Things became worse as the season went on and Mido was banished to the sidelines for most of his time in Italy, with uncertainty growing over his future at the top. The displays of the young Egyptian caught the eye of Roma chairman Franco Sensi. I was the only player playing at the top level in Europe. All the coffee shops and restaurants tuned into the Ajax game. It was completely nuts. When the final day of the window arrived, his agent, Mino Raiola, called the Egyptian and asked him to pack his bags. He is not alone, though: Ronaldo da Lima, Hernan Crespo, Patrick Vieira, et al belong to this lonely club due to lack of luck. "The scissors whizzed past my head, straight into the concrete wall and made a crack.". This was a wrong move, and in March 2003, he was loaned to Celta Vigo is Spain….Even if you erase Ibrahimovic’s Ajax achievements, his story remains one of a giant as much in size, persona, and career achievement. Despite this, with a reputation for important goals and undoubted talent, Raiola’s phone did not stop ringing day as clubs became aware of his desire to leave Italy. Mido spent sleepless nights excited at the prospect of teaming up with the likes of Alessandro Del Piero, Pavel Nedvěd and Gianluigi Buffon, finally being given the chance to prove himself at the highest level. Back in his playing days, parents in Egypt took their kids to academies telling the coaches they want them to become the next Mido. “We just looked at each other and started laughing. He slowly drifted into a figure of fun for many around Europe, who lamented his poor attitude and inability to fulfil his potential. “I kept telling him: ‘The circus is all show. Knowing he had a chance of wearing the famous black and white strips, Mido continued the season a changed man, dominating with hard work and power, gracing the French turf with some all-encompassing displays. Mido spent sleepless nights excited at the prospect of teaming up with the likes of, “In the summer of 2004, Zlatan and I were going to Serie A,” Mido told, The instability at the Stadio Olimpico didn’t stop Mido from displaying a respectable fight and chasing his dreams. After leaving Spurs, he never managed more than four goals in a season. After the final whistle, Mido stormed into the dressing room and called his teammates 'miserable c****', according to Ibrahimovic in his autobiography. It was a long summer for the former Ajax striker; he spent months waiting for his agent to finalise a deal with the Bianconeri. The extraordinary bust-up happened in the Ajax dressing room after a defeat to hated rivals PSV Eindhoven in 2003. PREM misfit Mido has revealed how he “almost killed” Manchester United’s new star Zlatan Ibrahimovic . He formed a destructive force next to fellow African, In their biggest Champions League clash of the season, Mido rose above Michel Salgado and Iván Helguera to bullet a header past. “In the summer of 2004, Zlatan and I were going to Serie A,” Mido told DMC TV. Alongside Dutch winger Andy van der Meyde, Mido and Ibrahimovic formed a terrific trio on and off the pitch.Mido bought a Ferrari just hours after signing for Ajax, and soon he added a BMW. Avec Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 20 ans, l'Ajax avait un espoir alléchant. The most important of those being the opening goal for the 2006 African Nations Cup in Egypt’s 3-0 win over Libya in Cairo. Mido hit the ground running and executed his target-man role to perfection, poaching headers and striking goals with his deadly left boot, earning his team three trophies in his debut season. By the time Ibrahimovic left Old Trafford for LA Galaxy in the US, he was 36 but his 29 goals for the Red Devils equal Mido’s tally at Tottenham, Middlesbrough and Wigan a decade ago. Mido currently works for beIN Sports as a sports analysts and the Red Devils forward sent his salutes to Mido saying: “I send my regards to Mido, I have not seen him in some time,” said Zlatan… As Zlatan recalls in his autobiography, Mido called his team-mates “miserable c****” in the dressing room after the match to which the former PSG man replied that it was Mido who was “c****”. Although Koeman warned him it wouldn’t be easy challenging European Golden Boot winner Nikos Machlas and Zlatan Ibrahimović for a starting spot, the Pharaoh’s stubbornness meant he backed himself. If you are lucky enough you will be subbed in the final minutes or you can start the Coppa Italia matches, but this is Montella’s year.”. The addition of, People look at Mido’s career from two different angles. Basically, Mido was not happy about being a substitute during the game. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. However, yet again he would find controversy in his best moments, this time by arguing with manager Hassan Shehata after being taken off before the end of the final-four tie with the scores level. That is why, in the formative process, he had to learn how, and once Koeman substituted Mido after just 32 minutes of a league game. Mido added: “Seeing one of my collegues maintaining such high levels of performance throughout the years makes me proud. However, the two players quickly made up and have been friends ever since then. explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. For some, he’s an arrogant agitator, who had the potential to do great things, played alongside 13 Golden Boot winners, and could have competed with the best strikers the football world has ever seen, but failed due to a volatile personality and inconsistency on the pitch. Ten minutes later, I went into the shower and he was sitting at the Jacuzzi. At Lverpoool, he is a winner, a conqueror, a record breaker. Mido then threw a pair of scissors at Zlatan. In the perfect summary of his attitude, Mido blamed conspiracies amongst the coaching staff and the Egyptian FA for his withdrawal in the semi-final. Becoming Zlatan, which contains never-seen-before footage of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, will be released on DVD and digital download on August 15. He trained with a dogged determination to earn his spot with the Wolves. “In Egypt, he is treated like a god,” said Koeman, after Ajax played a friendly in Cairo.“Everyone is impressed with him…everyone who has seen him play thinks he is a great talent,” Ajax technical director, Leo Beenhakker added. As we told him we were from Egypt, he said, “Oh, the land of Mido, our Ajax star!” It turned out that the Ajax fan was Carlos Hasselbaink, brother of Jimmy Floyd. While he was proving his worth at White Hart Lane, in 2006 Mido was called up to the Egyptian national team that went on to win their first Africa Cup of Nations title of the 21st century. Your circus acts are for fans who don’t understand soccer and just want entertainment. “He realised he had joined an exceptional group of players, who lead decent, private lives and made sacrifices. Read  |  Andy van der Meyde: short skirts, drugs and alcohol, “In the summer of 2004, Zlatan and I were going to Serie A,” Mido told DMC TV. Egyptian striker Mido recalls a mammoth bust up with Ibrahimovic during their time at Ajax... and how they laughed about it all afterwards, Come on in and join the club! After months of speculation, he joined Spanish side Celta Vigo on a loan deal in March. It was completely nuts. The Egyptian grew as a maverick character for de Godenzonen, a teenager with a hunger to fulfil his dreams. Eredivisie - 2001-02, 2010-11KNVB Cup. Mido was Amsterdamned, spending most of his time on the sidelines, which led to a row with his coach and exclusion from the squad on several occasions. Il y a 15 ans, l'Ajax était le repaire de deux grands talents. HONOURSZamalek. In the biggest Eredivisie game of the season, Ajax were trailing PSV by two goals and Koeman decided to throw on an angry – he hoped hungry – Mido to partner Ibrahimović and stake his claim for the regular spot he so desperately craved. With a huge smile and sparkling eyes, I watched my favourite team training for 30 minutes. He stated: “I want Mido, the Ajax man who is currently at Celta Vigo on loan.” However, Roma’s subsequent offer fell short of Ajax’s expectations and Mido instead joined French side Marseille in 2003. People look at Mido’s career from two different angles. Ibrahimovic concluded: “I miss having him around on and off the pitch; I would like to see him again.”, READ| MIDO: I ALMOST KILLED ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC WITH A PAIR OF SCISSORS. When Zlatan Ibrahimovic jointed Manchester United in 2016, Mido was already retired yet the Egyptian had upstaged … A medical student who loves football. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. He was to Egypt what. The addition of Dimitar Berbatov that summer pushed Mido further down the pecking order with his game-time limited and his motivation to work for a place in the side clearly faltering. Mido put in arguably the worst performance of his career, keeping the ball for too long, seemingly determined not to pass it to anyone. “We spent some great times in Ajax; we were the ‘bad boys’,” added the English Premier League player in the message broadcasted through beIN Sports’ studio. It was a transfer backed by the majority of the fans, who believed he could provide the perfect foil for Defoe and Keane as Spurs pressed for a Champions League spot. As a result, both players became Europe’s hottest properties. Former Middlesbrough flop Mido has explained how, and why, he “almost killed” Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a pair of scissors. I support Al Ahly and Real Madrid (Al Ahly comes first of course). Perhaps one day we’ll see him back on the benches of European football, this time happy to be sitting there. It was the start of a familiar trend. But show it to me’.”. Mido was signed by Tottenham on an 18-month loan deal on 28 January 2005. Mido also scored in the cup final against Utrecht. "When I came on, we were 2-0 down, I think, and I started arguing with Zlatan on the pitch," he said. F, or some, he’s an arrogant agitator, who had the potential to do great things, played alongside 13 Golden Boot winners, and could have competed with the best strikers the football world has ever seen, but failed due to a volatile personality and inconsistency on the pitch. As we told him we were from Egypt, he said, “Oh, the land of Mido, our Ajax star!”. The incident left then Ajax boss Ronald Koeman, who is now in charge of Everton, with little choice. He was to Egypt what Diego Maradona and Pelé were to Argentina and Brazil. This, according to The Guardian, “prompted cries of outrage from Mido, threats to quit and reminders of all the big teams in England and Italy that were purportedly aching to recruit him.”. The retired striker explains in a documentary about Manchester United's star signing how he kicked off in the dressing room at Ajax in 2003 after a shouting match. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. . Mido was shipped out on loan to Celta Vigo and then sold in the summer to Marseille. He was sulking after being dumped on the bench for the game. It was a fatal mistake that Koeman couldn’t ignore. Last updated 12:15 PM, Tuesday June 06 2017 GMT+1. Mido expects Ibrahimovic to enjoy a successful career at his new club Manchester United. Mido was Amsterdamned, spending most of his time on the sidelines, which led to a row with his coach and exclusion from the squad on several occasions. "Mido picked up a pair of scissors and flung them at me. Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed. The scissors whizzed past my head, straight into the concrete wall and made a crack,” Ibra’s book said. However, yet again he would find controversy in his best moments, this time by arguing with manager Hassan Shehata after being taken off before the end of the final-four tie with the scores level. “We both had the same agent, Mino Raiola, I had an agreement to relocate to Juventus and Ibra was going to Rome.” He continued, “When I arrived at the airport, Raiola called me and told me that I had to cancel my trip to Turin since Juventus had reached an agreement with Ibra and I was going to Roma.”. That was his impact; he inspired a generation. Mido told beIN Sports: “Totti walked down to me and told me, this is Montella’s last year with Roma, he will be starting every game. – Vi skrattade mycket tillsammans på den tiden. Then I looked up to my old man, asking him if there was any chance I could take a picture with my hero, My dad stood next to me with no idea what to do, but luckily enough there was a guy eavesdropping on us, who asked where we had come from. It was a long summer for the former Ajax striker; he spent months waiting for his agent to finalise a deal with the. with a pair of scissors. . Avec Mido, ils avaient un futur crack. He dabbles in all things sport but football is his biggest passion. He retired in 2013, at 30. The pair of strikers represented Ajax back in 2003 and in one shocking episode, Mido threw a pair of scissors at Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with all intent to hurt his teammate at the time. The former England boss signed the striker for the Turin club from Ajax for £13million in 2004. Things became worse as the season went on and Mido was banished to the sidelines for most of his time in Italy, with uncertainty growing over his future at the top. After leaving Spurs, stints at Middlesbrough, Zamalek, Wigan, West Ham and back at Ajax failed to ignite the striker’s career, or his desire to return to the top of the game. Get our daily Manchester United email newsletter. Instead of joining Fabio Capello, he joined the mess Capello had left behind at the Giallorossi. Spurs were looking for a strike partner capable of complimenting the pace and trickery of, In his first season in north London, Mido registered a series of eye-catching displays as he finished with a respectable 13 goals to his name, the second-highest total amongst the club’s strikers. Here's how Zlatan described the crazy incident in his autobiography: "I responded by saying if anybody was a c*** it was him. Ibrahimovic had been a difficult character to coach during his early years at Ajax. We were just young kids with money and fame.”. "I was shouting at everyone and Zlatan was shouting back at me. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Mido were not always as close as seems... Former PSG striker Ibrahimovic joined Manchester United earlier this summer, Zlatan Ibrahimovic retired after Sweden were dumped out of Euro 2016, Everton boss Ronald Koeman was Ajax manager during the blazing row, Fabio Capello reckons he put Ibrahimovic on the path to superstardom, Ibrahimovic would even challenge Marco van Basten in Ajax training sessions, Ibrahimovic, who has joined United on a free from Paris Saint-Germain, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Ibrahimovic, making 39 in October, still has AC Milan leadership begging for more. View our online Press Pack. In London, under another Dutch manager Martin Jol, whose Waalwijk side faced Mido in the Dutch league, Mido almost rediscovered his importance. Spurs were looking for a strike partner capable of complimenting the pace and trickery of Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane – Mido proved to be the ideal find. Ibrahimovic, who has joined United on a free from Paris Saint-Germain, continued: “I responded by saying if anybody was a c*** it was him. The instability at the Stadio Olimpico didn’t stop Mido from displaying a respectable fight and chasing his dreams. You don’t understand how people were following me back in Egypt. It's a known fact Mido once threw a pair of scissors at Zlatan. But before him, there was Ahmed Hossam, aka Mido, the boy whose fame and influence in Egypt, was likened to that of Diego Maradona in Argentina. He's interviewed some of the biggest names in sport, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pele, Carles Puyol and Tim Henman. You can unsubscribe at any time. Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. The striker was forced out of the club and he flew back to Egypt until his agent could find him a new home. Mido was shipped out on loan to Celta Vigo and then sold in the summer to Marseille. To others, he’s, was a young kid who moved to Belgium when he was just 16 years-old to become one of Egypt’s most revered footballers ever, a teenager who had a nation hooked on his every move. As soon as Raiola brokered an agreement with Tottenham, Mido grabbed the opportunity with both hands and bagged a brace on his debut against Portsmouth. He knew what I had done before. “So people were waiting for the Ajax game. Your email address will not be published. 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Mido tells us about the time he threw a pair of scissors at Zlatan Ibrahimovic, reveals the truth about his infamous off target Crossbar Challenge attempts an… He famously walked up to his coach, the legendary Ronald Koeman, after a training session and demanded that he never start on the flanks again. Totti saw the hunger in the eyes of the Pharaoh, and after training one day, took him to the side. He was once hit in the head by a wayward strike from Nicky Butt and lived to tell the tale. Mido had not scored again; but thanks to among others, Mohamed Aboutreika, captain Ahmed Hassan, and the legendary Essam El Hadary, who was the tournament’s best goalkeeper, Egypt hoisted their first Afcon trophy since 1998 and Mido’s first since his Ajax days.But Mido’s controversy scoured the gloss on the coveted accolade. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. “When I got to the time where I had to fight a lot for my starting spot, I handled things the wrong way, I was in a war with Koeman, I didn’t show up for training. Aston Villa There were raised eyebrows in Europe when the 30-year-old was made coach of … As soon as Raiola brokered an agreement with Tottenham, Mido grabbed the opportunity with both hands and bagged a brace on his debut against Portsmouth. And, according to Ibrahimovic, the scissors were kept by the team manager as a souvenir. “My attitude has always been: ‘If I’m not playing, you have a personal problem with me.’, “When I got to the point where I had to fight a lot for my position, I handled things the wrong way.”. To name just a couple of stories. “When I got to the time where I had to fight a lot for my starting spot, I handled things the wrong way, I was in a war with Koeman, I didn’t show up for training. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), The rise and fall of Mido, Egypt’s volatile son, The tricks, trials and tribulations of Michel Bastos, Remembering when Bayern Munich played the Netherlands three days after losing the Champions League final, Remembering Vitali Daraselia, Dinamo Tbilisi’s Cup Winners’ Cup legend who died at 25, Why the Turkish Süper Lig is so much more than a retirement home for ageing stars. But their impact and harvest differ like day and night. Ajax signed an 18-year-old Ahmed Hossam ‘Mido’ only a year after he was named the best African player in the Jupiler League while playing for Gent. African Cup Winners’ Cup - 2000Ajax. The divergent trajectoriesMido was born in a middle class family in Cairo; his father, also former footballer, funded his way through private sports college. The scissors whizzed past my head, straight into the concrete wall and made a crack.”. Knowing he had a chance of wearing the famous black and white strips, Mido continued the season a changed man, dominating with hard work and power, gracing the French turf with some all-encompassing displays. I wanted to leave and go back to Egypt. “I had scissors in my hand as I was taking off the wrapping on my ankles. “We always succeeded in making the difference. Mido’s last career game was a substitute appearance in Barnsley’s 1-0 defeat by Huddersfield in November 2012. Meanwhile, Fabio Capello reckons he put Ibrahimovic on the path to superstardom — by stopping him becoming a circus act. "I had scissors in my hand as I was taking off the wrapping on my ankles. Luigi Delneri, who handed much of the power in the changing room to the talismanic Francesco Totti after previous managers had tried to marginalise him, steadied the ship until the end of the season.