Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has been shortlisted for the BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year award. The Egyptian has been nominated for the prestigious honour just days after his bombshell interview, in which he called out Arne Slot and suggested that Liverpool were throwing him 'under the bus'. The winger was named on the bench for last weekend's draw against Leeds United for the third successive match, where he remained an unused substitute as Liverpool twice surrendered the lead.
His post-match comments have sparked controversy, with his future at Anfield now highly uncertain ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations. It heaps further pressure on head coach Arne Slot, who has picked up just two league wins in September. Liverpool's title defence is all but over and they face three must-win games to ensure they avoid a playoff match and secure Champions League qualification.
Salah has been joined by the likes of boxer Terence Crawford on the star-studded list following Liverpool's title-winning campaign in 2024/25, where he topped the charts for goals (29) and assists (18).
Revealing their shortlist, the BBC wrote: "Salah, the 'Egyptian King', scored 29 Premier League goals and broke a host of records as he helped Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th top-flight title in the 2024-25 season.
"He became the first player to win the Golden Boot, the Playmaker award for most assists and the Premier League player of the season award in the same campaign. He was also named as the PFA men's player of the year for a record third time and collected a third Football Writers' footballer of the year award.
"The 33-year-old became the highest-scoring overseas player in Premier League history, overtaking Sergio Aguero's mark of 184.
"Salah has scored five goals in 18 appearances for Liverpool so far this season, and on Saturday said he felt like he had been 'thrown under the bus' by the club and that his relationship with head coach Arne Slot had broken down."
Jamie Carragher didn't hold back in his criticism of Salah on Monday Night Football, suggesting that his bombshell interview was a calculated action to put himself in a position of strength.
Carragher said: "Whenever Mo Salah stops in a mixed zone, which he's done four times in eight years at Liverpool, it's choreographed with him and his agent to cause maximum damage and strengthen his own position.
"He's chosen this weekend to do this now and he's waited, I think, for a bad result for Liverpool.
"You can see the last-minute goal, Liverpool supporters, the manager, everyone involved in the club feels like they're in the gutter at the moment and he's chosen that time to go for the manager and maybe try and get him sacked.
"The club have made the right decision in terms of [Salah] not going abroad now. Whether he will play for Liverpool again, I don't know.
"I hope he does, because he is one of the greatest players we've ever had. But if you continue like that and make statements like that if he doesn't play, who knows?"