Amr Zaki

Football player infobox
playername = Amr Zaki


fullname = Amr Hassan Zaki
nickname = the Bulldozer, Zak,the Matador
height = height|m=1.85
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1983|4|1|mf=y
cityofbirth = Mansoura
countryofbirth = Egypt
currentclub = Wigan Athletic
clubnumber = 13
position = Striker
youthyears =
youthclubs = Al-Mansoura
years = 2001-2003
2003-2005
2006
2006-
2008-
clubs = Al-Mansoura
ENPPI
Lokomotiv Moscow
Zamalek
→ Wigan Athletic (loan)
caps(goals) = 0? 0(?)
0? 0(?)
00 0(0)
34 (18)
06 0(5)
nationalyears = 2004-
nationalteam = Egypt
nationalcaps(goals) = 48 (29)
pcupdate = 09:00, 28 September 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 14:34, 22 July 2008 (UTC)

Amr Hassan Zaki (Arabic : عمرو حسن زكى, sometimes spelt Zaky), nicknames "the Bulldozer, Zak" (born 1 April 1983 in Mansoura) is an Egyptian professional footballer. He plays for English side Wigan Athletic as well as The Egyptian National Team.

Zaki started his career at Al-Mansoura Football Club in Egypt before moving to ENPPI in the 2003-2004 season. At ENPPI, he was the top scorer in the league for the 2004/2005 season and helped the club win its first trophy, the 2005 Egyptian Cup, as well as being runners-up in the Egyptian Premier League, their best position ever. After impressing in the 2006 African Nations Cup, Zaki caught the attention of many clubs, such as El Zamalek and Al Ahly from Egypt, Al-Ain FC from the UAE, and French team FC Nantes. He finally decided to play for Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow, who signed him for a reported $2 million. However, he did not play a single match for Lokomotiv. In 2006 Zaki moved back to Egypt to play for El Zamalek, where he became their most important and prolific goalscorer.

Wigan Athletic F.C.

On 22 July 2008, Wigan Athletic completed a one-year loan deal to bring Zaki to the JJB Stadium. After scoring two goals in his two pre-season appearances for Wigan, [cite news|url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11792_3938277,00.html|title=Zaki sinks Hibs|date=2008-08-5|publisher=Sky Sports|accessdate=2008-08-18] [cite news|url=http://www.sportinglife.com/football/premiership/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/08/08/13/SOCCER_Wigan_Melchiot.html|title=MELCHIOT HAILS BRUCE STRENGTH|last=Hirst|first=Paul|accessdate=2008-08-18] [cite news|url=http://www.wigan.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=120068|title=Pre Season Pros and Cons|last=baskerville|date=2008-08-13|publisher=Vital Wigan Athletic|accessdate=2008-08-18] Zaki scored on his league debut on 16 August against West Ham United. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7551169.stm|title=West Ham 2-1 Wigan|last=McIntyre|first=David|date=2008-08-16|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2008-08-17] On the 30th of August he scored his first brace for Wigan when scoring twice in a 5-0 victory over premier new-boys Hull City. Due to his impressive start, Zaki has been tipped to win the Premier League golden boot. [cite news|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/columnists/collymore/2008/09/01/my-money-s-on-amr-zaki-to-be-premier-league-golden-boot-115875-20719581|title=My money's on Amr Zaki to be Premier League Golden Boot
last=Collymore|first=Stan|date=2008-09-01|publisher=Mirror.co.uk|accessdate=2008-09-03] On the 13th of September he scored his fourth goal in as many games in the Premier League as Wigan drew with Sunderland, putting him on top of the scoring charts alongside Jermain Defoe. On 28 September, Zaki scored again in the Premier League from the penalty spot against Manchester City, this goal took him to the top of the goal scorers list with 5 goals in 6 games. [cite news
title = Wigan 2-1 Man City | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7626945.stm
publisher = "BBC Sport" | date = 2008-09-29 | accessdate = 2008-10-02]

Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan likened Zaki to Alan Shearer [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=573301&sec=england&cc=4716]

Wigan manager Steve Bruce has also been highly impressed with Zaki, and has told the press he believes he is "awesome". cquote2|"He put in a fantastic performance. If he keeps playing like that he is going to have a real future in the Premier League" and "His physique is great, he has awesome power and pace and of course he wants to score goals which is the important thing". [cite news
title = Bruce hails Wigan's awesome Zaki| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7642511.stm
publisher = "BBC Sport" | date = 2008-09-29 | accessdate = 2008-10-02]

International career

Zaki plays for The Egyptian National Team, In the 2006 African Cup of Nations Zaki scored the winning goal for Egypt in the semi-final against Senegal late in the second half, with his first touch moments after coming off the bench to replace a visibly irate Mido (who's argument with coach Hassan Shehata held up play and resulted in a six month international ban for the player.) Egypt went on to win their fifth continental title

Zaki repeated his strong performances two years later in CAN 2008, scoring a goal against Zambia in the group stage and another in the quarter final against Angola. Additionally, he scored another well executed header and then adding another in the semi-final match against Ivory Coast. Egypt again went on to win the title for a record sixth time. He was chosen in the CAN 2008 All Star Starting XI.

Honours

With ENPPI
* Egyptian Soccer Cup 2005

'With Zamalek
* Egyptian Soccer Cup 2008

With national team
* 2006 African Nations Cup
* 2008 African Nations Cup

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.amrzaky.com Official website]
*
* [http://www.socceregypt.com/socceregypt/socceregypt.php/2006/4/24/egyptian_players_abroad_playeras_profile/ Profile] on SoccerEgypt.com