Mohamed Salah wins FWA award by ‘biggest margin this century’ as 2nd, 3rd and 4th revealed

Mohamed Salah has been crowned the Footballer of the Year for a third time after an outstanding season which has driven Liverpool to their second Premier League title, while Arsenal striker Alessia Russo won the award for the first time.

Only Thierry Henry can match Salah in winning the Football Writers’ Association gong three times, with the Egyptian picking up 90 per cent of the vote, which is said to be the biggest winning margin this century.

Salah won his first Footballer of the Year award in his first season at Liverpool in 2017-18 and won it again in 2021-22.

READ MORE: Outrageous stats of Mohamed Salah as Liverpool win Premier League title

He has so far managed 28 goals and 18 assists in the Premier League and has appeared in every game in Arne Slot’s first season at the club.

The 32-year-old – who extended his Reds deal last month, is also on course to win a fourth Premier League golden boot and is one goal contribution away from matching the record for most involvements in a Premier League campaign.

His current tally of 46 is one shy of the record held by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole.

Liverpool teammate Virgil van Dijk came second in the vote, with Newcastle’s Alexander Isak third and Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice in fourth.

Henry won the gong three times in four years between 2002 and 2006, while Cristiano Ronaldo is the only other Premier League player to have won the award more than once in the last 30 years.

Such a big winning margin suggests Salah is also nailed on to win the Premier League Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Year awards.

Russo won the women’s award ahead of Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw after scoring 22 goals across the Women’s Super League and Women’s Champions League this season, having helped fire Arsenal into the Women’s Champions League final against Barcelona on May 24.

Shaw was second with Russo’s Arsenal team-mate Mariona Caldentey third and Chelsea captain Millie Bright fourth.

After Liverpool clinched the Premier League title last month, Salah claimed the second was “way better” than the first.

“This is way better, 100 per cent,” the Egyptian forward said. “Without Sadio (Mane), without Jurgen, without Bobby (Firmino) – without everybody it feels more special.

“We have a different group now, different manager, so to be able to do it again is something special.”

Like Arne Slot and the rest of his team, Salah was delighted to win the title in front of the Liverpool fans.

Their previous title came during the Covid-19 pandemic when lockdown restrictions meant fans weren’t allowed into Anfield to celebrate. “It is incredible to win this with our fans. I’m glad we won it here,” he said.

“Watching the Arsenal-Crystal Palace game on Wednesday, I didn’t want to win it then. I wanted an experience we haven’t had before.”