By BEN WILLCOCKS, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Published: 04:28 EST, 9 December 2025 | Updated: 04:28 EST, 9 December 2025
Mohamed Salah has been nominated for a BBC Sports Personality of the Year award just days after criticising his club Liverpool in an astonishing bombshell interview.
The Egyptian, 33, is one of six athletes shortlisted for the World Sport Star award, which has previously been won by the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland.
Swedish pole vault world champion Armand Duplantis is the current holder of the award and has been nominated again for 2025, alongside fellow athletics star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
Spanish footballer Mariona Caldentey, American boxer Terence Crawford and Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani complete the six-strong list.
Salah's inclusion comes in the wake of his explosive criticism of Liverpool after the club's 3-3 draw with Leeds United on Saturday, which marked his third successive game on the bench.
During his bombshell interview to reporters at Elland Road, the Reds forward accused the club of throwing him under the bus and said he had no relationship with boss Arne Slot.
His nomination comes days after he delivered an explosive interview criticising Liverpool
Salah accused the club of throwing him under the bus after being benched for three matches
Salah has subsequently been left out of Liverpool's squad for Tuesday's Champions League clash at Inter Milan, just a week before he jets of on international duty with Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations.
The veteran forward enjoyed a sensational campaign last season, guiding Liverpool to the title with a stunning 47 goal contributions in 38 Premier League games.
Salah's form this season has dipped drastically in tandem with Liverpool's, with just five goals in 18 appearances across all competitions so far.
Anfield legend Jamie Carragher furiously labelled Salah a 'disgrace' and accused him of attempting to do 'maximum damage' to Liverpool during a passionate rant on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football.
Carragher claimed Salah had waited for Liverpool to suffer a bad result to deliver a 'choreographed' interview to damage the club and Slot's position.
'I thought it was a disgrace what he did after the game,' Carragher said.
'Some people have painted it as an emotional outburst, I do not think it was.
'I think whenever Mo Salah stops in a mixed zone, which he's done four times in eight years at Liverpool, it is choreographed by him and his agent to cause maximum damage and to strengthen his own position.'
The Liverpool forward also claimed to have no relationship with under pressure boss Arne Slot
Armand Duplantis is the current holder of the award and has been nominated again for 2025
Should he win World Sport Star, for which public voting has officially opened, Salah would become the first Egyptian athlete to be honoured with the award.
The winner will be announced during the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2025 awards show on Thursday 18 December.