Mohamed Salah, Riyad Mahrez or Achraf Hakimi: who is the greatest Arab footballer ever?

The debate over the greatest Arab footballer in history includes a long list of outstanding candidates, from Riyad Mahrez and Mohamed Salah to Achraf Hakimi, Majed Abdullah and Mohamed Aboutrika.

Mahrez has a compelling case. He helped Leicester City complete their remarkable Premier League title triumph, won the Premier League with Manchester City, lifted the Champions League and led Algeria to victory at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Yet critics argue that he was not a permanent starter at Manchester City, was not the team’s leading star and benefited from playing alongside some of the best players in the world. Some also believe other candidates were technically superior.

Salah’s achievements are equally difficult to overlook. His exceptional career with Liverpool has made him one of the Premier League’s leading players of the modern era. He has won the Champions League and Premier League, while his individual records and awards have further strengthened his claim.

But opponents ask how Salah can be considered the greatest Arab player when he did not win the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt. They question whether a player without a major international trophy should rank above those who lifted the continental title more than once.

Different eras, different evidence

Hakimi is another strong contender. He is regarded as one of the world’s leading right-backs and has enjoyed an outstanding European career with major clubs. He has won the Champions League and was one of the key figures in Morocco’s historic run at the 2022 World Cup.

His critics respond: “He is a defender, after all.” That argument reflects the assumption that a player’s influence can be measured primarily through goals.

Majed Abdullah, the Saudi football legend and one of the greatest goalscorers in Asian football history, built an exceptional scoring record with Al-Nassr and the Saudi national team.

However, some question the era in which he played. “Are we going back to the black-and-white age? Where did Majed Abdullah play, and what did he achieve outside Arab football?” they ask, arguing that comparisons are difficult with players who faced the world’s best in Europe’s major leagues.

Mohamed Aboutrika is widely regarded by those who saw his talent and influence with Al Ahly and Egypt as the greatest Arab player ever. He won the Africa Cup of Nations several times and achieved continental and global success with both club and country.

Still, critics point out that his honours came in Africa and ask why he never tested himself in Europe’s leading leagues.

The list also includes Hossam Hassan, Rabah Madjer, Badou Zaki, Sami Al-Jaber, Saeed Al-Owairan, Lakhdar Belloumi, Yasser Al-Qahtani, Ahmed Radhi, Jassem Yaqoob and Tarek Dhiab.

Each belongs to a different generation and has distinct achievements, strengths and limitations. Choosing any one of them will inevitably invite criticism.

The real problem is not disagreement. Comparing players is natural, and discussing their numbers, trophies, positions, opponents and circumstances can be entertaining and valid.

The issue is the way the debate is conducted. Some supporters seem less interested in proving their favourite is the best than in showing that every rival is unworthy of consideration.

If Salah is your choice, there is no need to diminish Mahrez or Hakimi. If Mahrez is your favourite, his occasional absence from Manchester City’s starting line-up does not erase his achievements. Aboutrika’s talent is not reduced because he did not play in Europe, Hakimi is not less valuable because he is a defender, and Majed Abdullah’s legacy does not disappear because football has changed.

Supporters have every right to celebrate their own legends. They should raise their candidates rather than tear down everyone else’s. Perhaps the more important question is not who the greatest Arab player is, but why some fans cannot honour their own heroes without attacking those of others.