The task of ranking Egypt's greatest footballers is, let me tell you, a wonderfully contentious one. It’s a debate that fuels cafes from Alexandria to Aswan, and as someone who’s spent years both studying the game’s history and feeling its emotional pulse, I find it’s less about cold statistics and more about legacy, impact, and that intangible quality of inspiration. We’re talking about a nation that lives and breathes football, with a history that intertwines sublime skill with raw passion. Any definitive list isn't just a record; it's a narrative of Egyptian football itself. And in crafting that narrative, I’m reminded of a modern philosophy that echoes through the ages, something Mohamed Salah recently encapsulated when speaking about leadership for a young team: "Just trying to be positive always... and just make sure to set an example. I think that’s it. There's no other secret to being a leader." This idea of setting an example—through performance, resilience, and character—is the very thread that connects the legends of Egypt's past to its present icons.
To begin any such ranking, one must start with the bedrock, the players who didn't just play but who defined eras and set the standard. For me, Mahmoud El-Gohary stands not merely as a great player but as the ultimate footballing figure. His leadership as the "architect" of the 1959 African Cup of Nations win, our first, and later as the coach who guided us to the 1990 World Cup, embodies that "set an example" ethos across generations. Then there's the genius of Mohamed Aboutrika. The numbers—say, 38 goals in 100 caps—only hint at the story. Watching Aboutrika was to watch a chess master on grass; his vision, his clutch performances in two AFCON finals (2006, 2008), and his dignified presence made him the cerebral heartbeat of a golden age. He wasn't just playing; he was setting a tactical and moral example for an entire squad. You simply cannot separate the success of that late-2000s team from his quiet, monumental influence.
Of course, the conversation swiftly moves to the modern era, dominated by a figure who has redefined what's possible for an Egyptian athlete on the global stage: Mohamed Salah. Here, the statistics become dizzying. Over 200 goals for Liverpool, two Premier League Golden Boots, a Champions League title—these are numbers we once dreamed of. But Salah’s greatness, in my view, transcends the pitch. He is the personification of that positive example. His work ethic, his humility amidst superstardom, and his unwavering commitment to the national team, even carrying the hopes of 100 million on his shoulders, have inspired a "very, very young team" and a nation. He’s shown that Egyptian excellence can be a constant at the very pinnacle of club football. While some purists might argue for the technical purity of past maestros like Abdel-Zaher El-Saqqa or the relentless goal-scoring of Hossam Hassan (a staggering 68 international goals, mind you), Salah’s global impact and his role as a standard-bearer make his case for the top spot incredibly compelling. I’ll admit my bias here: witnessing his journey has been one of the great joys of following football in the last decade.
The list deepens with players whose brilliance might be slightly dimmed by time for younger fans but whose contributions are indelible. Ahmed Hassan’s record 184 caps and four AFCON titles speak of a longevity and winning mentality that is almost mythical. Was he the most flamboyant? Perhaps not, but his consistency and leadership were the engine room. Similarly, players like El-Hadji Diouf’s… wait, no, my apologies, the Senegalese legend sometimes overshadows our own! I’m thinking of the wizardry of Sayed "Donga" Abd El-Hafiz in the 60s, or the defensive rock that was Ibrahim Youssef. And we must spare a thought for the tragic genius of Mohamed "El-Magico" El-Sayed, whose career was cut short but whose talent, those who saw him swear, was otherworldly. Ranking them involves comparing different currencies of greatness: pure skill versus trophy hauls, domestic dominance versus international glory.
In the end, compiling this list forces a recognition that greatness has many faces. It’s in El-Gohary’s foundational grit, Aboutrika’s poetic intelligence, Hossam Hassan’s predatory instinct, Ahmed Hassan’s relentless presence, and Salah’s transformative excellence. The common denominator, as Salah wisely noted, is the example they set. They weren't just playing for themselves; they were lifting a nation, defining an era, and showing the next generation the way. My definitive ranking would place Salah at the summit for his unprecedented global impact and his embodiment of modern leadership, followed closely by Aboutrika for his iconic AFCON moments and El-Gohary for his unparalleled dual legacy. But the beauty of this debate is that it has no true end. Each era produces its own heroes who reimagine the possibilities, and as long as that continues, Egyptian football’s story—and the debate over its greatest protagonists—will remain gloriously alive.
