Italian football legend Fabio Cannavaro has admitted he is fortunate not to have faced Mohamed Salah during his playing career, praising the Egyptian forward’s dribbling ability and development into one of the modern game’s leading attackers.
The 2006 Ballon d’Or winner made the remarks during an interview with Egyptian television channel ON Sport, where he was asked whether Salah would have been able to get past him had they played in the same era.
Cannavaro responded with a light-hearted acknowledgement of the forward’s quality, suggesting that even an elite defender would have found it difficult to contain him.
“Salah is a great talent. I’m lucky I didn’t play in the same era as him. And yes, about your question, he would have got past me by evading me too,” Cannavaro said.
The former Italy captain also recalled following Salah’s progress during his time in Serie A, when the Egyptian represented Fiorentina and Roma before moving to Liverpool in 2017.
Cannavaro said he had admired Salah from his early days in Italian football and credited the forward’s subsequent development under former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp.
“I admired him when I watched him play with Fiorentina and Roma in the Italian League, and he developed himself more and more under the leadership of Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool,” he said.
Salah’s evolution from an emerging attacking talent in Italy into a prolific and versatile forward has earned him recognition from prominent figures across world football.
Cannavaro described the Egyptian as one of the best attacking players of the modern era, highlighting the range of qualities he has developed throughout his career.
“He is one of the best forwards of the modern era. He has become a multi-talented and complete footballer. He is one of the best attacking players in recent times,” the Italian added.
He concluded by expressing his admiration for Salah’s progress and the opportunity to follow his performances.
“It is a pleasure to witness his great development and follow him on the field,” Cannavaro said.
The comments offer further recognition of Salah’s standing in world football, with the former Ballon d’Or winner singling out the Egyptian’s ability to beat defenders and his transformation into a complete attacking player.
