Mohamed Salah's Shocking 2025 Ballon d'Or Position Finally Unveiled

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah had to accept a fourth-place ranking in this year's Ballon d'Or ceremony.

Just Vitinha, Lamine Yamal and ultimate champion Ousmane Dembélé placed higher than the Egyptian superstar.

The iconic striker dominated the Premier League landscape, claiming both top scorer and assist leader honors as Liverpool secured the championship. Salah single-handedly contributed to more league goals in 2024–25 (47) than six entire teams managed collectively, including Manchester United (44).

However, despite his domestic supremacy, Salah's underwhelming Champions League performance likely hindered his chances in the individual awards. The 33-year-old struggled to leave his mark as Liverpool fell to eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16.

Still, the 2024–25 season should be remembered as a triumphant period for Salah.

Liverpool's consistent goal machine had experienced a comparative decline during Jürgen Klopp's final season, managing only 18 Premier League strikes (plus 10 assists) while the duo had a public disagreement on the sidelines at London Stadium during the closing stages of the 2023–24 season. Salah also notably excluded Klopp when discussing his preferred coaches.

Arne Slot took charge at Merseyside in 2024 and aimed to maximize his key player's strengths without demanding excessive defensive work. "You can observe the statistics," Salah remarked after Liverpool secured the club's second Premier League crown.

"Currently I don't need to track back extensively. The system is quite different. I told him, 'If you give me defensive rest, I'll deliver going forward,' so I'm pleased he agreed. He was very receptive, and the statistics speak for themselves."

Statistics are becoming Salah's defining characteristic. Liverpool games now tend to fluctuate while the right-sided attacker hovers on the edges, lurking almost with detached composure before mysteriously finishing the match with another vital goal and assist.

To echo B.J. Armstrong's observation about veteran Michael Jordan, Salah barely participates in traditional football anymore. He's simply mastered the art of victory.