Liberia legend George Weah insists Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane should not put unnecessary pressure on themselves to win the Ballon d'Or.
The current Liberia president is the only African to have won the coveted prize during his time as a footballer. With their current exploits, many believe Salah and Mane are in the running for the annual award.
The former has helped Egypt reach the final of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations as well as the 2022 World Cup play-off. He currently has 22 Premier League goals and 12 assists.
Salah has further scored eight goals in 10 Champions League matches where the team is in the semi-finals and he, alongside Mane, have already won the League Cup and are in the FA Cup final.
Mane led Senegal to Afcon glory as well as a place in the 2022 World Cup to be held in Qatar. He has scored 14 goals for Liverpool in the league and provided two assists. The 30-year-old has further scored three Champions League goals this season.
Weah has, however, advised the duo not to be obsessed with the Ballon d'Or but to focus on their games.
"They shouldn’t obsess over the Ballon d’Or, rather they should focus on their performances and try to improve more," the former Milan striker told Canal+.
"[Salah and Mane should not] put unnecessary pressure on themselves. I always worked hard to get my family out of poverty, that’s how I was awarded the Ballon d’Or."
Having won the League Cup already, the Reds are pushing for a quadruple in the ongoing campaign.
On Sunday, the team will be at Anfield playing their old rivals Everton in the Merseyside derby. A win will be vital for them to sustain pressure on Manchester City who are scheduled to play Watford on Saturday at the Etihad.
After playing the Toffees, the Jurgen Klopp charges will then turn their attention to the first leg of the Champions League semi-final game against Spanish outfit Villarreal next week.
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