The Mido Touch

The finest gemstones are multifaceted objects, and this particular jewel in the Nile is no exception. Born Ahmed Hossam in Cairo in 1983, Mido is undoubtedly Egyptian football’s most significant export – and arguably the greatest Arab footballer ever. But seven clubs in as many years tells its own story. While his CV can already boast the likes of Ajax, Roma, Marseilles and Tottenham Hotspur in the England, those coaches looking to capitalise on his undoubted talent have also had to contend with a highly combustible temperament. Whether the two are symbiotically linked is a question many European managers have asked. But as each season passes, claims of adolescence and inexperience become less and less valid, and so far it seems that it’s his personality, rather than his football, which has prevented the “Egyptian Beckham” from finding a club he can really call home.  

 

The son of celebrated player and coach, Hossam Wafsi, it was apparent from the outset that the football gene had been passed on to the new generation. Pulling every string possible, Mido’s father enrolled him in to the exclusive Nasr City Sports School at just 9, four years shy of the minimum age. 

 

Seven years later, having just celebrated his 16th birthday, Mido became the youngest ever player to join the first team of Egyptian club, Zamalek. However, even then Egypt’s rising star had far greater aspirations. “I remember watching the Zamalek players when I was 10 or 12 and of course I loved them,” he says. “But I also remember thinking that’s not my dream. I wanted to surpass that, to achieve more, to reach Europe.” 
In 1998, that dream became a reality. During a friendly match between the Egyptian Olympic team and a French side, he was spotted by a scout from Belgian club Ghent and offered his first international contract. It was enough to prize the prodigious talent away from his homeland and it marked the start of what was to become a nomadic journey across the often harsh terrain of European football. 

 

In less than a year, Mido was a star in Belgium after scoring 11 goals in his maiden season. He also made his senior international debut, scoring for Egypt in a 2-1 victory over the UAE, and was named Belgian League Discovery of the Year. By now, Mido’s father, who had traveled to Belgium to look after his young son, had grown homesick and had returned to Egypt be with his wife and two other children. 

 

Undaunted, the confident teenage sensation continued to pursue his ambitions. In 2001, Belgian League Young Player of the Year was followed by Egyptian Young Footballer of the Year, but alongside the accolades, there was the first of many controversies that would soon characterise Mido’s blossoming career. His abilities on the pitch soon attracted the attention of Belgium’s most prestigious club, Anderlecht, but with a deal seemingly done, Mido threw a giant spanner into the works by backing out on the agreement, sparking insults and accusations in the media.  

 

“It is true that I gave Anderlecht my word,” said Mido. “But that was before the famous remark from [Anderlecht manager] Anthuenis. He stated in the press that this Mido guy shouldn’t think that he would play every match. I thought that was a strange remark. The moment I knew how Anthuenis felt, I was determined not to go. Anderlecht was a closed book for me.”

 

For the full version of this article, see NOX1