Ahmed Hassan

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Ahmed Hassan
Personal information
Full name Ahmed Hassan
Arabic: "احمد حسن"
Date of birth May 02, 1975 (age 31)
Place of birth    Aswan, Egypt Flag of Egypt
Height 1.78
Nickname Hassan , El Saker El Masri (The Egyption Falcon)
Playing position Positions# Attacking midfielder (AM) , Winger (RW)
Club information
Current club R.S.C. Anderlecht
Number 10 (Egy 17)
Youth clubs
1991-96 Aswan
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1996-97
1997-98
1998-2000
2000-01
2001-03
2003-05
2005-Present
Aswan
Ismaily
Kocaelispor
Denizlispor
Gençlerbirliği
Beşiktaş
R.S.C. Anderlecht
 ? (?)
? (?)
? (?)
? (?)
? (?)
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National team2
1995 - Present (Egy Cap.) Egypt 124 (21)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of December 14, 2006.
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of December 14, 2006.
* Appearances (Goals)

Ahmed Hassan (Arabic: أحمد حسن) (born 2 May 1975, stands 178cm, and weighs 70kg)[1] is an Egyptian football player who is currently playing as an attacking midfielder or on the right wing for R.S.C. Anderlecht in (Belgium) and the Egyptian national team.

He started his professional football career at 23 with Aswan. After one season there, he moved to the better Egyptian club Ismaily. He was 20 when he was selected for the first time to play in the Egyptian national team's friendly match against Ghana on 29 December, 1995[2]. After his impressive performances with the Egyptian national team in the African Cup of Nations 1998, including scoring a goal from a long range shot against South Africa in the final that helped the national team win the tournament, Hassan joined Kocaelispor from Ismaily, at the age of 22. In 2000, he was transferred to Denizlispor. And in 2001, he joined his Egyptian international teammate Abdel Zaher El Saka when he moved to Gençlerbirliği. After three successful seasons with the club, he moved to Beşiktaş, where he was a first team regular, as well as a regular on the team's scoring sheet. He, specifically, impressed Jean Tigana, who was appointed the manager of Beşiktaş in October 2005, and is known for his tendency to prefer selecting young players for his first team, as he regarded Hassan, even at the age of 30, a key player of the squad. He stated that "Hassan is a hardworking player who is quick and talented. His only problem is not liking the team play. He wants to be free on the pitch. He is my irregular prince as he doesn't play in the team-system."[3]

After he was named "Best Player of the African Cup of Nations 2006"[4], Fulham F.C., Newcastle United F.C., and Espanyol were reportedly interested in signing him. However, he chose to move to R.S.C. Anderlecht, the Belgium league champions, on a free transfer after he chose not to extend his contract with Beşiktaş, which ended in 2006.

Ahmed Hassan has played in six African Cup of Nations tournaments for Egypt, winning the tournament twice, first in 1998 and again in 2006. In the African Cup of Nations 2006, he was chosen as a captain for the Egyptian national team, and helped the team's cause with 4 goals in 6 matches, which placed him as the second top goal scorer of the tournament[5]. He was named later "Best Player of the tournament".

Ahmed Hassan is one of a few Egyptian players who have earned more than 100 international caps with Egypt

He became the star of R.S.C. Anderlecht and made a hatrick

The ex-Besiktas player said: "There are two teams in Belgium who can fight for the Championship. The other teams have no chance to beat them. We race with one team and there is no competition in the league. In Turkey, we were in need to beat other clubs' points. All the matches are easy in Belgium for big teams.

"The Turkish League is much stronger than here."

Hassan continued to praise Turkey, comparing it to Egypt. "I love Turkish football fans. They are like Egyptians. Turks live football the whole week. But Belgians live football only on match-days. We play football in the match and then don't talk about it. There is no football atmosphere here.

In Egypt and Turkey, as their fans are similar, the people always support their teams and rivalty is very important. "I was very happy in Turkey. There was a very big interest in me. I tried to stay but my contract finished and no-one offered me a new contract. I had to choose one of the offers from the other clubs and Anderlecht's was the most attractive.

"I had no problem at Besiktas and also with Jean Tigana. But Tigana is an inexperienced manager; big clubs such as Besiktas need experienced managers.

"Besiktas have a chance to be champions but it is certain that Fenerbahce are the favourites with their squad and results."

He concluded: "I will never forget Turkey. I always say that Turkey is my second country after Egypt. They love me very much like I love them.

"Salam to all my fans in Turkey. I've missed them..."

[edit] External links

the player Page one www.socceregypt.com

R.S.C. Anderlecht - Current Squad

1 Zítka | 2 Felipe | 3 Deschacht | 4 von Schlebrügge | 5 Biglia | 6 Van Damme | 7 Tchité | 9 Mpenza | 10 Hassan | 11 Boussoufa | 13 Proto | 14 Goor | 16 Olufemi | 17 Mbokani | 22 Schollen | 23 Juhász | 25 Van Steenberghe | 26 Pareja | 27 Wasilewski | 28 Baseggio | 29 Frutos | 31 De Man | 36 Legear | 37 Vanden Borre | 38 Lamah | 39 Odjidja-Ofoe | 41 Tiote | Manager: Vercauteren