Another domestic football season has come to a close and the attention of many is now on the 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony – and Ibrahima Konate has raised the eyebrows of the Anfield faithful by snubbing his Liverpool teammate, Mohamed Salah, as the ‘most deserving winner’.
His relative lack of output in the nine remaining games of the Premier League aside, Salah – once again, like he always does – delivered when it mattered the most, which was especially important given it was Arne Slot’s maiden season at the helm on Merseyside.
Making the transition into the post-Jurgen Klopp era that little easier, the Egyptian talisman added another Premier League title to his name – and contributed to the champion’s favourable goal tally, too, with 34 strikes. He also chalked up 23 assists.
Thierry Henry at Arsenal, Cristiano Ronaldo at Man Utd, Mo Salah at Liverpool, Didier Drogba at Chelsea - with Premier League logo in background Related
25 Greatest Foreign Premier League Players of All Time [Ranked]
From Eric Cantona to Dennis Bergkamp, fans have been blessed with seeing many great players from overseas compete in the Premier League.
Konate Snubs Mo Salah in 2025 Ballon d’Or Debate
'Nobody expected it. I’m the happiest man for him'
But, even though Salah’s numbers skyrocketed into the stratosphere, there is a feeling among Liverpool supporters that the ex-AS Roma hotshot is not given the credit he so thoroughly deserves after a season-upon-season guarantee of goals.
This campaign, Liverpool equalled Manchester United’s tally of 20 English top flight titles, but Slot, regarded as one of the best managers in world football, and his men came up short at Europe’s top table as they were knocked out by eventual winners, Paris Saint-Germain, in the Round of 16 stage.
It was still considered a success and Salah, 32, was central to that – but that’s not enough for Konate to name him as the runaway favourite for this year’s Ballon d’Or gong. Instead, he opted for PSG talisman Ousmane Dembele as, per GOAL, he said:
“We talk about Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe… but no one talks about Ousmane Dembele. He has delivered an exceptional season. I have honestly no other words to describe it. Nobody expected it. I’m the happiest man for him. In all honesty, the most deserving Ballon d’Or winner is Ousmane Dembele.”
Konate’s comments have sparked fury among the red half of Merseyside, and they’ve swarmed on social media to make their feelings known after he snubbed Salah, a player he has lined up alongside on 111 different occasions for the Reds.
One, controversially, insinuated that Dembele’s season, comprised of 48 goal contributions in 49 outings for the Champions League winners, was overrated: “His season was only exceptional because Konate gave him an open goal at Anfield.”
White Black Modern Photo Collage Before After Youtube Thumbnail - 2025-06-02T084943.211 Related
'Without a Shadow of a Doubt’ - Luis Enrique Asked to Name Ballon d’Or 2025 Winner
The PSG boss called his choice a "leader".
“Wild how many of Salah’s own teammates throw dirt on his name,” another wrote before adding: “Curtis Jones said Hazard’s better, Konate gifted Dembele a goal to knock us out of the UCL then said he deserves the Ballon d’Or over Mo.”
“Dembele has had an exceptional season, but Salah has single handedly saved out attack countless times this season and is the clear reason we’ve won the league. He’s my winner.”
salah konate
Another reflected on how Konate’s mishap assisted his compatriot in their two-legged Champions League clash. “Salah won you your 1st league title and this is not how you should pay him Ibou. By assisting Dembele in & outside of the pitch.”