The Liverpool forward is among the main contenders to win the prize this year.
Mohamed Salah has admitted his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or has decreased since Liverpool’s Champions League heartbreak against Real Madrid.
The Reds were eager to exact revenge on Real Madrid for their UCL final defeat in 2018. However, Salah and co suffered a 1-0 defeat that ended their brilliant season on an underwhelming note.
The defeat also lowered Salah’s chances of clinching the Ballon d’Or significantly. The Egypt star won the Premier League Golden Boot, the FWA Footballer of the Year and the PFA Player of the Year for his performances during the 2021-22 campaign.
However, in the competition for the France Football prize, he sees Karim Benzema ahead of him, who played a crucial role in Real Madrid’s La Liga and Champions League triumphs.
“I want to win it to join George Weah, the only African [in 1995],” Salah told L’Equipe.
“It’s true that I was shocked by my ranking in 2021 (seventh). For this year, the defeat against Real Madrid is a disadvantage, even if I played a good game in the final.
“But it doesn’t cancel out everything I’ve achieved for months. Let’s wait for the vote. And if I’m not Ballon d’Or in 2022, I’ll do everything I can to be the next one.”
He added: “I understand what Benzema says. He doesn’t just see himself as a goalscorer, he knows he influences every aspect of Real Madrid’s game.
“Like others, I want to be seen as the best player in the world.
“At Liverpool, everyone runs for everyone else. If I don’t fight for the defence, they won’t fight for me.
“I have to be an example, to be the first to press, to sacrifice myself for the team.”
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