WAIT OF THE WORLD
Salah and De Bruyne are the next global superstars, but who will come out on top in the Champions League and the race to be Footballer of the Year?
IT is the showdown the whole world will be watching, between the next superstars of the global game.
When Kevin De Bruyne and Mo Salah go head-to-head at Anfield tomorrow, it is not difficult to see beyond the considerable prize of a place in the Champions League semifinal, towards even greater individual glory.
Soon enough, the sport will demand a successor to the current titans of the game, with Ronaldo and Messi nearing the end of their incredible careers.
In De Bruyne and Salah, the Premier League has two genuine world-class talents, who deserve to be mentioned in the same conversation as them, if not yet the same breath. Which is better though? It is a question that will be answered by the league’s star players themselves, with the PFA now issuing the voting slips for their illustrious Player of the Year award, which has honoured in the past such greats as Ronaldo, Bale, Gerrard, Giggs, Bergkamp, Cantona and Dalglish.
This year perhaps, it is the most difficult choice the professionals will have though, with the decision between two very different, but equally brilliant young men, who are unassuming and self-effacing, but possess a real touch of
Even Jurgen Klopp admits that it will be an impossible choice
genius. Even Jurgen Klopp, who has helped turned Salah into a global superstar, admits it is an impossible choice, even if his natural bias towards the Liverpool man steers him in a certain direction.
“Look, I think Mo would deserve it 100 per cent. As his manager, I’d say, ‘Come on, prove it by playing at this level for the rest of the season’,” he said.
“But both players have played an outstanding season with obvious highlights. Scoring goals, creating chances, which is what everyone wants to see. “Yes, Mo would deserve it. But if I said Kevin De Bruyne should have no chance I’d be lying. He’s a fantastic player and City will be champions so he already has a trophy. Maybe we can at least win the other one!” De Bruyne himself has spoken on the subject, which will surprise many seasoned Manchester City observers given how low-profile and low-key the club has been, even as they have totally dominated the season with their high-profile brilliance. The Belgium international shows no arrogance, or self-promotion as he quite rightfully suggests his own sublime consistency of
performance, and the high-level form of his teammates deserves recognition. Yet the softlyspoken midfielder is also happy to concede that Salah’s season has been truly phenomenal, and he would not begrudge the Egyptian should he be recognised by their fellow pros. “You cannot compare us – it is impossible! It depends on what people are looking for in a player,” he explained. “Salah has a remarkable goalscoring run, and he plays very well like an inside-forward type of role. This season he has been incredible. “But it’s totally different, I played like a defensive midfielder against Everton, how can you compare me to an inside-forward?
“He has been outstanding, his record speaks for itself. Luckily I don’t have to decide; and we didn’t vote at City yet!”
It may well come down to the two mouth-watering Champions League quarterfinal ties between the clubs over the next week.
A match-winning display from either will make a mighty impression just as votes are being cast.
It is still like trying to choose between Messi and Ronaldo though.
And perhaps the final word should be left to Klopp, who added: “I am happy I don’t have to make this decision, I don’t get a vote as a manager.”