacemaker-defibrillator days later.
The 30-year-old Bentaleb is hopeful he will be able to resume his career, following in the footsteps of Christian Eriksen. The Danish playmaker, who collapsed because of cardiac arrest during a European Championship game in June 2021 and had a type of pacemaker fitted, has made a full recovery and plays in the Premier League with Manchester United.
Bentaleb joined Lille in 2023, returning to the club where he honed his skills as a youngster. He was born in the northern French city and trained at the club academy after his talent was spotted when he was just 10 years old.
After being released, he started his senior career in the Premier League with Tottenham, where he made more than 60 appearances, then joined German side Schalke. Bentaleb also played for Newcastle and Angers.
Court rules German football clubs must pay police costs at ‘high-risk’ matches
- On Tuesday the Karlsruhe-based court dismissed the DFL’s claim that the practice was unconstitutional
- While the ruling only applies to Bremen, one of Germany’s 16 federal states, the decision is likely to have wide-ranging impacts
BERLIN: Bundesliga clubs across Germany may be forced to cover the costs of police at certain ‘high-risk’ games, after a German court upheld a ruling in the city state of Bremen.
The federal constitutional court on Tuesday dismissed an appeal by the German Football Leagues (DFL) against the practice of asking clubs to pay additional police costs in ‘high risk’ games.
In 2015, the government in the state of Bremen handed club Werder Bremen a bill of around 400,000 euros ($410,100) relating to the home derby match with neighboring Hamburg.
The DFL has waged a 10-year legal battle to have the fine overturned but suffered a series of legal defeats.
On Tuesday the Karlsruhe-based court dismissed the DFL’s claim that the practice was unconstitutional.
While the ruling only applies to Bremen, one of Germany’s 16 federal states, the decision is likely to have wide-ranging impacts, with other state governments considering following suit.
Police maintain a presence at matches in the professional leagues but around 50 games per year, usually derby fixtures or those with long-standing rivalries, are deemed higher risk.
Bremen’s regional interior minister Ulrich Maeurer welcomed the decision and revealed the state had already billed Werder Bremen around two million euros over the past decade.
Recognizing how the additional costs will cause a burden for clubs, Maeurer floated the idea of a DFL fund for police costs, an idea the governing body has rejected.
The DFL argued areas outside stadiums were the responsibility of the state and should be covered by tax revenue.
The German FA (DFB) on Tuesday said the ruling was “incorrect,” saying it made clubs “liable for security costs in public areas over which they have no control.”
Covering police costs could “threaten the existence” of smaller clubs, the DFB said, adding the ruling “does not improve fan security at all.”
Tuesday’s decision was also criticized by fan groups.
In a statement, fan organization ‘Unsere Kurve’ said it was “shocked” at the decision and said German football contributed around 1.6 billion euros per season in tax revenue.
Spokesperson Thomas Kessen said the organizers of the Oktoberfest, Cologne Carnival and Berlin’s New Years Eve celebrations should now pay police costs, “even if is doubtful whether we as a society would want this.”
Former Liverpool goalkeeper Karius signs for Schalke
- Karius has bounced around teams in England, Germany and Türkiye but has failed to secure significant game time
- "Schalke are a big club with passionate fans," Karius said
BERLIN: Former Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius on Tuesday signed for German second-division side Schalke, the latest in a series of clubs as he tries to revive his career.
Karius has bounced around teams in England, Germany and Türkiye but has failed to secure significant game time.
The 31-year-old was widely criticised following an error-ridden performance in Liverpool's 3-1 Champions League final loss to Real Madrid in 2018, his last match for the club.
Five days after the match, Karius was diagnosed with concussion, having collided with Real defender Sergio Ramos.
Most recently he was with Premier League club Newcastle but has been a free agent since his contract expired in July 2024.
"Schalke are a big club with passionate fans," Karius said in a statement, adding "I'm looking forward to training with the team."
Karius joins fallen giants Schalke, who are also looking for an upturn in fortunes.
One of Germany's biggest clubs with seven top-flight titles, Schalke sit just six points above the relegation play-off place in the German second division.
Having arrived in Gelsenkirchen for a medical on Friday, Karius is expected to be Schalke's back-up 'keeper behind Justin Heekeren.
Officials reinforce Japan-Saudi sports relations
Matsumoto Hisashi, Japan’s parliamentary vice minister for foreign affairs, visited the Saudi Judo Federation on Monday during his visit to the Kingdom, further strengthening the relations between the two countries.
The visit highlighted the Saudi Judo Federation’s achievements and its future programs. Additionally, the Japanese official paid a visit to the Mahad Academy to attend a judo demonstration.
During his visit to Saudi Arabia, Matsumoto also held a meeting with Rakan bin Ibrahim Altouq, the assistant minister of culture, to further foster Japan-Saudi culture relations. He, alongside a Japanese delegation, also held talks with Saudi officials to discuss Vision 2030.
Banton, Pooran steer MI Emirates to emphatic 26-run triumph over Dubai Capitals
- Victory at Zayed Cricket Stadium was MI Emirates’ first win of the DP World ILT20 season
ABU DHABI: The MI Emirates cruised to their first win of the DP World ILT20 season against the Dubai Capitals at Zayed Cricket Stadium on Monday evening.
With half-centuries from Tom Banton and Nicholas Pooran, the MI Emirates clinched a 26-run win.
Shai Hope was the star of the match with a magnificent 101 runs in 59 balls, but it was in vain as the Dubai Capitals lost to the MI Emirates for the first time in the tournament’s history.
The course of the game turned in favor of the MI Emirates with Fazalhaq Farooqi’s over, where he picked up two wickets and conceded just three runs.
With the Capitals chasing a daunting target of 188, the MI Emirates opened their bowling with spin. Akeal Hosein was handed the new ball and the move nearly paid off in the third over.
This was when Ben Dunk skied a quicker one, but Waqar Salamkheil dropped the sitter. Hope, at the other end, did the bulk of the scoring and anchored the Capitals’ innings.
Alzarri Joseph gave the MI Emirates the breakthrough as he bowled Dunk in the sixth over, but Hope motored on at the other end and brought up his 50 in 32 deliveries.
Hope and McMullen put up 61 for the second wicket before the latter was stumped by Pooran. It was a redemption tale for Salamkheil as he finally got his man.
Hope remained unscathed and hit AM Ghazanfar for a four and six as he brought up his T20 career’s second century. This was the first century scored by a Dubai Capitals player and also the third 100 in the history of the DP World ILT20. Hope fell with the next ball.
The momentum swung the MI Emirates’ way thereafter as Farooqi dismissed Sikandar Raza with a toe-crushing yorker. Farooqi made it two in two as he crafted another brilliant yorker to get rid of Dasun Shanaka’s off-stump.
The Dubai Capitals were left to rue their chances as Zahoor Khan bowled a fantastic 19th over, giving away just one run. The Dubai Capitals needed 36 in the final over, but it proved to be too steep a hill to climb.
Earlier in the evening, the MI Emirates stuttered as Dushmantha Chameera was on the money in his very first delivery. He outfoxed Kusala Perera and dislodged his leg stump to give the Dubai Capitals an early footing in the game.
Banton joined Muhammed Waseem in the middle and the duo offered the MI Emirates much-needed stability with a key partnership of 38 runs that was littered with boundaries.
However, Raza made amends for a missed catch earlier as he found the stumps with a stunning throw from mid-off and Waseem returned to the pavilion for 18. The powerplay ended with the MI Emirates putting up 50 for two, with both teams having plenty of positive takeaways.
Banton continued to thrive on one end, bringing up his half-century in style as he swept Zahir Khan for a huge six on the leg side to wrap up the 11th over.
Coming in at number four, Pooran joined the party as he clobbered two fours and six sixes in a 29-ball endeavor that yielded 59 runs. Pooran took Olly Stone for three successive sixes in the 15th over.
The skipper began his onslaught with a perfectly timed scoop, the next was a fortunate edge that sailed over the ropes, and the third was a repeat of the first. In pursuit of a fourth consecutive maximum, he holed out to Shanaka at deep midwicket.
Stone struck again in the 18th over as he got rid of Banton, the architect of MI Emirates’ innings, for a top score of 74 runs in 52 balls.
Romario Shepherd, Kieron Pollard and Joseph made up Gulbadin Naib’s second consecutive three-wicket haul in the final over as the Capitals restricted the MI Emirates to 187 for seven.
Expressing his regret on not bringing the Capitals home, centurion Hope said: “A 100 always feels a lot sweeter when you end up on the winning side.
“Just unfortunate I could not get the team there, but we just fell short with the bat. It was a pretty good pitch, and I thought we did well to restrict them to under 200.”
Meanwhile, Player of the Match, Banton remarked: “It was tricky to begin with. We spoke pre-game that someone’s got to bat through the innings. I looked to put pressure back on the bowlers when the ball was in my area.
“I’ve played a lot of cricket here and the wickets are always good. It’s my first year here, I was with MI Cape Town last year. Someone has to put his hand up every game, and today it was me.”
Brief scores:
MI Emirates beat Dubai Capitals by 26 runs.
MI Emirates 187-7 in 20 overs (Tom Banton 74, Nicholas Pooran 59, Kieron Pollard 22, Gulbadin Naib 3 for 27).
Dubai Capitals 161-6 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 101, Brandon McMullen 16, Fazalhaq Farooqi 2 for 22).
