Egyptian star Mo Salah of Liverpool has come under fire for a cover photo in which he is embraced by a model.

Mohamed Salah and Alessandra Ambrosio, a former Victoria’s Secret Angel, appear on the cover of GQ Middle East.

In contrast to the initial version, which portrays them standing side by side, the second edition has Ambrosio embracing him from behind.

In a behind-the-scenes film, the performers appear to be having a good time.

Many readers expressed their happiness at the inclusion of Salah, a married Muslim man from a more conservative neighborhood, in the spread.

“Can you imagine the consequences for a married Muslim woman who does this?” asked one Twitter user.

Because of the incident, few people noticed or cared that the Liverpool player had been named GQ’s Man of the Year for 2019.

Salah was also the recipient of a flood of criticism after releasing the two covers to his social networking sites; many of his supporters embarrassed him and questioned his integrity.

According to one Instagram user, you should be humiliated as a Muslim.

It was customary practice to make fun of Salah’s divorce. Despite condemnation from millions of fans worldwide, the football player has stayed silent.

It wasn’t long before photographs of Salah were juxtaposed with those of other Egyptian superstars who had also been severely penalized for immoral behavior. Rania Youssef put herself in jeopardy by wearing a dress to a red carpet event that showed her upper thighs and legs, risking a five-year prison sentence.

Salah’s Instagram is full of true life images, so he’s no stranger to sharing private photos online. Nonetheless, the GQ episode emphasizes the difficulties he faces as a Muslim, an Egyptian, and a global personality with a significant fan base outside of the Arab world.

Opponents of the striker’s criticism of his photo with Ambrosio were disputed by fans who said that the striker is now a global celebrity, not just an Egyptian star.