Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards feels Liverpoolβs Mohamed Salah can win the Ballon dβOr in 2022.
The Egyptian is currently the top-scorer in the Premier League with 15 goals this season; five ahead of Diogo Jota, who has managed 10. He is also the highest assist provider with nine so far.
Salah surprisingly finished only seventh in the Ballon dβOr standings despite a good year. But Richards feels the attacker is at a level where he could make the Premier Leagueβs Hall of Fame and the all-time team.
βHe is getting to the level now where we are talking about him being in the Premier Leagueβs Hall of Fame, someone who could be in the all-time team. What a player he has become. He is so dangerous that in some matches you donβt see him for 80 minutes but then he will pop up with a goal or an assist. Itβs not luck that happens,β Richards said.
Richards also said Salahβs goal-scoring is at the same level as Cristiano Ronaldo during the Portuguese's peak. The former City player stated that Salah can go on to win the Ballon dβOr this year.
βHeβs at Cristiano Ronaldo levels now, the one-time winger who has redefined himself to become an ultimate scorer. If 2021 was spectacular for Salah, 2022 can be even more so. He looks a certainty at this stage to win the PFA Player of the Year but if Liverpool were to win the Champions League, he will also have an outstanding chance of lifting the Ballon dβOr,β Richards added.
A good AFCON will help Mohamed Salahβs chances of winning the Ballon dβOr this year
Mohamed Salah was nowhere close to Lionel Messi in the final Ballon dβOr standings. Despite an underwhelming end to the year, Messi lifted his seventh Ballon dβOr due his to impressive performances for Argentina.
The attacker played a key role in Argentinaβs Copa America 2020 win earlier this year, and Salah will hope to make a similar impact for Egypt.
Although the Egyptians are not the favorites for the competition, anything can happen if Salah can carry his club form to the AFCON this month.
Liverpool fans will hope Mohamed Salah does well in the AFCON and returns after the tournament without any injuries.