Who still remembers 'Wild Horse' Mido?

More than a decade after hanging up his boots, Mido has yet to leave football – but this time, he is no longer the rebellious striker of Tottenham or Ajax, but the leader of a new generation of Egyptian football.

From The Maker Academy in Cairo, Mido wants to rewrite the story of his homeland's young talents reaching Europe.

From "wild horse" on the field to the sower

In the eyes of fans, Mido was once a symbol of talent combined with an impulsive personality. 14 years of playing, 11 clubs, 7 countries - a career rich in experience but also not without many fluctuations. He has clashed with famous coaches such as Ronald Koeman at Ajax, Marco Tardelli or Hassan Shehata at the Egyptian national team.

At the age of 30, Mido retired - much earlier than expected for a striker once considered the pearl of Africa. Looking back, he admitted: "I played for big clubs, but could have done better. Sometimes I gave up too easily and chose to move to another club."

Now, at 42, Mido is turning the lessons from his failures and successes into tools for the next generation. The Maker Academy, which he founded in Cairo, is the starting point for a new dream: to help Egyptian players conquer Europe.

In a conversation with BBC World Service, Mido pointed out the harsh reality: Egypt - a country of 120 million people, with a rich football history and abundant physical strength - has only about 4-5 players playing in Europe. Compared to African football powerhouses such as Senegal, Nigeria, and Ivory Coast, this number is too modest.

Even though Egyptian clubs have dominated the African Champions League with five titles in the last six years, that achievement does not reflect their competitiveness on the global stage. The two most prominent names at present - Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) and Omar Marmoush (Man City, joined in January 2025) - are just isolated bright spots.

According to Mido, the reason lies not in a lack of talent, but in the young players’ lack of preparation to adapt to a new environment. “Many fail because they cannot speak a foreign language, are not familiar with another culture, and lack mental endurance,” he emphasized.

The Maker - a place to train both skills and thinking

The Maker currently has around 100 young players, with plans to expand to girls football. Mido places a special emphasis on the psychological element – something he missed during his career. A team of psychologists work with the children every day, helping them build resilience under pressure.

In addition, the academy requires students to speak English well, have tactical knowledge and improve their physical fitness. “If you have the right mindset, strong physical strength, know many foreign languages, understand tactics and have skills, the door to Europe will open,” Mido affirmed.

He also does not hesitate to use himself as a “reverse mirror” to teach lessons: from hasty decisions in his career to the habit of giving up easily when facing difficulties. For Mido, perseverance and adaptability are the keys to staying at the top.

The Maker's short-term goal is to send at least 4-5 players to Europe in the next few years. Longer term, Mido dreams of 60-70 academy graduates playing across the continent within 10 years.

Not only does he want to bring the children to Europe, he also wants to follow their development closely, thereby continuing to provide professional and psychological support even after they have left their homeland. “The most wonderful thing is to see the hope in their eyes. We are here to dream,” he said.

In fact, “exporting” players has never been an easy path for football countries outside of Europe. Cultural differences, language, competitive pressure and prejudice are major barriers. For Egypt, where most players still choose the safety of the domestic league with rich achievements and stable income, daring to go is a bold decision.

But Mido believes that the new generation can completely change the face of Egyptian football. With a professional training system that focuses on technical, physical and mental aspects, the gap with other African powers can be completely narrowed.

From a “wild horse” famous for controversy, Mido now plays the role of a guide, patiently sowing the seeds of hope. He understands that if Egypt wants to have more than one Salah or Marmoush, this country’s football must invest systematically from the root. And The Maker, with a 10-year vision, could be the starting point for a new wave of Egyptian players, confidently stepping onto the world’s biggest stage.

Source: https://znews.vn/con-ai-nho-ngua-chung-mido-post1575184.html