Star striker

After his first 11 games in the Premier League, Amr Zaki had scored eight goals for Wigan, including doubles against Liverpool and Hull, writes Andy Hampson.

A member of the African Nations Cup winning Egyptian team on two occasions, Amr Zaki is currently making a name for himself in the Barclays English Premier League after joining Wigan on a season-long loan from Cairo club El Zamalek.

Zaki shot to prominence in the 2006 African Nations Cup when his performances earned him a move to Lokomotiv Moscow. His time in Russia proved short-lived but he returned to Egypt to help the country secure a second successive Nations Cup triumph and he now looks set for stardom after making a huge impact in England.

Zaki began his career with Egyptian club Al Mansoura in 2001 before going on to shine for ENPPI, a club belonging to a petrol and gas company whom he joined for a record fee in 2003.

He finished top-scorer in the Egyptian Premier League in 2005 and helped the club finish runner-up and win its first trophy in the domestic cup competition.

He earned selection for the 2006 African Nations Cup, played in Egypt and scored the winning goal in the semifinal against Senegal after coming off the bench. His profile soared and a number of the country’s big clubs, as well as abroad, were interested in him.

Lokomotiv proved his eventual destination in a $2 million deal, but he failed to make a single appearance for the club and soon returned to his homeland with Zamalek. That move enabled him to get his career back on track. After finishing as top-scorer in his first full season with the club, he went on to star for Egypt again in the 2008 Nations Cup and was picked for the Team of the Tournament.

By last summer he was ready to try his luck abroad again and Wigan gave him the chance to fulfil his dream of playing in England. At first, it seemed the deal might collapse as Wigan and Zamalek could not come to terms on a fee, the Egyptian club being very reluctant to part with its star player.

A one-year loan was eventually agreed upon with Wigan hoping to make the arrangement permanent if — as seems likely — it proves successful.

After his first 11 games in the Premier League, Zaki had scored eight goals, including doubles against Liverpool and Hull.

Zaki had a miserable time in Moscow when he failed to acclimatise and suffered injuries. “I’m not very proud of the experience at Lokomotiv,” he said. “I only stayed for three months and did not play a game because I suffered from homesickness and the terrible climate. But it is very different at Wigan. I knew what was waiting for me and I am getting all the support I need. The club is doing its best to make me feel comfortable and even helped bring my family to England to make me feel at home.”

Zaki is married with three children, who have all joined him in England now.

Zaki had hoped to learn to drive after moving to England but admits the roads — and particularly roundabouts — have put him off continuing with lessons. Remarkably, he finds the notorious chaos of Cairo’s roads easier to comprehend.

“The driving here is a lot more controlled than in Egypt,” says Zaki. “At home you get in the car and you drive. Here, you have many road signs and rules which are confusing.”

FACTFILEName: Amr ZakiPosition: StrikerClub: WiganD.O.B.: 01/04/1983Egypt caps: 48Egypt goals: 29Egypt debut: v Ivory Coast, June 2004Moment to remember

Zaki boasts one of the best goal-scoring ratios in international football and he was outstanding at the African Nations Cup in Ghana earlier this year, scoring four goals to earn a place in the Team of the Tournament. Two of them came in the 4-1 semifinal win over Ivory Coast in Kumasi. His first was a header after 61 minutes and he doubled his tally with a powerful strike from the edge of the box seven minutes later.

Moment to forget

While winning the African Nations Cup in 2006 was one of the highlights of Zaki’s career, he does have bitter-sweet memories of the final. The match ended 0-0 and Egypt won via penalties, but it could have been different had the referee not disallowed a late Zaki goal. “I was happy,” said Zaki of the moment he thought he scored. “I ran to the fans to share my joy with them.” He was stunned a moment later, however, when he discovered a team-mate had been given offside.

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