Ahmed Hegazi (footballer)


Ahmed Elsayed Ali Elsayed Hegazy, simply known as Ahmed Hegazi, is an Egyptian professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Premier League club West Bromwich Albion and the Egypt national team.
Hegazi has represented the senior Egyptian national team since 2011, during this period his only absences from the squad have been due to injury. He has represented Egypt in the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, 2011 African Youth Championship, 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup, the 2012 Summer Olympics, 2017 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2018 World Cup. In 2017, he was included in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations CAF Team of the tournament due to his impressive performances.

Club career

Ismaily

Hegazi's professional playing career began on 24 November 2009, when he made his debut with Egyptian Premier League club Ismaily playing as a full back.

Fiorentina

On 22 December 2011, the Egyptian club announced having made a deal with the Italian side ACF Fiorentina, in exchange for €1.5 million. The Egyptian company will receive 15% sell on fee. He was given the number 3 shirt at Fiorentina. Hegazy made his unofficial debut for the club playing 30 minutes in a friendly against Viareggio Calcio.
On 18 November 2012, he played 15 minutes in his official debut against Atalanta B.C., and scored his first goal for La Viola later that month in the second half of a Coppa Italia match against Juve Stabia on 28 November. On 12 December, Fiorentina announced that Hegazi had completed a surgery after sustaining a severe leg injury in training. The club also announced that he had undergone reconstructive surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament. The expected recovery period before the player could return to sports activity was 5–6 months. In September 2013 he suffered another blow as he had injured the same ligament again in training and took him out for 6 months making him miss most of the season.
On 8 December 2014, Fiorentina announced that the player would be released in January 2015, along with Octávio, Mounir El Hamdaoui, Oleksandr Iakovenko and Joshua Brillante.

Perugia loan

On 2 February 2015, Hegazi joined Serie B side Perugia on loan for the rest of 2014–15 Serie B. He made his debut for the club in a 3–1 loss to Vicenza playing the whole 90 minutes. It was his first complete match in Italy.

Al Ahly SC

On 1 September 2015, Hegazi joined Egyptian Premier League side Al Ahly of Cairo on a five-year contract.

West Bromwich Albion

On 17 July 2017, Hegazi joined Premier League side West Bromwich Albion on loan from El Ahly until the end of the 2017–18 season, with Albion holding an option to trigger a permanent transfer. Hegazi made his Premier League debut for West Brom on 12 August, scoring a headed goal in a 1–0 win against AFC Bournemouth and winning the Man of the match award. In the following match he received the award for the second time in a row, as West Brom defeated hosts Burnley and made their best start to a top flight campaign since the 1978–79 season.
On 18 December 2017, WBA exercised the option to sign Hegazi on a permanent basis.
In July 2019, after undergoing ankle surgery, it was announced that he would miss the first few weeks of the 2019–20 season.

International career

Hegazi made his international debut with the senior Egyptian national team in an away game against Sierra Leone in 2011 when he was only 20 years and 7 months old.
Ever since he has been a regular in the national team and only missed games due to injury. In December 2016 Hector Cuper, the Egypt national football team Coach, included him in the squad to compete in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

African Cup of Nations

Hegazi was a regular in the back four playing without missing a single minute and displaying a solid performance as the Egyptians went all the way to the final. His performance earned him an inclusion in the Team of the Tournament XI.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
14 June 201330 June Stadium, Cairo, Egypt161–11–1Friendly
216 October 2018Mavuso Sports Centre, Manzini, Swaziland501–02–02019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

Honours

Al Ahly
Egypt
Individual