Robbie Fowler has called Mohamed Salah's absence from last year's 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist a 'mockery' and an 'absolute joke'.
The Egyptian scored his 22nd goal of the season on Tuesday evening as Liverpool confirmed their place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a 2-1 win over Lille.
Salah is an early favorite to win the coveted individual honor in 2025 after his remarkable start to the campaign, but Fowler believes the 32-year-old should have been recognized for his performances in the last campaign.
“Daniel [Sturridge] said he didn't make the top three, I think it was a travesty that he wasn't in the top 30 last year,” the former Reds striker told Amazon Prime. 'That's an absolute joke.
'He's a phenomenal player. He doesn't look technically brilliant, but just because you're technically brilliant doesn't mean you'll always be brilliant.
'If you're not technically brilliant you can still be brilliant and Mo Salah is that player. He will go missing and out of nowhere something incredible will happen and Salah will be behind it.”
Salah currently leads the Premier League Golden Boot race with 18 goals, one ahead of Erling Haaland and three more than Alexander Isak.
His incredible production has further increased the panic among Liverpool fans. Along with Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, the forward is currently free to sign a pre-contract deal with foreign clubs, with his Anfield contract set to expire at the end of the season.
On Tuesday night, after becoming the first Liverpool player to score 50 goals in Europe, he said: 'Hopefully not the last, but I'm very proud of it. Before the match I wasn't focused on it.
'They have a very good game plan and are unbeaten in 21 games, so they are quite a strong team. I'm glad we were able to win that match.'
Asked whether he will stay at Liverpool to add to his impressive list of achievements as his contract expires in the summer, Salah said: “I'm not sure, but I will do my best.”
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