Rio Ngumoha could not have a better role model at Liverpool than Mo Salah, who has already advised his young teammate to avoid “fake” social media praise.
Ngumoha announced himself to a wider audience with his stunning last-gasp winner at Newcastle, becoming Liverpool’s youngest-ever goalscorer.
Having only turned 17 at the end of September – with an announcement over his first professional contract imminent – he hopefully has a long career ahead of him.
That makes it integral that not only Ngumoha but those around him don’t get carried away with the hype over his breakthrough.
Fortunately he calls Salah – one of football’s greatest-ever players and a leader within the Liverpool squad – a teammate.
“He is still so young,” Salah told Men in Blazers when asked what he sees in Ngumoha’s future.
“I told him after the game, ‘just leave the social media alone, you can be happy about the goal with your family, with your friends. Enjoy the moment to the max because it’s your moment in football’.
“[I said] ‘don’t really get engaged and just get your appreciation from the outside world, because it’s always going to be fake’.
“So what future is waiting for him depends on how he’s going to handle the situation, how he’s going to work.
“He needs to work hard and just stay humble, because he’s very young.
“Some players – which I told him – peak too early and struggle after that, so I really wish him the best.
“He has a good group and we always try to speak with him, the manager always speaks to him. He just needs to stay humble, work and we’ll see.”
Salah made clear his views on social media when he criticised a post on X by fan site Anfield Edition asking their followers to “name a bigger upgrade in footballing history” than Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez to Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.
“How about we celebrate the great signings without disrespecting the PL champions?” was the Egyptian’s response.
It served as a welcome reminder of how warped perceptions are on social media, and in particular X, which remains the go-to source of football content for many supporters.
Ngumoha will, rightly or wrongly, be touted as the next in line to any number of top forwards if he continues to follow his current trajectory, no doubt including Salah himself.
But it is important for the teenager to stay grounded – and Salah’s advice on ignoring social media praise can play a big part in that.
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