Arab football’s greatest debate should celebrate its legends, not diminish them

Riyad Mahrez, Mohamed Salah, Achraf Hakimi, Majed Abdullah and Mohamed Aboutrika all have compelling claims to be regarded as the greatest Arab footballer in history. Yet the debate too often becomes an attempt to discredit the other candidates rather than a discussion of their achievements.

Mahrez led Leicester City to their remarkable Premier League title triumph, won the Premier League with Manchester City, lifted the Champions League and captained Algeria to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Those accomplishments place him firmly at the centre of any conversation about the greatest Arab player.

The counterargument is that Mahrez was not always a regular starter at Manchester City, was not the team’s leading star and won his European honours alongside some of the world’s best players. Some will also argue that other players were technically superior.

Then there is Salah, whose outstanding career with Liverpool has made him one of the defining figures of the modern Premier League. He has won the Champions League and Premier League, while accumulating records and individual awards that cannot be ignored.

But critics ask: “How can he be the greatest Arab player in history when he did not win the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt?” They question whether a player without a major international trophy should rank above those who lifted the continental title more than once.

Hakimi has another powerful case. He is one of the world’s leading right-backs, has enjoyed an exceptional European career with major clubs, won the Champions League and played a prominent role in Morocco’s historic 2022 World Cup achievement.

Yet the response is often: “He is a defender after all!” That argument suggests a player’s value is reduced by his position, or that influence can be measured only through goals.

Majed Abdullah, the Saudi football icon and one of the greatest goalscorers in Asian football history, produced an extraordinary scoring career with Al-Nassr and Saudi Arabia. However, some question the era in which he played, where he played and what he achieved beyond Arab football.

Aboutrika is regarded by many who witnessed his talent and influence at Al Ahly and with Egypt as the greatest of them all. He won the Africa Cup of Nations several times and enjoyed continental and global success with his club and country. His critics, however, point to the fact that his achievements came in Africa and ask why he never tested himself in Europe’s major leagues.

The same pattern applies to Hossam Hassan, Rabah Madjer, Badou Zaki, Sami Al-Jaber, Saeed Al-Owairan, Lakhdar Belloumi, Yasser Al-Qahtani, Ahmed Radhi, Jassem Yaqoubi and Tarek Dhiab. Each belongs to a different generation and has strengths that can be debated or challenged.

Disagreement is natural. Every player had different circumstances, played in a different position and faced different competitions and challenges.

Fans are entitled to choose Salah, Mahrez, Hakimi, Majed Abdullah, Aboutrika or Hossam Hassan. They can debate statistics, trophies and performances, and challenge one another with footballing arguments.

What should not be normal is trying to deny others the right to celebrate their heroes. Salah does not need Mahrez’s achievements diminished to be considered great, just as Mahrez does not need Salah’s accomplishments denied. Aboutrika’s talent is not reduced because he did not play in Europe, Hakimi is not less valuable because he is a defender, and Majed Abdullah’s status does not disappear because football has changed.

The richer question may not be who is the greatest Arab player, but why some supporters cannot celebrate their own legends without attacking everyone else’s.