The Lord Mayor of Liverpool has a nervous grin on his face and is wearing a gold ceremonial necklace the size of a saucer, the kind worn to meet royalty or foreign dignitaries—which feels appropriate because it’s not every day you get a visit from the Egyptian king. It’s a clear autumn day in the city, and Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah has arrived at the town hall to film an interview for an Egyptian television station.
The producers sought a place that was aspirational and sumptuous to film their national symbol, and they couldn’t have chosen a better location. The structure is ostentatiously magnificent, late Georgian in style, with Corinthian columns, gold-filigree cornicing, and crystal ballroom chandeliers that each weigh a tonne, according to the Lord Mayor, a little woman named Mary.
While the cameras roll in the adjacent room, the team buzzes around nervously, whispering in low whispers. Salah! Mary, an Everton supporter and consequently a supporter of Liverpool’s most despised rivals, is also ecstatic. “I’m not a bitter Blue,” she says quietly, because who doesn’t adore Mohamed Salah, despite their rivalries? His moniker is “Happiness Maker” in Egypt, where his life narrative is taught in schools.
This is due to his achievements on the pitch, as he has guided a resurgent Liverpool to Premier League and Champions League crowns in five seasons, breaking numerous records along the way. He has the million-lumen smile, the Afro-beard combo, and the entire wholesome, hardworking, family-man persona.