I like to think of myself as more of an ‘occasional’ football fan. I’m not crazy about it, but I played a little in highschool, got myself a nice jersey, have a favourite player and team so I guess I kind of meet the requirements. My favourite thing about football is how capable it is of uniting audiences through the nationalism it induces, especially around the time of the World Cup. The amount of tears, stress, and excitement it brings to every living room once every four years reminds me why it is called the beautiful game. Requiring very little; (a round object of some sorts and some space to run) football proves accessible to all.
I’m writing because I am especially inspired by the performance of Mohammed Salah, better known as Mo Salah, a (very successful) striker for the Liverpool team and the player responsible for Egypt’s qualification for the 2018 World Cup. After much growth following his career with Chelsea and Italy’s AS Roma, Mo Salah has landed amongst the top scorers of the premier league, beating Harry Kane (2nd place) by 4 goals.
Mo Salah has helped revitalize football for Egypt, with the national team qualifying for the World cup for the first time since 1990. Salah acts as a source of pride, and a symbol of nationalism. After asking dozens of Egyptians to describe Salah in one word I was left with: (جدع، راجل ،بطل، مصر ). These words directly translate to ‘A man’, ‘strong’, ‘hero’, and ‘Egypt’, but each word connotes to a much stronger meaning. These words idolize a man who quite frankly, is quick at his feet and has good aim when he scores. So what makes him so special?
Mo Salah is unashamedly Muslim, openly practicing his faith at every game signifying his deep roots with his Egyptian culture. He ensures that portions of his income goes back to the community which raised him, and he never ceases to mention the impact his hometown has had on his career and his upbringing. In simpler terms he hasn’t let his fame get to his head, shining him in a brighter light back home.
This hasn’t gone unnoticed by Liverpool fans either, rather, there has been a wave of support where it seems that as his performance skyrockets, so does Liverpool fans’ tolerance for a Muslim player on the pitch. Collective chants are echoed in stadiums to the tune of Dodgy’s “Good Enough” with lyrics such as “if he scores another few, then I’ll be Muslim too” signifying Liverpool fans’ inclusive attitude.
It’s worth noting that racism is deeply embedded in premier league history. In April 2015, a research project conducted by Kick it Out published a statement which revealed that over 134,400 discriminatory posts directed at Premier League clubs and players were posted between August 2014, and March 2015 on social media. This depicted the “extent of football-related discrimination”, even as late as 2015. If you think that news is outdated, rewind back to January where FC Spartak Moscow, Russian soccer player, tweeted a caption to a video of Brazilian players (Fernando, Adriano, and Rocha) training, translating to: “see how the chocolates melt in the sun”. With a particular focus on Britain, according to the FARE network (Football against racism in Europe), there were 539 incidents of antisemitic, homophobic and islamophobic incidents of racism between 2015-2017. British fans were responsible for 59 of those incidents, more than any other recorded country.
Though what makes sports appealing is the escape it offers from the bigotry and hate evident in our political realm, the world of sports is clearly not shielded by the racism which pollutes the beautiful game. Mo Salah is successful because he has followed in the footsteps of acclaimed sport icons such as Zinedine Zidane, Mohammed Ali, and Mike Tyson. Using their undisputed success in their respective sports, they challenge stigmas associated with cultural and religious barriers. Mo Salah has helped shift the dynamic. According to the FARE executive Director, Piara Powar, [Salah’s case] is the first observed with an “overt, positive appreciation that includes [a player’s] religion”.
In an era toxified by degrading perceptions of Middle Easterners, Salah’s lovable personality, hard work, and consistency on the field presents an image for Arab culture which sharply contrasts the one presented in mainstream media. The appreciation fans express for his performance on the field is capable of translating into an ultimate appreciation of his identity.
Thus it may be true, that a group mostly comprised of (exceptionally) passionate, British men could help encourage a paradigm shift pertaining to the perception of Middle Easterners in the Western eye.