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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Freddie Keighley

Mohamed Salah pips Yaya Toure as Mohamed Elneny names Africa's greatest ever footballer

Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny claims Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is the greatest African footballer of all time.

Elneny plays alongside Salah for Egypt and insists the prolific frontman deserves the accolade ahead of former Manchester City and Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure.

The Gunners star whittled down a star-studded list of contenders - including former Barcelona and Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o and ex-Chelsea and Ivory Coast forward Didier Drogba - until only Salah and Toure remained.

But Elneny had no doubt Salah - who has scored 239 goals for club and country - is already the continent's greatest ever player and claims the 28-year-old's legacy will only grow in seasons to come.

Salah is already Africa's greatest ever player at the age of 28, according to Elneny (REUTERS)

"Mohamed Salah is a legend now in Egypt and he’s still playing," Elneny told Arsenal's official YouTube channel.

"We know that legends are usually when they finish their careers but when they’re still playing and people look at you as a legend this is something big. He’s a really good guy.

"Toure, because he’s a midfielder I know what he’s doing and I know how it’s different, because it’s more difficult than a striker.

Salah and Elneny are close friends from their time together on international duty (Twitter)

Do you agree with Elneny's claim about Salah? Have your say in the comments.

"Strikers get the chance to score all the time and midfielders have to do so many things.

"But of course I go for Mohamed Salah!"

Salah has been crowned CAF African Footballer of the Year twice - winning back-to-back awards in 2017 and 2018 - although he was beaten to the accolade by Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane in 2019, when it was last awarded.

Toure and Eto'o both won the award a record four times, while Liberia legend George Weah and Ghana icon Abedi Pele took home three titles each.

Salah will hope to clinch his third title this year after another stunning season for Liverpool during which he has scored 25 goals in 39 appearances.

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