'I just went': Jamie Carragher names the youngster who was actually better than Mohamed Salah last year

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Mohamed Salah is having the season of his life in a Liverpool shirt and there are no signs that suggest that he will slow down anytime soon.

This season, the Liverpool legend is virtually making it a no-contest when it comes to any debate about him being the best player in the world — registering a remarkable 38 goal involvements (21 goals and 17 assists) in all competitions so far.

Yet, Anthony Gordon thinks Salah is still underrated despite raising the bar for wingers in the Premier League season after season.

Despite starring in Fulham’s 2-2 draw against the Reds earlier this campaign, Antonee Robinson acknowledged Salah dominated him in the first-half — highlighting how much of a nuisance the Egyptian winger is to play against currently.

Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville were picking their combined XI for the EA FC 25 Team of the Year and naturally, Mohamed Salah was mentioned in the discussion.

Lamine Yamal named better than Mohamed Salah in 2024

As both pundits were picking the best attackers across European football last year on Sky Sports, Neville quizzed Carragher: “You’ve not gone for [Mohamed] Salah?”

Jamie Carragher stunned Gary Neville by replying “no.”

A surprised Neville replied: “Oh my goodness gracious! Is that because he’s basically said he’s going to leave again this week?”

Carragher revealed that he chose Lamine Yamal instead, saying: “No, I’ve went for [Lamine] Yamal. He’s 16, he won the European Championship, he was the best player there.”

Gary Neville said: “He’s done very well, Yamal.”

Jamie Carragher explains how Lamine Yamal upstaged Mohamed Salah last year

Jamie Carragher emphasised Yamal’s extraordinary impact for both Barcelona and Spain last year.

“For me, he’s going to be the next [Lionel] Messi, [Cristiano] Ronaldo type, I just think when we’re picking these things, more often than not, I know it’s not a calendar year but more often than not, if you’re picking the Ballon d’Or, it’s almost about the tournament.”

“Normally, that plays a big part and I just think watching him at that tournament, watching Spain and when you said about before about Rodri being missing, he’s been missing a little bit in the last weeks and months for Barcelona and they’ve completely fallen off a cliff, Barcelona.”

“He was sensational so I just went for Yamal.”

Gary Neville argued that in his view, Yamal’s productivity was not on par with Salah, making it difficult for him not to side with the Champions League winner.

“He’s sensational, I remember doing the games in the summer and he was fantastic but I think he had only scored three or four goals for Barcelona, whole of last season He wasn’t, like amazing for Barcelona.”

“And I just thought Salah, you can’t deny Salah! I love that kid but Salah’s like a machine.”

Jamie Carragher argued that Salah’s form dropped off in the second half of last season for Liverpool while also bringing up that Egypt were knocked out at the last-16 stage of the Africa Cup of Nations to DR Congo.

If you’re taking on the calendar year, you’re taking the Africa Cup of Nations into account, aren’t you, that didn’t go particularly well for Mo and the second half of last season didn’t go particularly well for Mo.”

“This first half of the season, he’s probably been the best player in the world this sort of half of the season and I just think, what that kid did in the tournament and Mo Salah didn’t have the first half of the calendar year so that’s why I went for Yamal.”

Mohamed Salah vs Lamine Yamal in 2024

Both Salah and Yamal have a case of being the standout wingers across world football.

The 32-year-old has been a world-class player for several years while the Barcelona boy-wonder is a true once-in-a-generation talent. Here is what both widemen accomplished throughout the entirety of last year for both club and country.

In terms of goals and assists, Salah trumps Yamal and by some distance, registering 62 goal contributions (37 goals and 25 assists) last year in comparison to the latter’s tally of 34 (15 goals and 19 assists).

While both mercurial wingers also won a trophy each, the Spaniard lifted the European Championship while the former Roma forward emerged victorious in the Carabao Cup, which is not as prestigious in comparison.

As a result, it is difficult to determine who really bettered the other last year.