Tanzania footballers in Egypt and their future

Dar es Salaam. There is no grain of doubt that Egypt is the most successful nation in African football because of its clubs and the national team dominating different soccer competitions held on the continent.

The Egyptian national team, ‘The Pharaohs,’ has won the African Cup of Nations seven times in eight finals they reached in Africa’s longest football competition launched in 1957.

In the club category, Egyptian sides have won 14 CAF Champions league titles from 22 finals they had entered, but they have poor participation in the CAF Confederation Cup won by only one club.

Not only Egyptian football dominates the pitch, but also Egypt football is decorated by strong financial muscles that attract high profile players from different parts of Africa to seek for greener pastures in various clubs within it.

Maybe it is due to the above factors, Tanzania footballers started to look at Egypt as the place they could establish themselves as top and matured players, who are able to fit anywhere.

In this article we follow three Tanzanian players, who, in one way or another, may inspire Egyptian clubs to open the door for other Tanzanian footballers within the football arena.

Himid Mao

A son of former Pamba FC and Taifa Stars midfielder Mao Mkami, who currently features for Egyptian league side Petrojet that signed him from Azam FC of Tanzania.

The workaholic defensive midfielder is capable of winning balls and disrupting opponents’ plans because of his aggressiveness and energy.

He has been an integral part of Petrojet, which is in the 18th position in the Egyptian League.

Yahya Zayd- Ismaily

He is among the five players signed by the Egyptian giants, Ismaily, before the kick-off of the CAF Champions’ League Group stage after being impressive in Azam FC.

Zayd is yet to be handled a chance to play in the Ismaily squad but still has room to breakthrough because of his age and technical ability on the pitch.

The 22-year-old striker has been a killing machine in front of the goal of a rival team and with the experience that he would acquire in Egyptian League, he might be Tanzania’s crucial player in the next few years to come.

Eliud Ambokile

Following the successful season with Mbeya City, having scored 14 goals in both premier league and the Azam Sports Federation Cup, the towering forward, Eliud Ambokile, is ready to find his place in the Egyptian League.

The 23-year-old striker is undergoing a one-week trial with Egypt’s first tier club, Nagoom FC from Thursday on January 17, 2019.

It is reported that the Giza-based club has been a great admirer of Ambokile who was promoted from the Mbeya City youth team in 2017 by Zambian tactician Kinnah Phiri during his days with the club.

However, there will be no surprise for Ambokile to successfully pass the trials and handled a contract with Nagoom, thereby following in the footsteps of his fellow Tanzanians, who are already there.