Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah said men in “my culture and in the Middle East” need to treat women with more respect as he was named one of the world’s 100 most influential people by Time magazine.
The Egypt striker, 26, a practising Muslim, was also one of the US magazine’s six cover stars and used his interview to discuss women’s equality.
“We need to change the way we treat women in our culture,” he told Time.
“That has to be, it’s not optional.”
He added: “I support the woman more than I did before, because I feel like she deserves more than what they give her now at the moment.”
Salah was included on the list alongside singers Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga, US President Donald Trump, Pakistan Prime Minister and former cricketer Imran Khan, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and former US first lady Michelle Obama.
They are split into pioneers, artists, leaders, icons and titans, with Salah named in the latter category.
English comedian and HBO’s Last Week Tonight host John Oliver, a lifelong Liverpool fan, wrote an article on Salah for the magazine.
“Mo Salah is a better human being than he is a football player,” wrote Oliver. “And he’s one of the best football players in the world.
“Mo is an iconic figure for Egyptians, Scousers and Muslims the world over, and yet he always comes across as a humble, thoughtful, funny man who isn’t taking any of this too seriously.”
Salah joined Liverpool from Roma in June 2017 and scored 44 goals in his debut season at the club.
This season he has scored 19 Premier League goals for leaders Liverpool, who are chasing their first top-flight title since 1990.
“People always have big expectations from you,” he added. “You see the kids, they’re wearing your shirt and they say they wish they could be like you one day.
“So they put you under pressure a bit, but that is something that makes you proud about what you have reached until now.”
The other five cover stars are musician Taylor Swift, actors Dwayne Johnson and Sandra Oh, US broadcaster Gayle King and US politician Nancy Pelosi.
Salah was one of three international sports stars named on the list, South Africa’s double 800m Olympic champion Caster Semenya and Japan’s tennis world number one Naomi Osaka the others.
American sports stars who made the list were NBA star LeBron James, new Masters champion Tiger Woods and footballer Alex Morgan.
[BBC]
