Biography
Who is Amr Zaki?
Early career and Egyptian success
Amr Zaki began his professional football path at El Mansoura. He eventually moved to ENPPI for the 2003–04 season. During the 2004–05 season, he became the top goalscorer in the Egyptian Premier League. He also helped ENPPI secure the 2005 Egypt Cup trophy and finished as runners-up in the league.
Following his success in the 2006 African Cup of Nations, several international clubs showed interest. He was linked to teams like Nantes in France and Al-Ain in the UAE. However, he chose to sign with the Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow for a reported fee of 1.7 million euros. Although he signed with the team, he did not actually play any matches for the Russian side.
Playing in England and nicknames
In 2006, he returned to the Egyptian Premier League to play for El Zamalek. Because of his physical strength and power as a forward, fans gave him the nickname The Bulldozer. Media outlets also referred to him as the Egyptian Gladiator. His ability to score goals earned him comparisons to the former England striker Alan Shearer.
Amr Zaki moved to Wigan Athletic on a one-year loan in July 2008 for 1.5 million pounds. He had a strong start in the Premier League, scoring on his league debut against West Ham United. He reached the top of the goal scoring charts after scoring five goals in his first six games. His scoring included a brace against Hull City and goals against Manchester City, Liverpool, Portsmouth, and Newcastle United.
Career controversies and challenges
His time in England included some professional difficulties. In April 2009, he did not return to Wigan Athletic from international duty with Egypt. This led manager Steve Bruce to describe him as highly unprofessional and issued him significant fines. Wigan Athletic ultimately decided not to make his loan deal permanent in May 2009.
While at El Zamalek, he faced criticism from the English press for refusing a move to Portsmouth. He stated that he would not play for the club because of the nationality of certain players on the roster. During his later years at Zamalek, he dealt with various health issues, injuries, and difficulties maintaining his position in the starting lineup.
Later club moves and transfers
Amr Zaki spent time on loan at Hull City in early 2010. He made his debut for the club as a substitute in a match against Wolverhampton Wanderers. His loan period ended in April 2010 when he returned to Zamalek. He later helped Zamalek reach the Egypt Cup final by scoring two goals in a semi-final match against Haras El-Hodood.
Throughout his career, he was linked to many clubs in Russia, China, Turkey, and France. He had interest from Middlesbrough and Blackpool, though these moves did not materialize. In July 2012, he moved to the Turkish side Gaziantepspor after Zamalek accepted a transfer offer of 250,000 euros.
Birthday and age
Amr Zaki was born on April 1, 1983, which makes Amr 43 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Amr shares the date with 56 other famous people.
Explore more
