In his Egyptian village of Nagrig, Mohamed Salah remains a revered icon and benefactor, even as his future at Liverpool faces uncertainty
IN the Nile Delta village of Nagrig, residents admire local son Mohamed Salah from afar, with tensions between the Egyptian superstar and Liverpool doing little to dim his lustre at home.
“Thanks to him I can dream,” 16-year-old Mohamed Ahmed told AFP at the Nagrig sports complex where Salah first honed his talents.
The complex was renamed in Salah’s honour, where a mural of the star in his Liverpool kit greets visitors.
That image is as close as many will get to the hometown icon, as he visits discreetly.
“When he comes, it’s at night so that no one sees him,” said a young student named Asma.
The 33-year-old forward criticised Liverpool manager Arne Slot after being an unused substitute last week.
Dropped from Liverpool’s Champions League squad, Salah has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League.
Despite the off-pitch drama, Roshdy Gaber, head of security at the complex, said Salah was “an icon for young people”.
Salah has not forgotten his roots, funding significant projects in Nagrig.
Ahmed Ali, father of Mohamed Ahmed, said the football youth centre was the “greatest proof” of Salah’s “charitable commitment”.
Salah has funded a religious institute costing over 17 million Egyptian pounds.
His foundation also donates EGP 50,000 monthly to orphans, widows and divorced women in the village.
A local official said Salah was “a great source of pride” for the village.
The official did question whether the two-time African Ballon d’Or winner could have given more back.
“Unfortunately, many stories have been exaggerated,” the official said regarding the financial support.
Ali, who earns roughly $100 a month, similarly believes Salah could have given more.
“I know farmers who are more generous,” he said.
The village of 20,000 struggles with ailing infrastructure, with recent floods making travel difficult.
Players heading to the sports complex recently had to abandon their bus and walk through mud.
Despite his misgivings, the local official said Salah had “breathed new life into his village”.
“It will be a long time before we see another Mohamed Salah,” he added. – AFP
