"I love him. I heard statements saying that I was his inspiration, and this excited me. He has tremendous ability. He’s similar to Messi. He’s left-footed, agile, fast, keeps the ball close to his feet, has hunger for goals." Ronaldo, the Brazil legend, on the El Partidazo sports radio program

"The last player I know who had the same influence on a team performance was Diego Maradona. I think Mo is on the way to being the best in the world." Jurgen Klopp after Salah’s four-goal showing against Watford in March

"We do not produce figures like Umm Kulthum or Naguib Mahfouz anymore. People come from all over the world to see our ancient civilization, but our modern successes are few. Salah fills that gap in a big way." Samuel Tadros, the Egyptian scholar, to the Washington Post

"Salah is an exceptional player. He’s the best player I’ve coached in my career. Markers need a motorbike to catch him." Luciano Spalletti to Italian reporters

"He's in the form of his life. Without a shadow of doubt he's the best player on the planet right now." Steven Gerrard on BT Sports after Salah registered two goals and two assists in a 5-2 defeat of Roma in April

"He’s really got no right [to score]. Look at the number of defenders! It’s like Maradona against Belgium years ago. He keeps moving the ball. That’s the most difficult thing – the time and the number of touches he takes. As a defender you think he’s going to pull the trigger. He doesn’t. One extra touch. And then, somehow, he finds the corner." Martin Keown on the BBC’s Match of the Day about Salah’s third goal against Watford

"Salah has been out of this world. That’s not me just being a rose-tinted Liverpool idiot (though yeah, I’m that too). Even if you put what Mo has done at Liverpool to one side, he’s been astonishing. More so than Ronaldo or Messi, he has lifted an entire nation. So why shouldn’t he be named in the same golden breath as Ronaldo and Messi for this season?" Robbie Fowler writing in the Daily Mirror in April

"He’s a great player. He’s a game changer. He has to maintain it like Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi have for ten years – he’s very close to their level now." Rivaldo

"I witnessed on that pitch what Salah can do to Marcelo during the Olympic Games. I was playing for Egypt against Brazil. Marcelo is terrified of Salah. I noticed the same thing in the Champions League when Roma played Real Madrid." Mohamed Aboutrika, the former Egypt international, to beIN Sports

"Dare I say… he reminds me of Messi, the scampering way he plays. He gives me a Messi vibe." Ian Wright on BBC’s Match of the Day

"He’s unpredictable. He can dribble you with his left foot. He’s fast. He became strong. He can score goals. He’s becoming a boss." Didier Drogba

"The two best players in the world over a long time, without doubt, are Ronaldo and Messi. But over the last season Salah has been the best player. He played a huge role in helping Egypt to the World Cup and what he’s achieved at Liverpool has been amazing. What I like about him is that he’s such a humble guy: if someone’s in a better position he passes the ball. I don’t want to take anything away from Ronaldo or Messi, but he’s done it in the hardest league in the world." Ian Rush, Liverpool legend

"Salah is an extraordinary player. He presents a steady and powerful performance with outstanding skills that qualify him to be the best player in the world within a few months." Alessandro Del Piero to Al Bawaba