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Social media users in Egypt have reacted with pride as Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah became the first Egyptian footballer to be named the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year.
He is only the second African footballer to win the award, after Leicester City's Algerian midfielder Riyad Mahrez in 2016.
Salah, 25, has scored a 31 Premier League goals this season this season (equalling the 38-game-season record held by Luis Suarez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Alan Shearer) with three league games still remaining.
In Egypt, his triumph was front page news and the hashtag "the legend Mohamed Salah" has been shared more than 25,000 times since the announcement as compatriots paid tribute to the player Liverpool fans christened the 'Egyptian king'.
Egyptian actress Rasha Mahdi was among many to tweet an image of Salah as a pharaoh.
Skip Twitter post by @RashaMahdi مستغربة الناس اللي بتقول محمد صلاح فخر مصر 🇪🇬 مش فخر العرب!
منسيب كله يفرح معانا 💃👏💫🥇🤩
دا حتى الفرحه تحب اللمه
ابننا فخر مصر و العرب و أفريقيا و الشرق الأوسط
دا حتى فخر كل اللي شعرهم أسود 😄#الاسطوره_محمد_صلاح 🤴 pic.twitter.com/mBYGhEuVQW — رشا مهدي Rasha Mahdi (@RashaMahdi) April 23, 2018 Report
Salah is a national icon in Egypt. Last year, the footballer's 95th-minute penalty against Congo secured a 2-1 victory which saw the Egyptian national team qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1990.
Streets have been named in his honour, as well as a school in the city of Basyoun, while in January the footballer was received by Egypt's president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
President al-Sisi was first elected president in May 2014, close to a year after he removed his elected predecessor, the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammed Morsi, in a coup. The Muslim Brotherhood is now banned in Egypt.
But political groups on both sides were among those to offer their congratulations. Pro-state figures and Muslim Brotherhood supporters alike were quick to signal their support.
Haytham Abokhalil, a pro-Muslim Brotherhood human rights activist, said Salah's award "gives confidence to our youth that it can be the best if it has the appropriate possibilities and opportunities".
To those sharing images of Salah's meeting with the Egyptian president, he said: "whoever publishes photos of Sisi with captain Salah are a minority who wish to remain in the sick ward".
Several official state bodies have issued statements congratulating Salah. A foreign ministry spokesman said that Salah was "a source of national pride and happiness," and "a true inspiration to the youth of Egypt and Africa".
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Paying tribute to Salah as "the source of happiness for millions of Egyptians", the chairman of Egyptian Premier League side Zamalek, Mortada Mansour, noted that one of his predecessors had rejected the chance to sign the player in 2011.
Political activist Mahmoud Mohamed said the struggles Salah faced early in his career demonstrated his resolve.
"Mohamed [Salah] resisted and struggled," he tweeted. "He had one and two setbacks and did not give up. He has achieved the dream."
Skip Twitter post by @HMahmoudmohmed محمد صلاح كان بيلعب في المقاولون و كان كل حلمه انه يلعب في الزمالك والزمالك رفضه.
شوف النهارده محمد صلاح بقي أفضل لاعب في إنجلترا.
محمد قاوم وعارف ووقع مره واتنين وقام تاني ومستسلمش وقال خلاص.. إنه الحلم اللي حققه محمد صلاح الف مبروك.#الاسطوره_محمد_صلاح pic.twitter.com/WO7TJHnYOj — بتاع التيشرت (@HMahmoudmohmed) April 22, 2018 Report
The footballer's success has resonated in other parts of the Middle East and Africa, where his name has also been trending online. Many Twitter users saw the award as a source of pride not just for Egypt but for the entire Arab world.
Saudi social media user Tariq al-Nofai shared a video interview with Salah, filmed when he was playing for Swiss side Basel.
"An interview which brings hope to the weary and those whose dreams are bigger than reality," he tweeted.
Lebanese singer Yara shared a photo of Salah carrying the award, saying "congratulations to Egypt and all Arabs".
Salah said he was "happy and proud" to win the award. "It's an honour and especially as it's voted by the players," he added.
LIVERPOOL , KOMPAS.com - Mohamed Salah akan menjadi pemain paling disorot saat Liverpool bertemu AS Roma pada babak semifinal Liga Champions . Pasalnya, Mo Salah yang kini berseragam Liverpool, pernah tiga musim membela AS Roma.
Penyerang AS Roma, Edin Dzeko , mengakui timnya akan memberi perhatian khusus kepada Mo Salah. Mereka juga tetap berusaha menjaga pemain lain.
"Jika Mohamed Salah mampu mencetak setidaknya 30 gol di Liga Inggris, maka dia bisa membuat kami dalam masalah," ujar Dzeko dikutip Bolasport.com dari situs resmi UEFA.
"Liverpool adalah tim yang kuat, tetapi jika kami hanya berkonsentrasi pada satu pemain maka itu menjadi sebuah kesalahan," tutur Dzeko.
(Baca juga: Marko Simic Dibanderol Rp 20 Triliun, Persija Bisa Beli 11 Pemain Termahal Dunia )
Dzeko juga mengungkapkan bahwa pertandingan kali ini akan berjalan ketat karena kedua tim memiliki keinginan yang sama untuk mencapai partai final.
"Kami memiliki 180 menit untuk mencapai mimpi kami, tetapi itu tidak akan mudah," ujar Dzeko
"Kiev (tuan rumah final) adalah tujuan kami, tetapi pertama-tama kami harus berpikir tentang mengalahkan Liverpool, yang tentu memiliki keinginan yang sama dengan kami," ucapnya.
Pada leg pertama, Liverpool akan menjamu AS Roma di Stadion Anfield, Selasa (24/4/2018) atau Rabu dini hari WIB. (Putra Rusdi Kurniawan)
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Martin Keown doesn't believe Mohamed Salah should have won the PFA Player of the Year award, and has asked: "What more did Kevin De Bruyne have to do?"
The Liverpool and Manchester City stars went head to head for the top prize on Sunday night, and there was little to separate the duo.
Salah has netted a staggering 31 Premier League goals for the Reds in his debut season at the club, and has been instrumental in their Champions League success, while De Bruyne has been the heartbeat of Man City's title-winning side.
But in the end it was the 25-year-old Liverpool ace who walked away with the top prize, much to Keown's bemusment.
(Image: @BBCMOTD/Twitter)
Writing in his Daily Mail column, Keown said: "If I was still playing he would have had my vote.
"Only a few weeks ago we were all hailing Manchester City as one of the greatest sides to win the Premier League."
(Image: PA)
Keown goes on to say that while he doesn't begrudge Salah winning the award, as every club needs a good goal scorer, Manchester City owe their entire title victory to the Belgium international.
He added: "Every team needs that player in midfield who will boss the game, develop the play and create the chances for the goalscorers.
(Image: REUTERS)
"City would not be dominating in the Premier League without De Bruyne's vision and desire to take the game to the opposition.
"Every game he serves up a dazzling array of balls for strikers to finish."
Mohamed Salah has set his sights on winning the Champions League after being crowned PFA Player of the Year as reward for a stunning season at Liverpool.
Salah has been a sensation since swapping Roma for Anfield last summer in a £34.3million transfer and against West Brom on Saturday he struck his 31st Premier League goal of the campaign, tying the record for a 38-game season.
Liverpool host Roma in the first leg of their semi-final on Tuesday and Salah's dream is to follow up the recognition he has received from his peers by lifting silverware in Europe.
Mohamed Salah poses with the PFA Player of the Year award he lifted in London on Sunday
The Egyptian star has scored 41 goals in a stunning debut season since joining Liverpool
'My personal ambition is to win something with the team. I always think about the team, I don't think about myself,' Salah said.
'The most important thing is to win something with the team and we're very close now with the semi-final. Hopefully we're going to win.
'The team has helped me a lot because of the way we play. They pass me the ball a lot and always try to find me.'
Salah was recognised at the 45th PFA Awards at Grosvenor House in central London on Sunday evening after taking the vote ahead of Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne.
Salah wants to add the Champions League after winning the individual award from his peers
Salah finished ahead of Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne and Tottenham's Harry Kane
But for City boss Pep Guardiola it is De Bruyne who should have been acclaimed due to his achievements over the course of the entire season.
'I know my opinion about this awards. If he (De Bruyne) doesn't win, congratulations to the guy who is going to win,' Guardiola said.
'From my point of view when you are analysing nine, 10 months, there was no player better than him.
'Maybe there are guys with numbers better than him but for me in the team that wins (the title) with five games to go, he was the best.
'I would like to feel he deserves it. But in the end, in summer time he will be at home being champion.'
Leroy Sane - named Young Player of the Year - and David Silva were also City players on the six-man shortlist, with outstanding Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea and Tottenham striker Harry Kane completing the nominees.
