Rio Ngumoha has continued what has been a remarkable year by making his competitive debut for England, with the Liverpool teenager having Mohamed Salah to thank for his influence
Rio Ngumoha speaking to ITV Sport while on England duty
Rio Ngumoha has opened up on the advice Mohamed Salah passed on to him at Liverpool(Image: ITV Sport)
Rio Ngumoha has revealed the advice Mohamed Salah gave to him before leaving Liverpool, with the teenager hailing the Egyptian as the biggest influence on his career so far.
Ngumoha has enjoyed a sensational breakout year, having forced his way into international reckoning after becoming a regular starter at Anfield toward the end of last season.
Having made his England debut in the summer after being selected by Thomas Tuchel for a pre-World Cup training camp, the 18-year-old became the third-youngest player to make his competitive debut for the Three Lions when he came off the bench against Czechia in the Nations League earlier this week.
That continued what has been a meteoric rise for Ngumoha, helped in no small part by Liverpool legend Salah.
The pair of course played alongside each other before Salah made the decision to leave Anfield earlier this year, but not before taking Ngumoha under his wing.
In a new interview with ITV Sport, Ngumoha was asked which player has influenced him the most, to which he replied: “I don’t think I really play like anyone. But when I was growing up, I was watching Neymar. He was my favorite.
“But in terms of learning, the player I’ve probably learned the most from is Mohamed Salah when he was at Liverpool. He taught me a lot, especially towards the back end.
Rio Ngumoha has hailed Mohamed Salah's impact on his career
Rio Ngumoha has hailed Mohamed Salah's impact on his career(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“When he knew was leaving, he helped me a lot with the mindset. He always told me, 'Rio, you know you’re a good player, but to reach the top you have to add the goals and assists.'"
It has been an incredible year for Ngumoha, who only made his first Premier League start back in March. That in itself came just over a year after he made his senior debut in the FA Cup, with his promise clear from an early stage after his move from Chelsea in 2024.
“The old manager [Arne Slot] knew I could stay here and prove myself. After the Carabao Cup [against Southampton], I didn’t really get a lot of game time because obviously I’m young and I’m learning.
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“I think I needed my body to adapt physically. But when I was on the bench, I was watching every game close and learning. Working out how I can learn from, even opposition players.
“I really got my big chance in January when we had a game against Leeds. I came on, showed what I could do, then I started against Barnsley in the FA Cup and had a little run of games.
“I made a proper big step when we played Nottingham Forest. Ever since then, I’ve tried to be a mainstay and take a place in the team, to show what I can do for Liverpool.”