Mohamed Salah's wider Liverpool impact off the pitch cannot be ignored

Aside from being one of Liverpools greatest ever players, Mohamed Salah has also led to the decline of hate crimes and anti-Muslim comments since joining the club

Mohamed Salah's impact at Liverpool extends beyond his performances on the pitch(Image: Getty Images)

Mohamed Salah has confirmed that he will leave Liverpool at the end of the 2025-26 season, but his wider impact on the local area showcases just how influential he's been since arriving in 2017.

On Tuesday, Salah announced that he would be leaving Liverpool after nine seasons, closing the curtain on his legendary Anfield career. The Egyptian will leave the club without a transfer fee, but both parties have agreed to cancel the final year of his contract, which pays $535,000 per week.

Salah will depart as one of the greatest players in Liverpool history, and has served as the face of a golden era that has seen the club win two Premier League titles and the Champions League. However, off the field, he has also contributed to significant change in and around the city of Liverpool.

According to a Stanford University study, hate crimes in the local area have decreased by 19 percent since Salah joined Liverpool in June 2017. Anti-Muslim comments online have also dropped by 50 percent.

Liverpool is also one of the most popular soccer teams across the Middle East, and fandom across Egypt has skyrocketed because of Salah. However, Liverpool will now plan to continue without Salah, who will start a new chapter at the end of this season.

While Salah hasn't been at his best this season, his legacy ranks him among the all-time greats, placing him alongside Steven Gerrard, Ian Rush, and Kenny Dalglish. Salah has made 435 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions, scoring 255 goals in that time.

Salah prays each time he scores for Liverpool(Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)

Salah's 281 total goal contributions in the Premier League for Liverpool are the most any player has for one club in the division’s history, and he has created 534 chances from open play. Salah's bombshell announcement on Tuesday shocked fans, though his departure wasn't totally unexpected.

In a farewell video on social media, Salah said: "Hello everyone. Unfortunately the day has come. This is the first part of my farewell. I will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.

"I wanted to start by saying I never imagined how deeply this club, this city, these people, would become part of my life. Liverpool is not just a football club. It is a passion, a history, a spirit that I can't explain in words to anyone not part of this club.

Salah announced his departure in a social media video on Tuesday(Image: Mohamed Salah/X)

"We celebrated victory. We won the most important trophies and we fought together through the hardest time in our lives.

"I want to thank everyone who was part of this club during my time here, especially my teammates, past and present.

"And to the fans, I don't have enough words. The support you showed me, through the best time of my career, is something I will never forget and something I will always take with me.

"Leaving is never easy. You gave me the best time of my life. I will always be one of you. This club will always be my home, to me and my family. Thank you for everything. Because of all of you, I will never walk alone."