'I'd love to' - Chess star Magnus Carlsen ready for Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah challenge

Former world champion and chess star Magnus Carlsen has said he is keen to play a game against Liverpool's Mo Salah but suggested Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard might be a tougher opponent. The Norwegian, speaking at a chess team event in London, has described himself as a "huge football fan" but questioned whether any Premier League players would be able to trouble him at the sport he dominates.

Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen has suggested a game against Liverpool and Egypt forward Mo Salah may be on the cards, describing himself as a "huge football fan and definitely a fan of Salah."

The five-time world champion, who is in the UK for a team competition, the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, previously needed just five minutes and 17 moves to defeat Salah's Liverpool team-mate Trent Alexander-Arnold in 2018.

Salah is among numerous Premier League players to have previously spoken about a love of chess, saying last year he was "addicted" to the sport.

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Speaking in The Observer, Carlsen - who is also an avid Fantasy Football player, finishing 10th in the world in the 2020/21 season - said he would be keen to play the Egypt captain.

“I’m a huge football fan and definitely a fan of Salah,” he said. “I’ve not met him yet but I would certainly love to – as well as other sports people who I admire who play chess.”

But Carlsen suggested that his fellow Norwegian, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, might prove a tougher opponent.

“Martin Odegaard plays a little bit,” he added. “He was playing a lot for a while, and then not so much. He’s not a bad player, but he’s kind of private about it.

“As for the best [footballer at chess], I don’t know. There are a lot of decent players. But I don’t know if there are any very good players among the sports people I have faced.”

Mohamed Salah

Image credit: Getty Images

Carlsen may not be able to trouble the Premier League's best at their own sport, but he can hold his own in the Fantasy version. In 2020 he briefly topped the rankings but said his current season was off to a "horrible" start. "I'm a bit of a casual these days," he said.

Back in chess, Carlsen has been the highest-ranked player in the world since July 2011 and is second behind the legendary Garry Kasparov in months spent as world No. 1.

He regards Kasparov as still the greatest of all time, but added: "There are probably only two players - or three if you include Bobby Fischer - with legitimate claims. And my name is in there. But being regarded as the greatest ever doesn’t really consume much of my day-to-day thinking.”

Despite having voluntarily relinquished the classical world title last year, Carlsen still feels the same hunger and drive to compete as earlier in his career.

Carlsen said: “This is still my favourite hobby, as well as my work. I love playing. And I love winning. I still have moments where I’m thinking: ‘I love this. I don’t want to stop.’ As long as that’s the case, I am not going to quit.

“Honestly, I hate losing. Whenever I lose an important game it still stings. But I think that’s a good thing. It shows I still want it. It shows that I still care.”

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