Mohamed Salah bid an emotional farewell to Liverpool F.C. on Sunday, ending a historic era at Anfield as one of the club's greatest ever players and one of the most influential Arab and Muslim athletes in modern sport.
The Egyptian star leaves Liverpool after nine unforgettable seasons in which he shattered records, won major trophies and transformed perceptions of Arabs and Muslims in English football through both his performances and public embrace of his faith and identity .
Salah departs as one of Liverpool's all-time greats, having won nine trophies with the club, including two Premier League titles, a UEFA Champions League title and an FA Cup.
His success came after many in England had written him off following a difficult spell with Chelsea F.C. during the 2015-2016 season.
But beyond football, Salah became a proud symbol of Egyptian, Arab and Muslim identity on one of the world's biggest sporting stages.
The forward regularly celebrated goals with sujud, the Islamic act of prostration in prayer, and was frequently seen making dua before matches, openly expressing his faith in a European football environment often marked by Islamophobia and anti-Muslim rhetoric.
His connection with supporters produced some of the most famous chants in Premier League history, including: "Mohamed Salah, a gift from Allah. He came from Roma, to Liverpool. He's always scoring, it’s almost boring. So please don't take Mohamed away."
Another widely sung chant declared: "Mo Sa-la-la-la-lah, Mo Sa-la-la-la-lah, if he’s good enough for you, he’s good enough for me, if he scores another few, then I’ll be Muslim too."
The chant continues: "He's sitting in the mosque, that's where I want to be."
Fans' willingness to embrace Salah’s Muslim identity and weave it into terrace culture reflected the enormous affection he inspired in the city.
Salah's rise as an Egyptian Muslim sports icon in Britain also coincided with measurable declines in anti-Muslim hostility around Liverpool.
A 2019 study by Stanford University’s Immigration and Policy Lab, titled 'Can Exposure to Celebrities Reduce Prejudice? The Effect of Mohamed Salah on Islamophobic Behaviors and Attitudes', found that hate crimes linked to Islamophobia in the Merseyside area dropped by 18.9% after Salah's arrival at Liverpool.
The study also found a 53% reduction in anti-Muslim language used by Liverpool fans on social media.
Despite becoming one of the biggest names in world football, Salah repeatedly stressed that Islam remained central to his life and identity, saying he was proud to "express his faith on the field and through my actions and prayers".
Salah also used his global platform to speak out on issues affecting Egypt, the Arab world and Palestinians, including condemning the killing of Palestinian footballer Suleiman Obeid in Gaza last year. Farewell to an Egyptian king Sunday's farewell came after Liverpool's final match of the season against Brentford F.C. ended in a 1-1 draw. Salah provided an assist for Curtis Jones and was named Man of the Match in his final appearance for the club.
The Egyptian was visibly emotional after the match and was embraced by teammates, including fellow departing player Andy Robertson. Liverpool honoured Salah with a Champions Wall plaque and a traditional guard of honour marking his departure.
Salah was joined on the pitch by his wife and two daughters, who celebrated alongside him as fans paid tribute to a player widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers ever produced by Egypt and the Arab world.
Despite Liverpool enduring a difficult season marked by inconsistent performances, tensions between Salah and manager Arne Slot, and the death of player Diogo Jota , the Egyptian forward still finished the campaign in remarkable form.
Liverpool also released a farewell documentary celebrating Salah's career, featuring appearances from former and current teammates as well as rivals.
To celebrate Salah’s extraordinary career at Liverpool, The New Arab looks back at some of the Egyptian King’s landmark achievements with the Reds: - First season with the Reds: Salah enjoyed a record-breaking debut season with Liverpool, silencing doubters after being signed for £36.5 million from Italy’s AS Roma, where he excelled despite an unremarkable spell with Chelsea. He scored 44 goals in 52 appearances, winning the prestigious Golden Boot award. - First Premier League trophy: The Reds lifted their 19th Premier League trophy following the end of the 2019-2020 season, marking Salah’s first time winning the league with the side. The season was overshadowed by the Covid-19 pandemic, but nonetheless, it added to Liverpool’s ever-growing trophy cabinet as one of England’s most successful clubs. - 2024-2025 record-breaking season: Last season was arguably Salah’s year, shattering records and scoring in almost every game for the Reds, leading them to their twentieth league title. The Egyptian king scored 29 goals and assisted a further 18 in the league as he broke the record for most goal involvements in a 38-game season. - 2019 Champions League title: The coveted UEFA Champions League trophy returned to Anfield after a 15-year-long absence thanks to a stellar campaign by the Reds. Salah scored a total of five goals in the run-up to the final and scored a decisive penalty in the final against Tottenham Hotspur to give Liverpool a decisive lead. - That City goal. Mo Salah has netted his fair share of belters in rivals’ nets, but the goal against Manchester City in October 2021 was voted by fans as his greatest ever. The stunning solo goal saw the Egyptian dribble, shimmy, and sprint past several City opponents from outside the box, and take a chance at scoring -and successfully so.