Liverpool wonderkid Rio Ngumoha offered career advice by Mo Salah after title success

Mohamed Salah has warned Rio Ngumoha against the dangers of social media, with the Liverpool sensation urged to remain grounded amid increasing attention on his burgeoning career

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has advised young teammate Rio Ngumoha to steer clear of the distractions of social media if he wants to make it big at Anfield.

Ngumoha has been making waves this summer under Arne Slot, scoring thrice in pre-season and becoming Liverpool’s youngest ever goal scorer with a dramatic 100th-minute winner in last month’s 3-2 triumph over Newcastle.

This remarkable feat, achieved just days before his 17th birthday, along with his progress since joining from Chelsea in 2024, has earned him a spot in the first team as backup for Cody Gakpo on the left flank.

However, Salah has cautioned the budding star against getting too caught up in the world of social media at this early stage of his career, warning that the praise and adulation often found on these platforms can be “fake”.

Speaking to Men in Blazers, Salah said: “He’s still so young. I told him after the (Newcastle) game: ‘Just leave the social media alone’. OK, you can be happy about the goal with your family, with your friends.

“Enjoy the moment to the max because it’s like your first moments in football.”

“But don’t really get engaged and just get your appreciation from the outside world because it’s always going to be fake. You’re going to always try to seek that – that feeling from outside if you just get the appreciation from outside.

“So what future is waiting for him depends how he’s going to handle the situation. How are we going to work? I need to work hard and just stay humble because he’s very young. I told him that some players peak too early and they’re going to struggle after that.”

Salah then wished him the best, reports the Liverpool Echo, adding: “He has a good group (here at Liverpool) and we always try to speak with him – and the manager also speaks to him, so he just needs to stay humble and work and we will see.”

Ahead of Liverpool’s 1-0 triumph over Arsenal on Sunday, Salah shared: “I think everything I visualise, we had it last season: Me kissing the Premier League or just holding the Premier League, being at the parade with team, it was in mind for the season before or the season even before that, so it paid off in the best possible way.”

Mohamed Salah previously spoke about nearly making a stunning move to Saudi Arabia before choosing to stick with the Reds until 2027.

He said: “Liverpool fans were part of the contract renewal process,” mentioning their influence on pressuring management due to his longstanding seven-year stint at the club.

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