CBS pundit Nigel Reo-Coker made a shocking claim by picking Barcelona star Lamine Yamal ahead of Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah. Salah has continued to play a pivotal role for Liverpool under new head coach Arne Slot who succeeded Jurgen Klopp.

The 32-year-old suffered a rare injury lay-off followed by a surprise dip in form during the last season’s latter stages. Many people argued that Salah had reached the end of his peak but he proved his naysayers wrong this season.

Salah has continued his prolific run with Liverpool in his eighth season at the club, contributing with goals and assists. The 32-year-old is often denied the respect that he deserves from the Western media for his incredible consistency in football.

Despite critics calling him a “one-season wonder,” Salah has continually dominated the Premier League with the Reds since he arrived. Liverpool operated differently from their competitive rivals who enjoy the luxury of spending huge cash with less worry of consequences.

From a severe injury crisis to a depth-lacking squad to the pressure of media’s scrutiny, Salah has helped Liverpool succeed. The Egypt captain has never sneaked into the debate over who is the best footballer between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. However, Salah sets the standard for any right-winger aspiring to become one of the best players in football.

Speaking in the CBS Sports Golazo, Reo-Coker put Yamal over Salah as the best right-winger in the world right now. He said:

“I would pick Lamine over Mo Salah. Yes, I would. You asked me a question, and I answered it. I’ll pick him. When you look at him, there is one thing you say about him. When youngsters come out, they are young and still got lot to learn. You can’t say that when you look at Lamine Yamal. He for me is already playing like he is in his 30s and 40s.”

Yamal played a crucial role for Spain in their Euro 2024 success during the summer and has continued his form. The 17-year-old has scored four goals and provided four assists from six games in all competitions for Barcelona so far.

Meanwhile, Salah has scored three goals and provided three assists from five games in all competitions for Liverpool so far. Yamal is enjoying a steep rise in reputation and has established himself as a game-changer for the next football generation.

However, the journey from becoming the biggest talent in his generation to a football legend like Salah depends on consistency. Reo-Coker is jumping the gun by claiming Yamal is already above Salah despite having a long road ahead of him.

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The pundits are prone to recency bias as we have seen with Paul Scholes comparing Kobbie Mainoo to Zinedine Zidane. However, Reo-Coker should not disrespect Salah’s achievements to hype Yamal who will become one of the greats given his young age and incredible talent if he maintains the consistency that football demands. At 17, many hailed Mario Balotelli as a generational talent, but his career took unexpected turns that everyone in football remembers.