Egyptian and Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, celebrated for his prowess on the football field, recently disclosed his fondness for chess, expressing a desire to play Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen. The love was not one-sided as the chess champion responded to Salah’s revelation with a waving-hand emoji, indicating his openness for a match-up.
Hailed as one of Africa’s finest footballers and a revered figure at Liverpool in the English Premier League, Salah unveiled his passion for the strategic board game in an interview with Sky Sports ahead of a Premier League match against Manchester City.
Salah hopes to play Magnus Carlsen
“I play chess, I am addicted to chess. Every day, literally every day,” chuckled the 32-year-old, admitting to indulging in the game online without specifying the platform. Previously, Salah hinted at using Chess.com through his Instagram posts.
Despite his fame, when confronted by opponents questioning his identity, Salah chooses not to reveal his soccer stardom, opting for an incognito profile with a pseudonym and other unrelated details. He humbly confessed to maintaining an approximate rating of 1400, acknowledging his skill without comparing himself to the chess prodigy Carlsen, stating, “I’m good, I’m not Magnus, but I’m good. No one has a chance with Magnus. But hopefully we will play one day.”
Reflecting on his enduring love for chess, Salah reminisced about his lifelong engagement with the game, emphasizing the challenge in finding an equally enthusiastic opponent.
Carlsen’s football connection and response to Salah’s request
Carlsen, a devoted fan of both football and Salah, frequently includes the winger in his Fantasy Premier League team, boasting a massive player base of over 7 million enthusiasts. Responding to Salah’s expressed interest, Carlsen acknowledged the invitation on Twitter with a single emoji, indicating his openness to the prospect.
Should their meeting materialize, Salah would follow in the footsteps of his Liverpool teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold, who faced Carlsen in a 2018 exhibition match in Manchester, England, resulting in a swift checkmate for Alexander-Arnold in just 17 moves.
Carlsen’s Liverpool connection goes back a few years when he congratulated the Reds on winning the league title and also said it was a “team for the ages”.
When and where this much-awaited match will happen is anyone’s guess. Watch this space!