Ex-Premier League star Deeney claims, ‘Salah is not world-class
Troy Deeney has stirred controversy by omitting Liverpool star Mohamed Salah from his list of world-class players.
Although Salah boasts an impressive record of 165 Premier League goals in 274 matches, Deeney contends that being “world class” is about more than just statistics.
“It’s about elevating your team and driving them to success single-handedly,” Deeney explained in his SunSport column, emphasizing the importance of consistency and individual influence over raw numbers.
He further argued that Salah’s achievements were often bolstered by his partnership with teammates like Sadio Mane, who he believes had a greater impact during their prime years together.
Deeney leaned on Graeme Souness’ definition of a world-class player—someone who could seamlessly fit into any starting lineup globally.
According to Deeney, these are the players he considers truly world class:
- Alisson (Liverpool)
- Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
- Rodri (Manchester City)
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
- Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid)
While acknowledging Salah as an exceptional talent, Deeney maintained that he doesn’t meet his world-class criteria. He also noted that even players like Kylian Mbappé, despite their accolades, fall short of this standard due to inconsistencies in form.
