"I regressed worse than Ronaldo and Messi" - Arne Slot challenges Liverpool star to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
Liverpool manager Arne Slot recently spoke about his star forward Mohamed Salah's longevity in comparison to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Dutchman has urged the Egyptian to match the feats of the two legends of the game.
Ahead of the Reds' UEFA Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen on November 5, Arne Slot compared Salah to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. When asked if the 32-year-old winger's age could have an impact on his performance on the field, Slot said (via Liverpool Echo):
"There is no reason to think that he is dropping in terms of level. That's not what you see with his numbers or what you see when he plays. I cannot tell you how the future will look like."
He drew comparisons to the longevity of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentinian ace Lionel Messi, who have maintained the level of their performances well into their late 30s.
"Ronaldo, what age is he at the moment? Messi is still incredible. But there are also players like me who weren't as good any more at 33, not that I was that good at 26 but I regressed worse than Ronaldo and Messi. I don't know what the future brings but I do know Mo is in a very good place at the moment," Slot said.
Cristiano Ronaldo, 39, currently plays for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi, 37, is plying his trade in the USA with Major League Soccer outfit Inter Miami.
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah could join Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi or Lionel Messi in the MLS
Mohamed Salah is in the final year of his contract with Liverpool. He fanned rumors of an Anfield exit after a post on social media after scoring the winner against Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield on November 2.
The Reds were trailing 0-1 at home till the 70th minute when Cody Gakpo scored the equaliser. Two minutes later, the Egyptian scored his typical goal by cutting in on his left foot and smashing the ball into the top corner from outside the box to hand Liverpool the win. After the match, he shared a post on social media with the caption:
"Top of the table is where this club belongs. Nothing less. All teams win matches but there’s only 1 champion in the end. That’s what we want. Thank you for your support last night. No matter what happens, I will never forget what scoring at Anfield feels like."
While the Liverpool boss dismissed suggestions that the Egyptian is on his way out, his contract situation is yet to be sorted at the Merseyside club.
This has sparked rumors of him joining Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Hilal reportedly keen on signing him, as per talkSPORT. Another option for the 32-year-old is to move to the MLS with San Diego interested in his services, according to GiveMeSport.
While Lionel Messi moved out of Europe after turning 36, Cristiano Ronaldo was 38 when he moved to Saudi Arabia. Salah turns 33 at the end of the season and is still playing at a very high level.
However, with his contract expiring at the end of the campaign, his future is up for debate. The Liverpool star can negotiate pre-contracts with clubs outside of England from January 1.