Ayman Younes (Egyptian Arabic: أيمن يونس; born 20 February 1964) is an Egyptian retired footballer who played as a midfielder and forward. He played for Zamalek and the Egypt national football team. Nicknamed the "Philosopher", he was a talented midfielder with great speed and attacking ability.[1][2]

Ayman Younes
Personal information
Date of birth (1964-02-20) 20 February 1964 (age 60)
Place of birth Cairo, Egypt
Position(s) Midfielder, forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1983–1993 Zamalek
1993–1994 Al Wehda
International career
1985-1990 Egypt 26 (5)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Egypt
African Games
Gold medal – first place 1987 Nairobi
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He was a part of the team that won the gold medal at the 1987 All-Africa Games. Younes was a key player for Zamalek and Egypt in the 1980s. He scored the fastest goal in Egyptian Premier League in 1990 against Suez SC after 13 seconds. After retirement, he was elected as Zamalek's board member for more than a period, he was also elected as a board member of the Egyptian Football Association. He currently works as football analyst at the ON Time Sports channel.[3][4]

Club career

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Ayman Younes started his career in 1980 with Zamalek. He is the only one who officially participated in 11 positions on the pitch in various matches, whether with the national team or Zamalek, despite his participation mainly in the midfield position, but he occupied all positions inside the field, including goalkeeping in an incident. He is famous when he participated as a goalkeeper against Tersana in the league match in the 1987-88 season for a full 40 minutes of the match after the main goalkeeper was injured. He is also considered the scorer of one of the fastest goals in the history of the Egyptian League after he scored it in the 11th second of the Zamalek match against the Suez SC.

 
Younes lifting the African Cup of Champions Clubs trophy in 1984

Younes won several titles with Zamalek during his football career, and won the League for 4 times in the years (1983-84, 1987-88, 1991-92, 1992-93). He also won the Egypt Cup in 1988 and the CAF Champions League titles (1984, 1986), as well as the Afro-Asian Club Championship in the year in 1987. He scored a famous goal in the Cairo derby in 1990.

Taha Ismail, the former Al Ahly forward, said about Ayman Younes: "He made analysis a sophisticated philosophical art with a different imagination, and possessed a linguistic dictionary and a diverse culture that was exciting for viewers".[5]

International career

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Ayman Younes participated in the 1987 African Games in Nairobi and scored the winning goal against Senegal in the group stage, Egypt won the gold medal. He also played in the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and scored two goals against the Cameroon and Senegal.

Mike Smith, the former coach of the Egyptian national team, called Ayman Younes "the philosopher", stressing that he has a liberal philosophical style for moving between the lines of the field and shifting to attack in a terrifying way to any defense, and he said that he is a unique player of his kind.[6]

Post football career

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After retirement, he moved into the field of football analysis through several television channels beginning in 1996. He was distinguished by his strong and profound opinions, earning him the title of philosopher due to his ability. I have to deliver information in a unique way.

Younes held many administrative positions in Zamalek as well as the Egyptian Football Association, where he assumed the position of a member of the Board of Directors in Zamalek in the years 2013 - 2014, and participated as a member of the Egyptian Football Association Council during the period from 2004 to 2012, during which the team won 3 African Cup Nations under the leadership of the head coach Hassan Shehata.[7]

Honours

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Club

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Zamalek

International

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Egypt

References

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  1. ^ "Football : Ayman Younes". Footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 2015-04-09.
  2. ^ "أيمن يونس يناشد وزير الرياضة لمساعدة الزمالك - بوابة الشروق". www.shorouknews.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  3. ^ "Ayman Younes - Stats and titles won". footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  4. ^ ""لن نسمح لك".. رسالة قوية من أيمن يونس إلى شيكابالا قبل مباراة نهائي الكونفدرالية".
  5. ^ "أيمن يونس ساحر الزمالك السابق يحتفل اليوم بعيد ميلاده الـ"59"". اليوم السابع (in Arabic). 2024-02-20. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  6. ^ "أيمن يونس ساحر الزمالك السابق يحتفل اليوم بعيد ميلاده الـ"59"". اليوم السابع (in Arabic). 2024-02-20. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
  7. ^ "Draw with Hodoud 'unacceptable', says Zamalek board member". 20 January 2014.