Mohamed Salah, the star of Turkish club Trabzonspor, spoke about what he misses in Egypt, noting that he feels proud to have become an icon for children across Africa.
Salah, aged 34, joined Trabzonspor during the ongoing summer transfer window on a free transfer after his contract with his former club, England's Liverpool, expired.
Icon of Africa
In statements to Trabzonspor's official channel, Mohamed Salah said: "Am I an icon for children in Egypt and Africa? It's somewhat difficult, because I believe this was one of the things I aimed to achieve when I left Egypt... I wanted to do something different from what any Egyptian player had done before, and I thank God that perhaps I've managed to accomplish that now."
The Egyptian national team star added: "When you look at people and find they wish to have hope when they see you, or that you give them hope, this makes me feel prouder than anything else... It's not about pressure; rather, it makes me feel proud because what I've achieved and continue to achieve in my life is special."
Egyptian Atmosphere
Regarding what he misses most in Egypt, he said: "I think I always miss the atmosphere you feel when you're among Egyptians... They love fun, and we know our culture is full of joy... When you're around any Egyptian, even when I go on vacation and encounter a group of Egyptians, it feels slightly different."
He continued: "I miss that atmosphere; we understand each other, we get the jokes and other things. So when I go there, I love sitting on the balcony watching people and how they interact, or being in the car just observing everything... Even breathing the air there makes me feel happy."
His Match Rituals
The interviewer posed a question: "Suppose young Salah were here with us in this room... What would you say to him?" Salah replied: "I would tell him that we've had an amazing journey... We suffered greatly during that period, but ultimately we achieved great things... And I am proud of every moment I lived."
Regarding his pre-match rituals, he said: "The only thing I do is talk to my mother; ever since I started playing football, she is the only person I speak to before every match... I don't know, perhaps for 15 or 20 years now, I've talked to her before every game."
His Message to the Fans
Salah delivered a message to Trabzonspor fans, saying: "I'd like to tell them that we need your support throughout the season... There will be some difficult moments, but the only thing I can promise you is that everyone in this club, all the players, will do their utmost to achieve something special."
Mohamed Salah concluded his remarks by saying: "We hope, with your support, to achieve that, to win something in Europe, and we also hope to win the league... But we need all of you beside us throughout the season."