FIFA marks 'global icon' Mo Salah's 30th birthday with new short film
has released a docufilmabout Egypt and Liverpool star playerto mark his30th birthday.
The 27-minute-long film, titled 'Mo: Global Icon', traces his journey from humble beginnings inhis hometown of , Gharbia governorate, to becoming perhaps the world's biggest footballing sensation.
In a post sharing the film on its Arabic-language account on Wednesday, FIFA said:"Happy Birthday to the pride of Egypt".
رمز عالمي 🌍
— @fifaworldcup_ar 🏆 (@fifaworldcup_ar)
ملك مصري 👑🇪🇬
عيد ميلاد سعيد لفخر مصر، 🙌
شاهد فيلم "مو: رمز عالمي"، بشكل حصري ومجاني على +FIFA ⤵️
The 27-minute film, which can be watched for free on FIFA’s website, features interviews with one of his school teachers and others who saw him grow up, as well as sports writers.
" impact on the world is really interesting and it's not one that is limited to a certain place, city or football club. It’s one that transcends geographical boundaries," Harriet Prior, a writer at The Anfield Wrap said in the film.
"He kind of defines what it means to be a footballer nowadays", she said.
Football enthusiast Amr Nassouhy saidof Salah's impact thatthere has been "nothing of this magnitude" in modern Egypt's history.
The documentary celebrated not just hiscontribution to Egyptian national football, but to youth culture, with young Egyptians replicating his distinctive hairstyle andclothing choices.
Sports writer Neil Atkinson lauded him as an ambassador for , both the city and the club.
Many other major football accounts posted in celebration of the football icon’s birthday.
The UEFA Champions League account posted a compilation of his goals during the competition's 2021/2022 season.Liverpool and his former clubs,Basel and AS Roma, also posted goal compilations to convey their birthday wishes.
Salah, a winner of several footballing accolades for his recent performance, will play at Anfield until the end of the 2022/2023 football season when his contract expires. His future with Liverpool beyond next season.