Mohamed Salah has explained why he voted for Vinicius Junior to win the 2024 FIFA Men’s Player award.
The Brazilian striker, who won a La Liga and Champions League double in a brilliant 12 months with Real Madrid, was recognized by his fellow players after controversially missing out on the Ballon d’Or to Manchester City midfielder Rodri.
The FIFA Best awards are voted for by captains of international teams around the world and allow Salah to give his opinion on a remarkable year in football.
In conversation with TNT Sports MexicoOn his decision to vote for the Real Madrid star, Salah said: “Vinicius Junior is a very good player, that’s why! He’s improving every year and hopefully he can keep going… I voted for him because he deserves it.”
Salah could be in the running for the award himself next year if he maintains the form he showed in the first half of the 2024/25 season. The Egyptian was breathtaking for Liverpool, taking Arne Slot’s side to the top of the Premier League table, while his goals in the European Cup helped the club top the reformatted Champions League standings – with the Reds on six wins from six European Cup games they were sent off and conceded only once.
With a remarkable tally of 17 goals in 18 Premier League games, Salah is also clearly at the top of the division’s Golden Boot race, but he has every intention of winning the title in what could be his final season at Anfield.
“In my interviews over the last seven or eight years, I’ve always said [I want to win the] Champions League. “But this is the first time that I really say that I want to win the Premier League with Liverpool,” Salah said Sky Sports.
“My motivation this year was to win a trophy and play a big part in winning that trophy, especially the Premier League.”
“I still believe the team needs a trophy. There’s still half the team left like me, Trent.” [Alexander-Arnold]Virgil [Van Dijk]Alisson, Robbo [Andy Robertson].
“It is necessary that we win another trophy before we all leave.”
Salah’s form has inevitably led many to believe he is the favorite to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or – an award he has not even come close to achieving in his glittering career. In fact, fifth places in the 2019 and 2022 editions are the greatest recognition Salah has received to date.