Mohamed Salah announced he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, but several offers, including a move to Major League Soccer, were quickly floated to secure the Egyptian star.
However, the sporting director of the Egyptian national team, Ibrahim Hassan, warned “Mo” about this, claiming that he would be forgotten and that “I don’t remember Messi anymore.” MLS Commissioner Don Garber responded.
Gerber defended Messi and MLS
With Salah’s future club uncertain, Hassan advised the 33-year-old forward to sign with a club in Europe or at least join Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi league.
“A move to Major League Soccer? He will be too far away from the spotlight. Nobody will remember Salah anymore, just like I don’t remember (Lionel) Messi. I won’t even watch him play,” he warned.
These words went unnoticed, especially by the American League commissioner. Not only did he say he wanted Salah on his roster, he also used his interview with the Guardian to give a forceful response in defense of the MLS and Argentina star.
“This is the first time I’ve heard of something like that,” Garber said. “Lionel Messi is the most popular player in the world, and he always is. I would be happy to give the president of the Egyptian Football Association an Apple subscription so he can watch as many of Messi’s matches as he wants,” he added.
Meanwhile, criticism of Major League Soccer is nothing new for Gerber, who admits that the league has always been considered inferior. But things are changing for the commissioner.
“I think Hassan’s perspective is very representative of what MLS faces when you develop into a major player on the world stage. I remember not too long ago the coaches of the Mexican national team were saying, ‘If you’re in MLS, you’re not going to play for the national team.'” That’s not going to happen today. ”
“We’re always faced with the idea that we as Americans will never understand, but that’s never true. I’ve been dealing with skepticism for 27 years. It’s never stopped me and it never will.”
The truth is that beyond the discussions and disputes between Hassan and Gerber, the Egyptian has not revealed his next destination after leaving the team that won two Premier League titles and the Champions League.
Despite the back-and-forth statements, Mohamed Salah’s future remains open and full of promise. While Major League Soccer continues to grow and star players such as Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann, Thomas Muller, James Rodriguez and Heung-min Son raise its global profile, the Egyptian forward’s final decision will not only mark the beginning of a new chapter following the end of his stellar spell with the Reds, but will also mark the future of his legacy in world football.
