Salah's Christmas Photo Unleashes a Whirlwind of Opinions: Between Respect and Criticism

Liverpool and Egypt star Mohamed Salah has once again sparked a heated debate on social media after posting a family photo celebrating Christmas. The image, which has already become an annual tradition, shows Salah with his wife and two daughters, this year wearing matching pyjamas, in front of a decorated Christmas tree and a giant gingerbread man.

Despite being a devout Muslim, Salah shares this image every year as a sign of respect for the culture and traditions of the country where he lives and where his daughters, Makka (10 years old) and Kayan (4), grow up. This decision, however, always generates a polarisation of opinions on social media.

Mixed Reactions: From Support to Criticism

The post, which was liked by a number of Liverpool figures, both current and former, including Jordan Henderson, Dejan Lovren, Fabinho, Kostas Tsimikas, Harvey Elliott, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo, was quickly flooded with comments of all kinds.

While some users praised Salah for raising his daughters with respect for other cultures and for creating special family memories, others criticised his gesture, questioning his faith and even suggesting that Christmas posts bring bad luck to Liverpool, recalling alleged "downfalls" of the team following photos from previous years. Comments such as "Liverpool's downfall is coming" or "He's done it again! The title race is on!" flooded the networks.

However, there is no evidence linking Salah's posts to Liverpool's performance. In fact, in 2019, the year he also shared a similar photo, the team won the Premier League.

The harshest criticism came from users who were "disappointed" with Salah and even questioned whether someone was "forcing" him to post the photo.

On the other hand, support for the Egyptian player was overwhelming from many other users who defended his right to celebrate the festivities with his family and to instill values ​​of respect and tolerance in his daughters. One defender of the player commented: "Raising your children to respect the traditions of other cultures and giving them special memories to remember when they are adults is an inspiration to everyone."

Salah's Contract Context at Liverpool:

This debate comes at a crucial time for Salah at Liverpool, as fans eagerly await news about the renewal of his contract, as well as those of other key figures such as Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose contracts are also nearing their end. Negotiations are known to be underway, especially with Salah and Van Dijk, which is generating optimism among the fans.

Salah's Performance on the Pitch:

Despite the debate on social media, Salah's performance on the pitch remains outstanding. Before Christmas, his double helped Liverpool defeat Tottenham 6-3, and he was expected to return to Anfield for the match against Leicester City on Boxing Day.

In short, Salah's Christmas photo has sparked, as every year, a controversy on social media, dividing users between those who support his gesture as a sign of respect and those who criticize it for considering it contrary to his Muslim faith. However, beyond the debate, Salah continues to be a key figure for Liverpool, and the focus is now on the negotiations for the renewal of his contract.