Football often brings high stakes, both on and off the field. For Fulham and USMNT player Antonee Robinson, one of those bets led to an expensive night out after Mohamed Salah stole the show.

Robinson recalls his experience of battling the Egyptian star in the 2022 Premier League opener against Liverpool. The bet did not sound so bad, but Robinson discovered betting against Salah is a bet few people win.

“We played Liverpool in the first game of the season two years ago. We drew 2-2,” Robinson narrated. “I remember saying to my friends, who are all big Liverpool fans and came down because it was around my birthday, ‘Lads, if Salah scores or gets an assist this game, I’ll pay for dinner tonight,’ so I put a bit of added pressure on myself. And he did (score), annoyingly.”

While the 2-2 draw for Fulham with the Premier League giants was something to be proud of for Robinson and his team, his personal bet wasn’t as forthcoming. Salah’s contribution meant he had to dig into his wallet, all the while facing the reality of facing one of the world’s greatest players.

Mohamed Salah is no stranger to scoring in big moments, and it was a laughable reminder for Robinson of how dangerous the Egyptian international can be. “He (Salah) did (score), annoyingly,” Robinson said with a chuckle. But that wasn’t the first time Robinson has faced Mohamed Salah’s brilliance on the field.

Learning from the best

Even though he has lost that bet, Robinson’s attitude to play against top-class guys like Mohamed Salah shows that he is a professional and in the right mental frame. As a defender, he has to go up against the very best of the best. Another excellent lesson for him is going against Salah, as one must make everything out of such a tremendous encounter; otherwise, one cannot change and improve. To Robinson, every game with a player like this will increase his skills even more, thus pushing him to raise his game.

After all, with the stakes for Premier League football as high as they are, football also opens up avenues for lighthearted banter, battles of wits, and friendly challenges. The price he may have paid in a lost dinner was no doubt by way of a bet made by his friends, but to Robinson, it was small fry for the pleasure of battling the world’s best.

As Robinson continues with his career at Fulham and for the USMNT, it becomes more apparent that no challenge he has faced, for that matter, might face going to make him give up. Whether it is a friendly wager with pals or a big game match-up with Liverpool, Robinson approaches every situation with confidence and resilience.

As for that dinner, well, it’s probably safe to say Robinson’s pals enjoyed the meal, even if it was at his expense. But in the grand scheme of things, it’s a small price to pay for the chance to play the game he loves and learn from the very best.