A bronze statue of Liverpool star striker Mohamed Salah, deemed degraded by Internet users, has sparked controversy and sarcasm on social networks in Egypt.
With his body too small for his head, his unrecognizable aged face and his disproportionate limbs, this statue was unveiled at a forum on youth in Sharm el-Sheikh (east), in the presence of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi .
It was designed by the young Egyptian sculptor Mai Abdallah, whose style is marked by a caricatured approach of her models. "It would be the statue of Salah if he remained in the Egyptian championship," quipped a surfer on Facebook, referring to the level of local football, often criticized by Egyptian fans.
"Mo Salah", who plays in the English Premier League (Liverpool), has worn the colors of his country during the 2018 World Cup in Russia, without the same success as his English club. "Yes, it's a statue, but where is Mohamed Salah?" , launched another surfer on Facebook.
Ms. Abdallah defended herself by saying that the original white plaster work was disfigured after being, to her surprise, covered with bronze by the organizers of the forum.
She also claimed to have made the statue to teach sculpture to beginners. On her Facebook page, she posted other statues of Egyptian celebrities.
[# Egypt] Sculptor Mai Abdel Allah made a statue to salute the good season of Mohamed Salah last year. It is visible at the World Youth Forum in Sharm el-Sheikh. pic.twitter.com/eDr1mDLUII
- Footballogue (@Footballogue) November 5, 2018