The Liverpool forward has come a long way since starting out at El Mokawloon Club, with his hard work and dedication being richly rewarded
Mohamed Salah’s path to global superstardom has been a long and arduous one, with the Liverpool forward having started out in humble surroundings at El Mokawloon Club.

It is that grounding which has made him the player he is today, with the 26-year-old having never lost sight of his roots while being
showered by praise and prestigious awards in the professional ranks – including the Goal Arab Player of the Year prize for 2018.

He has had to work hard – harder than most – to get to this point, with the determination which shaped him as a youngster now allowing him to
thrive as a senior sensation and role model to millions .

Those who helped to mould Salah’s undoubted potential never doubted that he would scale such heights, with every obstacle that has been put in front of the pacey frontman having been cleared with consummate ease.

Mohamed Radwan – the man who gave a teenage Salah his first taste of senior football – told Goal of the raw talent he first encountered in Egypt: “In 2008, I was the manager of El Mokawloon’s first team and I decided to watch their U16 team match versus Al Ahly. My assistants had wondered why I may be interested in players under the age of 16!

“In that match, Salah was awesome and he really caught my attention. I immediately decided to bring him to the first team. And because he was just 15 years old, his body wasn’t fully formed so we worked on a special diet and training program for him.

“At the end of 2008, Mo Salah had played his first match in the Egyptian League and it was against Enppi SC. He was 15 years and 10 months old exactly, so he is considered the youngest player to ever play at the Egyptian League.

“Enppi were playing really well at that time and our team were not enjoying their best days. Salah was warming up, so I told him my decision that he’s going to play and I asked him: ‘Are you afraid?’ He responded with confidence: ‘No Sir’.

“Mo Salah, from the first glance, had the speed and the talent, the fateful decision was to call on a young player and give him the chance!”

Mohamed Salah has been named Goal Arab Player of the Year for 2018