Amr Zaki

2.1. Early Career

Zaki started his professional career at El Mansoura SC in 2001, where he played 64 matches and scored 27 goals over two seasons. In 2003, he moved to ENPPI Club for the 2003-04 season. During his time at ENPPI, he made a significant impact, becoming the Egyptian Premier League top goalscorer for the 2004-05 season. He also helped the club secure its first major trophy, the 2005 Egyptian Cup, and achieve a runner-up finish in the Egyptian Premier League. His strong performances, particularly during the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations, attracted attention from numerous clubs, including Egyptian giants El Zamalek and Al Ahly SC, as well as Al-Ain FC from the United Arab Emirates and FC Nantes from France.

2.2. Lokomotiv Moscow

Despite interest from various clubs, Zaki decided to join Russian club FC Lokomotiv Moscow in 2006. The transfer was reportedly for a sum of 1.70 M EUR. However, his tenure at Lokomotiv Moscow was brief, and he did not make any official appearances for the club before returning to Egypt.

2.3. Zamalek SC

After his short spell in Russia, Zaki returned to the Egyptian Premier League in 2006, signing with Zamalek SC. His powerful physical displays as a forward quickly earned him the nicknames "The Bulldozer" by fans and "Egyptian Gladiator" by newspapers. He became a key player and a significant goal source for the club. During his initial period from 2006 to 2008, he played 44 league matches, scoring 17 goals, and contributed to Zamalek's victory in the 2007-08 Egyptian Cup.

Zaki returned to Zamalek for the 2009-10 season after his loan spells in England. He had a strong start to the 2010-11 season, becoming the team's top scorer with three goals in the first four league matches. However, in October 2010, he suffered a career-threatening injury that sidelined him for nearly ten months. Upon his return, he played a crucial role in the Egypt Cup, scoring two goals in the semi-final against defending champions Haras El-Hodood Club, leading Zamalek to a 2-1 victory and a spot in the final.

In November 2011, Zaki became involved in a financial dispute with the Zamalek board over unpaid wages, claiming he had not been paid for over a year. This dispute lasted three months until the club chairman, Mamdouh Abbas, paid a significant portion of his outstanding wages. Following the resolution, Zaki made his first appearance for Zamalek as a second-half substitute in a CAF Champions League match against Tanzanian club Young Africans S.C., scoring the equalizer in the 74th minute, which ended the game in a 1-1 draw.

Throughout 2011 and 2012, as Zamalek continued to face financial difficulties, Zaki was considered a potential transfer target to generate revenue. He received offers from clubs in Russia, China, and France, but Zamalek consistently refused to let him go, viewing him as a crucial player. In June 2012, Zaki expressed his desire to return to play in England, coinciding with discussions about his potential inclusion as one of the three overage players for the Egypt U-23 team in the 2012 London Olympics. He saw this as an opportunity to be scouted by English clubs again, though he was ultimately not selected for the Olympics. Later, English Championship side Blackpool F.C. extended an official request for a one-week trial, which Zaki and Zamalek accepted, but Blackpool later withdrew from negotiations. Middlesbrough also showed interest, but Zaki turned down their offer for a short-term deal, preferring a two-year contract. His agent claimed that a deal was agreed upon for his medical, contract, and housing, but Middlesbrough changed their minds. A Middlesbrough spokesman stated that Zaki was one of several players considered, and no official offer was submitted.

Overall, Zaki played 88 matches for Zamalek, scoring 35 goals across his various spells.

2.4. Wigan Athletic

On 22 July 2008, Wigan Athletic secured a one-year loan deal for Zaki, costing them 1.50 M GBP. He quickly impressed, scoring two goals in his two pre-season appearances. Zaki continued his strong form into the Premier League, scoring on his debut against West Ham United on 16 August. On 30 August, he netted his first brace for Wigan in a 5-0 victory over Hull City. By 13 September, he had scored his fourth goal in as many Premier League games against Sunderland, placing him joint-top of the goal-scoring charts. By 28 September, a penalty against Manchester City brought his tally to five goals in six games, putting him at the top of the league's scoring list. He further solidified this position with two more goals against Liverpool and penalties in 2-1 victories over Portsmouth and Newcastle United. At one point, he was the third top scorer in the Premier League with ten goals.

Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan praised Zaki, comparing him to Alan Shearer, noting his confidence, instinct for goal, and powerful build. Former Wigan manager Steve Bruce also expressed high regard for Zaki, describing him as "awesome" and highlighting his physique, power, pace, and desire to score.

However, Zaki's time at Wigan was also marked by controversy. In April 2009, he failed to return to the club after an Egypt World Cup qualification match. This led Steve Bruce to publicly label him the "most unprofessional player" he had ever worked with. Zaki's repeated late returns from international duty resulted in him being fined the maximum amount permitted by the club on multiple occasions. Bruce stated that the fines, which had amounted to "considerably more than the average person in Britain earns in a year," did not seem to alter his poor behavior. Consequently, on 17 May 2009, Bruce confirmed that Wigan would not exercise the option to make Zaki's loan deal permanent. He finished his loan spell with 10 goals from 29 league appearances.

2.5. Hull City

On 17 January 2010, Zaki completed a medical and joined Hull City on a five-month loan deal. He made his debut on 30 January 2010, coming on as a substitute against Wolverhampton Wanderers in a 2-2 draw. Zaki stated that if no suitable offer from a "decent club" emerged by the end of his loan, he would return to Zamalek. On 17 April 2010, his agent confirmed that his loan had been terminated, and he returned to Zamalek. He played six league matches for Hull City without scoring.

2.6. Turkish League Activities

In late July 2012, Turkish club Gaziantepspor offered Zamalek 250.00 K EUR for Zaki, an offer Zamalek accepted on 31 July. However, the deal fell through when Gaziantepspor failed to send the official contract by the agreed deadline. Following this, fellow Turkish side Elazığspor expressed interest. On 6 August, Elazığspor officials announced an agreement with Zamalek to sign Zaki on a two-year deal for the same price of 250.00 K EUR. Zaki requested a special clause in his contract allowing him to leave if Elazığspor were relegated to the Turkish second division.

After missing the first two games due to registration issues, Zaki debuted for Elazığspor as a substitute in a 0-3 loss against Kasımpaşa SK. In his third appearance against Bursaspor, he provided an assist and had a goal disallowed for offside. A series of injuries limited his playing time, and he made only 8 appearances out of a potential 17. Near the end of December 2012, Zaki sought to leave the club due to offers from England, France, Ukraine, and the Persian Gulf region. Elazığspor set a transfer fee of 400.00 K EUR, but no club met the price. Zaki later agreed with the club to rescind his contract due to two months of unpaid wages, becoming a free agent in late January. He concluded his short stint in Turkey without scoring any goals, providing only one assist.

2.7. Kuwaiti League Activities

On 18 June 2013, Zaki officially signed a one-year deal with Kuwaiti club Al-Salmiya SC, receiving the number 9 jersey. He scored on his debut in the league opener against Yarmouk in a 4-0 victory. In the third game of the season against Kazma, he scored his second goal in three games, contributing to a 3-1 win. After suffering a couple of injuries and experiencing minor issues with his salary, Zaki and Al-Salmiya agreed to terminate his contract in December 2013. This decision was made to prevent further financial disputes and because Zaki felt he was not performing as well as he had hoped in the Kuwaiti Premier League, expressing a desire to move to Europe or another Arab league. He finished his spell with Al-Salmiya with two goals and one assist from nine matches.

2.8. Moroccan League Activities

On 30 December 2013, reports indicated that Zaki would join Moroccan champions Raja CA when the winter transfer window opened on 1 January 2014. However, during a friendly match, Zaki sustained a broken foot and ankle ligament injury, requiring surgery that would keep him out of action for three to four months, effectively ending his 2013-14 season. Controversy arose when the club claimed they were unaware of Zaki undergoing surgery, expressing anger that he had not informed them. To avoid further issues, Raja CA and Zaki mutually agreed to terminate his contract. He featured in three friendlies during the club's winter break, scoring one goal, but never made an official competitive appearance for Raja CA. For the fourth time in two years, Zaki became a free agent.

2.9. Lebanese League Activities

On 16 August 2014, Zaki signed a one-year deal with Lebanese Premier League club Al Ahed FC. This transfer was reported to be the most expensive in the history of the Lebanese league at the time. However, on 12 September 2014, he terminated his contract with the club due to recurring injury concerns, without having played a single game.

2.10. Return to ENPPI

After being close to signing with Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk during the 2013 winter transfer window, Zaki made a surprising move back to his former club, ENPPI Club. He signed a two-and-a-half-year deal, intended to keep him at the Egyptian club until June 2015. It was widely expected that Zaki would return to Zamalek, but he explained that the Zamalek chairman, Mamdouh Abbas, had "rejected his return." Just twelve days after signing with ENPPI, Zaki and the club mutually terminated his contract due to an unspecified "disagreement," making him a free agent once again.

2.11. El Mokawloon

In January 2015, Zaki signed an 18-month contract with El Mokawloon SC, reuniting with his former national team coach, Hassan Shehata. This marked his return to professional football after nearly 400 days away from the game. He made his debut for the club in a Egypt Cup round of 32 match.

2.12. Retirement

On 18 August 2015, Amr Zaki officially announced his retirement from professional football via his Twitter account, concluding a career marked by both significant achievements and notable challenges.

3.1. Debut and Early Activities

Zaki made his debut for the Egyptian national team on 20 June 2004, in a match against Ivory Coast. His first international goal came on 8 October 2004, against Libya during a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification match. He continued to score in qualification matches, including against Uganda, Sudan, and Benin in 2005.

3.2. 2006 Africa Cup of Nations

At the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations, Zaki played a crucial role in Egypt's triumph. In the semi-final against Senegal, he scored the winning goal late in the second half with his very first touch after coming off the bench. This moment was particularly dramatic as it followed a public argument between his teammate Mido and coach Hassan Shehata, which had briefly held up play. Egypt went on to win their fifth continental title.

3.3. 2008 Africa Cup of Nations

Two years later, Zaki was again a key figure in Egypt's successful defense of their title at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations. He scored a goal against Zambia in the group stage, another in the quarter-final against Angola, and two more goals in the semi-final match against Ivory Coast. His four goals in the tournament were instrumental in Egypt securing a record sixth continental title. For his outstanding performances, he was selected for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations All-Star Starting XI.

3.4. World Cup Qualification Campaigns

Zaki participated in several FIFA World Cup qualification campaigns for Egypt. Beyond his goals in the 2006 qualifiers, he also scored during the 2010 World Cup qualification against DR Congo, Djibouti, Zambia, and Algeria. After a prolonged absence from the national team, he ended a nearly four-year goal drought on 10 September 2013, scoring the fourth goal in a 4-2 victory against Guinea during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification. He also scored against Ghana in a 2014 World Cup qualification match on 19 November 2013.

3.5. Later Career and National Team Absences

Following Egypt's failure to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Zaki was largely absent from the national squad for almost two years due to numerous injuries sustained during his spells with Hull City and Zamalek. After American coach Bob Bradley took over the national team, Zaki was called up three times between November 2011 and April 2012, but each time he withdrew due to injury. Bradley eventually expressed frustration, stating he was "done with Zaki" after an ear infection was cited as the reason for his third withdrawal. Media outlets reported rumors that Zaki was attempting to avoid the national team and playing under Bradley, but Zaki denied these claims, asserting his readiness to be called up at any time. He was finally recalled by Bradley in October 2012 to play in two friendlies against DR Congo and Tunisia.

5.1. Nickname and Comparisons

Due to his powerful and assertive playing style as a forward, Amr Zaki was widely known by the nickname "The Bulldozer." In Egyptian newspapers, he was also referred to as "The Egyptian Gladiator." His physical prowess, confidence on the ball, and innate ability to find the net led to comparisons with prominent strikers, most notably former England international Alan Shearer, by figures such as Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan.

5.2. Professionalism and Disciplinary Issues

A recurring theme throughout Zaki's career was his alleged lack of professionalism and disciplinary issues. His former Wigan Athletic manager, Steve Bruce, publicly labeled him the "most unprofessional player" he had ever managed. This criticism stemmed primarily from Zaki's repeated failure to return to the club on time after international duty with the Egyptian national team. These late returns led to Zaki being fined the maximum amount permitted by the club on multiple occasions. Bruce noted that despite the substantial fines, Zaki's behavior did not seem to improve. These disciplinary problems ultimately contributed to Wigan's decision not to make his loan deal permanent, significantly hindering his chances of establishing a long-term career in the English Premier League. Similar "disagreements" also led to the early termination of his contract upon his brief return to ENPPI.

5.3. Political and Ethnic Stances

One of the most significant controversies in Zaki's career involved his refusal to join English Premier League club Portsmouth F.C. in 2009. This decision garnered widespread criticism in the English press because Zaki stated his refusal was due to the presence of two Algerian players and an Israeli player, as well as an Israeli football director, Avram Grant, on the team. Zaki was quoted saying, "After Portsmouth signed an Israeli player and also hired an Israeli football director, a possible move was ruled out. On top of that, no way could I play at Portsmouth with an Algerian within their ranks." This stance sparked considerable social commentary and criticism, highlighting the intersection of sport, nationality, and prejudice, and drawing negative attention to Zaki's conduct and views regarding international and ethnic relations.

6.1. Club

6.2. International

Scores and results list Egypt's goal tally first.