‘Time for football to be fair’ – Egypt’s Hossam Hassan calls for Ballon d’Or to honour Mohamed Salah

Egypt’s head coach Hossam Hassan has issued an impassioned call for Mohamed Salah to be recognised as the world’s best player ahead of the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on Monday night.

The Liverpool forward, captain of the Pharaohs, is among the nominees for football’s most prestigious individual award and is aiming to make history as the first Egyptian to win it.

Hassan, who took charge of the national side in February last year, has worked closely with Salah and believes the time has come for the 32-year-old to be rewarded for his consistency at the highest level.

“It is time for football to be fair,” he wrote in a lengthy Instagram post backing the Liverpool star’s bid.

Salah netted 34 goals last season as Liverpool reclaimed the Premier League title by a 10-point margin.

The Reds, however, lost in the Carabao Cup final and were eliminated at the Champions League round of 16 by eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.

PSG’s Ousmane Dembélé is widely regarded as the bookmakers’ favourite to collect the award at the Théâtre du Châtelet, but Hassan insists Salah’s performances have set him apart.

“Considering the hardships he encountered along his journey, he deserves it,” Hassan wrote.

“Measuring years of brilliance, excellence and creativity in the strongest league in the world, he deserves it.

“It is difficult to get to the top, but all the difficulty lies in continuing on the top, and he has reached the top and continued on it for many years.”

Hassan concluded by saying a Ballon d’Or victory would be “the best crowning of the career of a great player” and a milestone not just for Egyptian football but for Arab, African and world football as well.