Egypt is renowned for producing great footballers in Africa. The list has names like Mohamed Salah, Mohamed Aboutrika, Mahmoud El Khatib, Hossam Hassan, Ahmed Hassan, Mohammed Barakat, Hassan Hosam Mido, Essam El- Hadary among others.
The love for football in Egypt makes footballers more famous than the country’s high profile politicians. Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is currently the most famous personality in Egypt just as he enjoys massive fame at the world stage and this make one think he actually tops the list of the most loved footballers in Egypt.
To a centrally, not! Retired forward Mohammad Aboutrika is the most famous and adored footballer in Egypt. In engagement with a cub driver during the ongoing AFCON 2019 finals, he reveals with passion that Aboutrika is a very good player who is loved most by the fans in Egypt.
“For every national team or Al Ahly match, fans always switch on their phone lights in the 22nd minute to show ‘special love’ to Mohammed Aboutrika, who put on jersey number 22 for both Al Ahly and the Pharaohs.
Why Aboutrika is more famous than Salah
Salah featured for a mid-table El Makawloon club (Arab Contractors) located at the outskirts of Cairo – the capital city while Aboutrika was such a loyal servant Al Ahly –the most supported club in Egypt with over ten million subscribers.
At the peak of his career, many big European clubs called for his signature but Aboutrika shunned them for his home team Ah Ahly.
It is this loyalty that the fans adore him than any other Egyptian player. Name Mohamed Aboutrika was born on Novermber 7, 1978 in Nahia Giza, Egypt. He played as a forward for Ternana, Al Ahly, Baniyas and the Egyptian national team.