Mohamed Salah and Riyad Mahrez: Who is the Pride of the Arabs?

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Mohamed Salah and Riyad Mahrez: Who is the Pride of the Arabs?
Yasser Bakhsh/GettyImages

Arab football enthusiasts take immense pride in the presence of distinguished players from their region in top European clubs, notably Mohamed Salah from Egypt, who plays for Liverpool, and Riyad Mahrez from Algeria, a star player at Manchester City.

Mahrez gained significant attention after leading Leicester City to the English Premier League title in 2015 before joining Manchester City, where he embarked on an exceptional journey under the guidance of Pep Guardiola.

Meanwhile, Salah has earned idol status among Egyptian fans through his remarkable performances with clubs like Basel, Fiorentina, and Roma, culminating in his incredible success with Liverpool, solidifying his place among the world's best footballers.

Both players have not only excelled at their clubs but have also endeared themselves to fans in Egypt and Algeria through their historic contributions to their national teams, earning numerous titles and accolades.

Given the similarities in their skills and the competitive nature of football, it's natural for Egyptian and Algerian fans to engage in comparisons between the two, each striving to prove the superiority of their compatriot.

In this report, Man City Square delves into the realm of statistics, examining the goal-scoring records of Mohamed Salah and Riyad Mahrez, both for their clubs and national teams, to determine who holds the edge in this aspect.

How many goals has Mohamed Salah scored with clubs?

Mohamed Salah's career trajectory began with the Arab Contractors Club in the Egyptian League, where he made 44 appearances, scoring 12 goals and providing 6 assists across various competitions.

His talent further flourished during his time with Basel in Switzerland, where he featured in 79 matches, tallying 20 goals and 17 assists.

A brief stint at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho saw Salah playing 19 matches, mostly as a substitute, netting two goals and assisting four.

Moving to Italy, Salah initially joined Fiorentina on loan, contributing 9 goals and 4 assists in 26 appearances.

His impactful journey continued with AS Roma, where he played 83 matches under Luciano Spalletti, registering 34 goals and 22 assists.

In 2017, Liverpool secured Salah's services for 40 million euros, marking the club's then-record deal. His time at Anfield witnessed remarkable achievements, including 207 goals in 337 appearances across various competitions. Salah also clinched the English Premier League's top scorer title three times.

In total, Salah has featured in 566 matches for the six teams he has represented since 2010, scoring a remarkable 284 goals.

Goals of Mohamed Salah with clubs

Team

Period

Matches

Goals

Arab Contractors

2010-2012

44

12

Basel

2012-2014

79

20

Chelsea

2014-2015

19

2

Fiorentina

2015

26

9

Roma

2015-2017

83

34

Liverpool

2017-Present

337

207

Total

--

588

284

How many goals has Riyad Mahrez scored with clubs?

Riyad Mahrez's professional journey kicked off with French club Sarkely at the amateur level, progressing through Quimper before landing a spot in professional teams in 2011 with Le Havre.

During his time at Le Havre, Mahrez featured in 67 matches, netting 10 goals and providing 12 assists, laying the groundwork for his move to Leicester City, which marked a pivotal moment in his career.

Upon joining Leicester City's first team, Mahrez showcased his prowess, amassing 179 appearances, scoring 48 goals, and assisting 38 others.

His standout performances caught the eye of Manchester City, who secured his services for 67 million pounds in 2018. Since then, Mahrez has been a key figure in the squad under Pep Guardiola's guidance.

With Manchester City, Mahrez has played 236 matches, finding the back of the net 78 times.

In total, Riyad Mahrez's professional career, starting from his days at Le Havre, spans 596 matches, with a total of 172 goals to his name.

Riyad Mahrez's goals with clubs

Team

Period

Matches

Goals

Le Havre

2011-2014

67

10

Leicester City U21

2014

2

1

Leicester City

2014-2018

179

48

Manchester City

2018-2023

236

78

Al-Ahli Saudi

2023-Present

25

10

Total

--

596

172

How many goals has Mohamed Salah scored for the Egyptian national team?

Mohamed Salah made his debut for the senior Egyptian national team in September 2011 against Sierra Leone during the African Cup of Nations qualifiers, where the Pharaohs suffered a 2-1 defeat.

Initially, this debut occurred within the framework of the first team, although Salah was also part of the Olympic team's preparations for the 2012 London Olympics. This decision came after Hassan Shehata's squad lost its chance to qualify for the African Cup of Nations during that period.

Since then, Salah has represented Egypt in 89 matches across all levels, playing a pivotal role in guiding the national team to significant achievements. These include Egypt's qualification for the 2018 World Cup, marking their first appearance in 28 years, as well as reaching the finals of the 2017 and 2021 African Cup of Nations tournaments held in Cameroon.

Salah has consistently been Egypt's top scorer over the past decade, having netted 51 international goals. Notably, he scored two goals at the World Cup against Russia and Saudi Arabia and provided assists for 26 other goals.

The goals of Mohamed Salah with the Egyptian national team.

Team

Period

Matches

Goals

Egypt National Team

2011-Present

89

51

How many championships has Mohamed Salah won in his career?

Mohamed Salah has achieved several championships in his career, most notably winning the UEFA Champions League and the English Premier League with Liverpool. However, he has not clinched an international title with the Egyptian national team.

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Championships of Mohamed Salah

Tournament

Year

Swiss League

2 (2013-2014)

English League Cup

2 (2015-2022)

English FA Cup

1 (2022)

UEFA Champions League

1 (2019)

English Premier League

1 (2020)

UEFA Super Cup

1 (2019)

FIFA Club World Cup

1 (2019)

FA Community Shield

1 (2023)

Total

10

What individual awards has Mohamed Salah achieved?

Mohamed Salah achieved the following awards:

Award

Year

Swiss Super League Best Player

2012-2013

Best Arab Player in Globe Soccer

2016

Globe Soccer Fan Vote Best Player

2022

Goal 25

5 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)

BBC African Footballer of the Year

2 (2017, 2018)

England Player of the Year

2 (2018, 2022)

Football Writers' Association England Player of the Year

2 (2018, 2022)

English Premier League Best Player

2017-2018

English Premier League Top Scorer

3 (2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2021-2022)

FIFA Club World Cup Top Scorer

2019

Golden Foot

2021

How many goals has Riyad Mahrez scored for the Algerian national team?

Riyad Mahrez made his debut for the Algerian national team in May 2014 during a friendly match against the Armenian national team, which the Desert Warriors won 3-1. Mahrez notably provided assists for two goals scored by Islam Slimani and Nabil Gilas.

Since then, Mahrez has represented Algeria in 81 international matches across all levels. His most significant achievement came in winning the African Cup of Nations title in Egypt in 2019. He also featured in the 2014 World Cup, playing for 72 minutes against the Belgium national team.

Mahrez has scored a total of 29 goals for the Algerian national team, with one of the most memorable being his goal against Nigeria in the last moments of the semi-final of the African Cup of Nations. Additionally, he has provided 35 assists for his teammates.

Goals of Riyad Mahrez with the Algerian national team

Team

Period

Matches

Goals

Algerian National Team

2014-Present

81

29

How many championships has Riyad Mahrez won in his career?

Riyad Mahrez has won the English Premier League title with both Leicester City and Manchester City, in addition to clinching the UEFA Champions League with Manchester City in 2022-23. He also secured the Africa Cup of Nations title with Algeria in 2019.

Championships of Riyad Mahrez in his career:

Tournament

Year

UEFA Champions League

2023

English Youth Premier League

2013-2014

FA Community Shield

2 (2019, 2020)

English League Cup

3 (2019, 2020, 2021)

English FA Cup

2019

English Premier League

5 (2016, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)

Africa Cup of Nations

2019

Total

14

What individual awards has Riyad Mahrez achieved?

As for individual awards, Mahrez has achieved the following:

Award

Year

English Premier League Player of the Year

2015-2016

English FA Cup Top Scorer

2021-2022

African Player of the Year

2016

BBC African Footballer of the Year

2016

Algerian Player of the Year

2 (2015, 2016)