“How can you forget about Lewandowski and Benzema” - Thierry Henry plays down claims that Mohamed Salah is the best player in world football
Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has said that Mohamed Salah cannot be considered the best player in the world on current form. He said so because Real Madrid's Karim Benzema and Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski have fared better than the Egyptian
Mohamed Salah has been on a tear this season, scoring 12 times across competitions. However, Benzema and Lewandowski have fared better still. The Frenchman has scored 11 times across competitions, and has also provided eight assists. Lewandowski, meanwhile, has plundered 16 goals, and also provided an assist this season.
"Not yet," the Frenchman responded when asked if Mohamed Salah is currently the best player in the world.
Thierry Henry on whether Mo Salah is the best in the world:
"The goals that he is scoring, at the moment, are very good. But how can you forget about Lewandowski? How can you forget about Benzema? How can you forget doing it at the national level also?" #awlive [cbs sports] https://t.co/BZ2EYZPenp
While acknowledging Salah's brilliant exploits this season, Henry noted that the Egyptian has struggled to replicate the same form with his national team. That is stark contrast to Lewandowski and Benzema, who have dazzled for club and country, especially in recent games. Henry elaborated:
"The goals that he's scoring at the moment, are very good. But how can you forget about Lewandowski? How can you forget about Benzema? How can you forget doing it at the national level also? Right now, he’s suffering a bit with Egypt. It’s not easy. But he’s not doing it there yet. But those goals are ridiculous. I love Salah. But he’s not yet the best.
The Arsenal legend had no qualms in admitting Salah is the best player in the Premier League by a proverbial country mile. However, considering Benzema's goals and assists for club and country, Salah still has some way to go to be called the world's best.
"Is he the best player right now in the Premier League? By a distance," said Henry. "But on current form, are you still not putting Benzema in there with the way he is playing right now? The assists that he has, the goals that he has, what he’s been doing for France at the Euros and the Nations League. I don’t know if you’ve noticed what he’s been doing. I’m just saying, it’s not that clear for me."
Is Mo Salah the best player in the world right now? 😳 https://t.co/mU9VNMDm3p
Henry added that Salah has fared well, but Benzema has been in unreal form for Real Madrid and France since the start of the season. He said:
"If you’ve watched Real Madrid since the beginning of the season, if you’ve watched what he’s doing for France, it’s not that clear at all. If you talk about where he’s going right now and this is why for me Benzema is ahead, he’s been a complete player with goals and assists for a long time. Mo Salah is becoming a good player, not only a great goalscorer."
How has Mohamed Salah fared this season compared to Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski?
Mohamed Salah is by far the best player in England at the moment. The Egyptian currently leads the Premier League scoring charts with seven goals in eight games, and has also bagged four assists.
In the Champions League, he has netted five times in three games. His winner at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night made Salah the first Liverpool player to score in nine games across competitions.
Karim Benzema, meanwhile, has bagged nine goals and seven assists for Real Madrid in eight La Liga matches so far. The Frenchman has registered two goals and an assist in the Champions League too.
Robert Lewandowski has plundered nine goals and bagged an assist for Bayern Munich in eight Bundesliga appearances. Like Salah, he has also netted five times in three Champions League games this season.