Mohamed Salah has broken his silence amid mounting controversy after Florian Wirtz was handed Liverpool’s iconic No.11 jersey, a number synonymous with the Egyptian forward since his arrival at Anfield in 2017. The decision to assign the shirt to Wirtz, following his record-breaking £105 million transfer from Bayer Leverkusen, has sent shockwaves through the club’s fanbase and drawn criticism over how the matter was handled—especially from Salah himself.
In a statement released via his official social media accounts, Salah expressed his disappointment and frustration over not being consulted about the decision. “I wasn’t consulted. I’ve given my all for this club year after year. I never expected to see someone else wearing my number without even a conversation first. I respect Wirtz — he’s a fantastic player. But the No.11 shirt means more than just a number,” he said.
The message, which instantly went viral and amassed over three million views within an hour, has reignited debate about Salah’s standing at the club and the direction Liverpool is heading under new manager Arne Slot. Many fans see the situation as a mishandled symbolic gesture, signaling a shift in leadership at the club. According to internal sources, the Liverpool board made the decision to assign the number to Wirtz as a “changing of the guard,” positioning the 21-year-old German star as the new face of the team while subtly nudging the 33-year-old Salah toward the exit.
However, this symbolic move has not sat well with large sections of the fanbase, who view Salah as a modern-day legend deserving of more respect. With one year remaining on his contract and still delivering strong performances on the pitch, many supporters believe Salah has earned the right to retain the jersey for as long as he remains at the club.
Social media has been flooded with reactions, with one prominent fan comment reading, “This won’t end well. You don’t treat a legend like Salah this way.” Others echoed similar sentiments, calling the decision tone-deaf and suggesting it could signal the beginning of Salah’s departure from the club.
As tensions rise, the incident has cast a shadow over what should have been a celebratory moment for Liverpool’s new signing. Instead, it has sparked uncertainty, hurt feelings, and speculation that this controversy could hasten the end of Salah’s illustrious Liverpool career.
