With 47-year-old former Egypt international goalkeeper Essam @ElHadary officially announcing his retirement, we decided to speak to Egyptian football expert and @King_Fut editor Ahmad Yousef ( @EgyptianPlayers) to find out more about the original Egyptian King.

THREAD 👇đŸ‡Ș🇬👑
With 47-year-old former Egypt international goalkeeper Essam @ElHadary officially announcing his retirement, we decided to speak to Egyptian football expert and @King_Fut editor Ahmad Yousef ( @EgyptianPlayers) to find out more about the original Egyptian King.THREAD
With 47-year-old former Egypt international goalkeeper Essam @ElHadary officially announcing his retirement, we decided to speak to Egyptian football expert and @King_Fut editor Ahmad Yousef ( @EgyptianPlayers) to find out more about the original Egyptian King.THREAD
The story starts in 1973, with Essam El-Hadary being born in Kafr al-Battikh (which translates to Village of the Watermelon), located on the Mediterranean coast, near the wooden furniture making city of Damietta. 🍉đŸȘ“đŸȘ”
The story starts in 1973, with Essam El-Hadary being born in Kafr al-Battikh (which translates to Village of the Watermelon), located on the Mediterranean coast, near the wooden furniture making city of Damietta.
The story starts in 1973, with Essam El-Hadary being born in Kafr al-Battikh (which translates to Village of the Watermelon), located on the Mediterranean coast, near the wooden furniture making city of Damietta.
At a very young age, Essam found a love for the game and would spend all day playing barefoot street football with his friends. It's here where he became so comfortable on the ball. He would later join the local team in Kafr al-Battikh as a goalkeeper.
Essam’s father saw no future in football, so gave him an ultimatum; work hard at school or make furniture.

He ignored this and decided to play in secret. He'd take his books to the playing fields and wash his clothes in the river so his parents would think he was studying.
Playing on those dirty fields with no gloves meant cuts and bruises were a common occurrence, but it gave the 6ft 2 icon his strength and fearlessness that lead him to be nicknamed the ‘High Dam’ after the Aswan High Dam.
At 17 he was scouted & signed for 2nd division side Damietta, where he was forced to wear goalie gloves for the first time. He made his debut for Damietta in 1993 aged 20 and just after just a few games received a shock call up to the national team.

Second on the left here 👇
He later joined Al Ahly, spending 12 years at the club, playing over 500 games and establishing himself as the best goalkeeper in Egypt & Africa.

He won:

4 CAF Champions Leagues
3 CAF Super Cups
8 Egyptian Leagues
4 Egypt Cups
4 Egyptian Super Cups
Bronze at the World Club Cup
El-Hadary was excellent with his feet and had a monster kick on him. It was that kick that gave him his first career goal against South African side @KaizerChiefs in the CAF Super Cup final.

Well worth a watch, if just for the commentary.
In 2008, El-Hadary started to garner interest from Europe. He accepted an offer from Swiss side FC Sion without even telling his employers, Ahly.

Ahly filed a successful complaint with FIFA and Essam received a 4-month ban and a $12,500 fine.

Not ideal.
In 2008, El-Hadary started to garner interest from Europe. He accepted an offer from Swiss side FC Sion without even telling his employers, Ahly.Ahly filed a successful complaint with FIFA and Essam received a 4-month ban and a $12,500 fine. Not ideal.
In 2008, El-Hadary started to garner interest from Europe. He accepted an offer from Swiss side FC Sion without even telling his employers, Ahly.Ahly filed a successful complaint with FIFA and Essam received a 4-month ban and a $12,500 fine. Not ideal.
He returned to Egypt shortly after and signed for the third most successful club Ismaily, then only a year later he made a shock move to Ahly’s bitter rivals Zamalek.

For more on the Cairo derby, check out our thread: https://twitter.com/Copa90/status/1328742569812103168
He always performed for the national team though. El-Hadary won his first African Cup of Nations in 1998 and was influential in Egypt’s unprecedented AFCON 2006, 2008 and 2010 three-peat, winning the goalkeeper of the tournament on each occasion.

He knew how to celebrate, too.
He always performed for the national team though. El-Hadary won his first African Cup of Nations in 1998 and was influential in Egypt’s unprecedented AFCON 2006, 2008 and 2010 three-peat, winning the goalkeeper of the tournament on each occasion.He knew how to celebrate, too.
He always performed for the national team though. El-Hadary won his first African Cup of Nations in 1998 and was influential in Egypt’s unprecedented AFCON 2006, 2008 and 2010 three-peat, winning the goalkeeper of the tournament on each occasion.He knew how to celebrate, too.
His celebrations earned him a famous chant, “El-Hadary, dance”.

This song is sung all around Egypt. If you can't tell, they absolutely love him.
In fact, he played so well that in 2012 when Drogba was asked who his best opponent was, he named El-Hadary


Drogba only managed 1 goal in 5 matches against El-Hadary and could never beat him in AFCON competitions. https://twitter.com/ChelseaFC/status/187903624041594881
El-Hadary’s finest moment came in the 2009 Confederations Cup in Egypt’s 1-0 win over reigning world champions Italy. He kept a clean sheet in a miraculous performance that saw a barrage of shots saved, exemplifying his ‘high dam’ nickname.

Even Gianluigi Buffon was impressed.
El-Hadary’s finest moment came in the 2009 Confederations Cup in Egypt’s 1-0 win over reigning world champions Italy. He kept a clean sheet in a miraculous performance that saw a barrage of shots saved, exemplifying his ‘high dam’ nickname.Even Gianluigi Buffon was impressed.
El-Hadary’s finest moment came in the 2009 Confederations Cup in Egypt’s 1-0 win over reigning world champions Italy. He kept a clean sheet in a miraculous performance that saw a barrage of shots saved, exemplifying his ‘high dam’ nickname.Even Gianluigi Buffon was impressed.
El-Hadary always dreamed of playing at the World Cup, but as he entered his 40's he became out of favour for the national team.

His dreams were slipping away, but in 2018, Egypt finally qualified and El-Hadary knew he had made it, albeit as Egypt’s second-choice goalkeeper.
El-Hadary always dreamed of playing at the World Cup, but as he entered his 40's he became out of favour for the national team. His dreams were slipping away, but in 2018, Egypt finally qualified and El-Hadary knew he had made it, albeit as Egypt’s second-choice goalkeeper.
El-Hadary always dreamed of playing at the World Cup, but as he entered his 40's he became out of favour for the national team. His dreams were slipping away, but in 2018, Egypt finally qualified and El-Hadary knew he had made it, albeit as Egypt’s second-choice goalkeeper.
In Egypt’s final game at the World Cup El-Hadary got his chance, starting against Saudi Arabia. With that appearance, he became the oldest ever player at a World Cup aged 45-years-old.

He also managed to save a penalty in the process!
For 22 years the Egyptians felt secure knowing El-Hadary was in between the sticks.

What a career he's had. His legacy will live on.
You can follow @Copa90.
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