Jurgen Klopp insists he and Mohamed Salah are 'friends' now
Jurgen Klopp has dismissed rumors of a rift with Mohamed Salah, describing their past disagreements as part of the job while supporting the forward during his World Cup injury struggle.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC0 / Author: Pete
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has moved to clarify his current relationship with Mohamed Salah. The German, now serving as Red Bull’s head of global soccer, insisted that any tension from their time at Anfield is firmly in the past, and the pair now enjoy a genuine friendship.
"We are friends now," Klopp stated. "I always said I want to be the friend of my players, though it's impossible while working together because I have to make decisions they don't like. But that's all in the past. The memories we share are stronger than any disagreement we had."
Klopp addressed their occasional touchline arguments, including the high-profile flashpoint at the London Stadium in 2024, by focusing on the "greatness" of the Egyptian forward. He placed Salah in the same bracket as legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, praising his incredible professionalism throughout their seven-year partnership.
"No player is perfect, but they are closer to it than anyone else," Klopp added. "He delivered in an incredible way and pushed us to the next level."
Despite this mutual respect, focus has shifted to Salah's current physical condition at the 2026 World Cup. The 32-year-old is a major doubt for Egypt's round of 32 clash against Australia after sustaining a hamstring injury during the group stages. Klopp remains in contact with his former talisman as he races to be fit for the knockout rounds.