For nearly ten years, Mohamed Salah has been one of football’s most consistent and thrilling stars. Yet, the sport’s most coveted personal prize — the Ballon d’Or — continues to slip from his hands. Loved by Liverpool supporters and admired around the world, the Egyptian forward once again found himself outside the top three despite another season filled with goals, assists, and silverware.
The latest ceremony in Paris only reignited the debate. Salah finished fourth, behind Ousmane Dembélé, Lamine Yamal, and Vitinha. For many Liverpool fans, the result felt like an insult. How could a player who led the scoring charts and drove his club deep into Europe’s competitions not even make the podium? To them, it wasn’t about numbers alone — it was about recognition that never seems to come his way.
The Ballon d’Or has evolved into more than just a trophy; it now shapes reputations and legacies. But the voting process, determined by journalists worldwide, often sparks controversy. This year, Virgil van Dijk’s lowly 28th-place finish was just another reminder of how erratic the system can be. Salah’s omission from the top three only deepened the sense that storylines and hype sometimes outweigh pure performance.
And performance was exactly what Salah delivered. By December, he had already produced 14 goals and 10 assists, carrying Liverpool to the summit of the Premier League and keeping them competitive in Europe. Still, while Dembélé had his defining moments and Yamal wowed the footballing world as a teenage sensation, Salah’s season-long brilliance was once again overshadowed.
For his fans, this feels like more than a disappointment — it feels like an injustice. Many argue that Salah should have been among the leading contenders, if not the outright winner. Others see his situation as a reflection of the award’s true nature: a prize built as much on timing and narrative as on statistics. Sadly for Salah, those factors rarely seem to favour him.
The Ballon d’Or remains the one glaring absence from Salah’s glittering career. Yet to the Kop, his legacy doesn’t need a golden trophy for validation. He is already the King of Anfield, a player whose name is written into the club’s history regardless of Parisian votes. Still, the lingering question won’t go away: what more must Mohamed Salah do to finally lift the award that continues to evade him?
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