Former England striker’s remarks about Salah ignite debate on social media

Troy Deeney, the retired English footballer and current manager of Forest Green Rovers, faced widespread criticism after his comments about Liverpool’s Egyptian star Mohamed Salah during a talkSPORT podcast.

Deeney stated, “Salah is not a world-class player. He’s not someone you’d want your child to emulate. If my kids wanted to be forwards, I’d tell them to look up to Vinícius Júnior of Real Madrid instead.”

While Deeney recognized Salah's big impact in the Middle East and his popularity in the Premier League, he stressed that his standards for calling players "world-class" are different.

Social media exploded with support from fans for Salah, with many describing Deeney’s comments as disrespectful of Salah’s achievements. Some highlighted Salah’s impressive consistency, including winning the Golden Boot and winning the Champions League, as evidence of his high profile.

Known for his spells at Watford and Birmingham City, Deeney is currently the manager of Forest Green Rovers in the English National League. His comments continue to spark debate about what makes a player “world class”, even after he clarified them.