Full Name: Sayed Mohamed Mohamed Abdel Hafiz
Date of Birth: October 27, 1977
Place of Birth: Qalameshah, Fayoum, Egypt
Height: 1.72 m (5 feet 8 inches)
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Egyptian
Football Career:
Early Career at Al Ahly:
- Sayed Abdel Hafiz began his football career in Al Ahly Club in 1989 after passing the youth team trials. He started his journey in youth teams under the guidance of coaches like Hossam El-Badry, Ramadan Sayed, and Mkhtar Mokhtar.
- In the 1996-1997 season, he was promoted to the first team, officially starting his professional career at Al Ahly.
Professional Career with Al Ahly:
- Sayed Abdel Hafiz played for Al Ahly for 10 years, from 1996 to 2006, making 500 official appearances and scoring 25 goals.
- His first official match with the first team was on April 27, 1997, against Al Ittihad Alexandria in the Egyptian Cup semifinals, which ended in a 3-1 victory for Al Ahly.
- His last official match was on November 27, 2005, against Al-Mokawloon Al-Arab in 2005-2006 Premier League, which ended 3-1 in favor of Al Ahly.
- Abdel Hafiz scored many memorable goals, including his famous goal against Esperance Tunis in the 2001 CAF Champions League semifinal, from midfield, and another against Mamelodi Sundowns in the final of the same competition in 2005.
Loan to Al Wahda FC (Saudi Arabia):
- In 2006, at the end of his career, Sayed Abdel Hafiz was loaned to Al Wahda FC in Saudi Arabia, where he played 20 matches and scored 15 goals.
Retirement Match:
- Sayed Abdel Hafiz played his retirement match on September 12, 2006, at Al-Mokawloon Al-Arab Stadium, which was attended by many football legends from Egypt and abroad.
International Career:
Egypt National Team:
- Sayed Abdel Hafiz began his international career with the Egypt U-16 national team under coach Sayed El-Tobakh. He later moved to the U-23 and Olympic team under Helmy Tolba.
- He played 68 matches for the U-20 and U-23 teams, scoring 18 goals.
- He earned 28 caps for the senior national team, scoring 6 goals.
- He participated in numerous major international tournaments, including Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers, and was a key player for the national team during his tenure.
Honors and Achievements:
Club Achievements (Al Ahly):
- Egyptian Premier League: 6 times (1996-1997, 1997-1998, 1998-1999, 1999-2000, 2004-2005, 2005-2006)
- Egyptian Cup: 2 times (2001, 2003)
- Egyptian Super Cup: 2 times (2002, 2005)
- Arab Cup Winners' Cup: 1 time (1998)
- CAF Champions League: 2 times (2001, 2005)
- CAF Super Cup: 1 time (2002)
Individual Achievements:
- Best Young Player in Egypt: 1996-1997 season
- Best Player in Egypt: 1997-1998 season
- Second Best Player in Egypt: 1998-1999 season
- Best Player in the Arab Olympic Championship.
- Second Best Goal in CAF Champions League 2001: His memorable goal against Esperance Tunis in the semifinal, which helped Al Ahly qualify for the final and eventually win the championship.
Post-Retirement Career:
Manager of Football at Al Ahly:
- After retiring, Sayed Abdel Hafiz began his administrative career by being appointed as the Manager of Al Ahly Academy in the Mansoura branch.
- In 2010, he became the Director of Football at Al Ahly, where he played a crucial role in managing the team's administration, player transfers, and overall team stability.
- During his tenure as Football Director, he contributed significantly to Al Ahly's success in achieving numerous domestic and international titles.
Conclusion:
Sayed Abdel Hafiz is considered one of the most iconic players in the history of Al Ahly. After a successful and decorated career with the club, he left a significant mark both as a player and an administrator.
Following his retirement, he continued to serve Al Ahly in a managerial capacity, remaining an integral part of the club's continuous success. His legacy remains an inspiration for aspiring footballers and administrators alike.
