Ahmed Fathy

Football player infobox
playername = Ahmed Fathy


fullname = Ahmed Fathy
height = height|ft=5|in=10
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1984|11|10
cityofbirth =
countryofbirth = Egypt
currentclub = El-Ahly
clubnumber = 24
position = Midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs = Ismaily
years = 2000–2007
2007
2007–Present
2007–2008
clubs = Ismaily
Sheffield United
El-Ahly
→ Kazma (loan)
caps(goals) = 0? (?)
02 (0)
07 (3)
? (1)
nationalyears =
nationalteam = Egypt
nationalcaps(goals) = 47 (2)
pcupdate = 20:50, 11 September 2007 (UTC)
ntupdate = 20:18, 22 April 2007 (UTC)

Ahmed Fathy (sometimes spelt Fathi, born November 10, 1984) is an Egyptian international football player. He currently plays for El-Ahly in the Egyptian Premier League. He plays a variety of roles in the midfield such as right midfielder and defensive midfielder and occasionally in the right back role for club and country.

Club career

Fathy played as a midfielder and right back for Ismaily in Egypt. He prefers to play on the right side of midfield, and is known for his versatility as he plays in the right back, right midfield and central midfield positions. He appeared in the ACN Egypt 2006 final against Ivory Coast playing as a central defender in place of the injured Wael Gomaa.

Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram reported in early 2007 that club Ismaily SC had accepted Sheffield United's £700,000 offer for Fathy, [ [http://www.premiershiplatest.com/news/sheffield-united-s-700-000-offer-for-egy-55573.html Premiership Latest] (accessed 21 January 2007)] and after a number of weeks of protracted negotiations Fathy signed a three and a half year contract on January 24 2007. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_utd/6275103.stm Fathi completes move to Sheff Utd] (accessed 27 January 2007)]

Fathy made his Premiership debut as a substitute in the closing minutes of the 2-1 defeat of Tottenham Hotspur at Bramall Lane on February 10 2007. [ cite web|title=Tactical Formation|work=Football-Lineups.com
url=http://www.football-lineups.com/wiki/_match3766.php | accessdate=February 28 | accessyear=2007] He made his full first-team debut at Anfield against Liverpool on February 24 2007, [ [http://www.sufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10418~33758,00.html Liverpool v. Sheff Utd 24-02-2007] (accessed 11 September 2007)] but failed to hold down a regular spot for the Blades. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_utd/6989042.stm Sheff Utd sell midfielder Fahti] (accessed 11 September 2007)]

He was linked with a move to the Egyptian club El Zamalek for 2 million Euros after discussions with Sheffield United's management, but the player refused the transfer even though the clubs had agreed a fee - he insisted he wanted to continue his career as a professional player outside of Egypt, but arch-rivals Al-Ahly managed to get Fathy's consent and Sheffield United's agreement to a deal.

On 10 September 2007 he joined El-Ahly after making just three senior appearances for the Blades in the eight months he had spent with the club. Although the figure has not been revealed it is believed Sheffield United recouped the £675,000 they paid for him. [ [http://www.sufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10418~1109970,00.html Fathi leaves the Lane] (accessed 11 September 2007)]

Fathi had been signed though after the trasfer window in Egypt had closed and thus without having played a single match for his new club he had to find another to gain valuable match experience until January which was in 3 months time, but that demand was hard as it was difficult for the Ahly board to find Fathi a team that would accept a loan movement of a player who had little match playing time and would only stay for a few months before leaving and needed to play regularly, it was a hard task but Ahly boards managed to agree with Kuwaiti giants Al Kazma to accept the player on a loan deal and Fathi managed to play regularly for the team and had managed to become a star play in the formation of the Kuwaiti team with his passes and he even managed to score a few goals.

Fathi went on to become a key member of Ahly's squad in a small amount of time, his debut came against Arab Contractors away in front of a 15,000 crowd stadium on 10th March 2008, he went on to become one of Ahly's main assets in the middle of the field as he controlled the midfield with his fellow defensive midfielder Hossam Ashour and guided the Red Devils to a 3-1 away win, scoring the first goal for Ahly from a powerful curling free kick in the first half. He is also often shofted in the right back role by Ahly manager Manuel Jose just like in the national team.

Fathi scored 3 goal as of 12th April 2008 and his highlight moment came against arch-rivals Zamalek, the team that almost signed him from Sheffield United a year back, opening the score for his team to a 2-0 win and thus making the derby event an even more disappointing night for the Zamalek crowd as the team have never won Ahly for the past 4 years except once.

International career

Fathy became Egypt's youngest ever international when he was capped at 17 years old. Fathi was picked for the National team by Egyptian Coach Mohsen Saleh even before playing in his club's first team Ismaily SC, although this followed soon after, and was then called up for the Egyptian youth team.

He was a member of the Egyptian youth team that won the African Youth Cup 2003 in Burkina Faso, and was also part of the Egypt squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations at the Cairo International Stadium in 2006, when they beat the Ivory Coast on penalties in the final.

In February 2007, Fathi sealed a 2-0 win over Sweden with a powerful shot three minutes before time in an international friendly in Cairo marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of the African Football Confederation (Caf).

On February 7 2008, at Africa Cup of Nations Ghana 2008 Fathi scored the first goal to lead Egypt to an historic 4-1 win over Côte d'Ivoire in the semi-finals.

References and notes

External links

*FIFA player|198046
*soccerbase|id=34972|name=Ahmed Fathi