Egypt has been waiting for a single star in the African Cup of Nations, Mohamed Salah, who has come to the spotlight and steal some of its glamor: "Trezeguet" is a frequent name on the fans' lips, an indication of the young wing that the continental championship is expected to reach higher levels.

Mahmoud Hassan Trezeguet, 24, has been the Egyptian since the start of the African Nations on their soil on 21 June. With the Pharaohs, an opening against Zimbabwe emerged with the aim of an individual effort to give the team their first three points in Group A. In the second against the DRC, Salah scored the first goal of the tournament with a decisive pass.

As was the former coach of Argentina, Hector Cooper, remained with his successor Javier Aguirre. The young man with the shy, smiling face has participated in the three games of the Pharaohs in the 2018 World Cup and the African Nations hosted by Egypt until July 19.

The player of Kassem Pasha Turki, who occupies the center of the left wing, with permanent movements towards the attacking center and received the ball from the depth, emerged in the tournament and attended when his colleagues needed him. His name in the analysis or in the media, and even his choice as the best player in the second match, did not affect the humility of the son of Kafr El-Sheikh north of Cairo.

Trezeguet grew up in Al-Ahly, which has been the winner of the team with innumerable names throughout its history. Whose nickname he has become known for, compared to French striker David Trezeguet, a former national team player and Juventus.

"We called him Trezeguet because he was wearing the shirt of the French national team," said former star Adel Abdel Rahman, who oversaw Al Ahli as a child. He used to play a bayonet, like him, and shave his hair (completely) like him. "

"He had the talent of speed and skill, he knew how to score, he passed, he played anywhere, as the team needed."

On the pitch, Trezeguet formed the center of the Egyptian team's offensive movement, relying mainly on skill in dribbling and skipping the defenders, before turning to attack Salah to the right, or Marwan Mohsen, the spearhead of the Pharaohs.

The Professional March

His professional career outside Egypt has ranged from Belgian experiences, most notably to Anderlecht, which he finally moved to Kassem Pasha in the summer of 2018. But Egyptian analysts, even Aguirre, see the current tournament as an opportunity to move to a stronger club and league in Europe.

"Many of the people from Europe are here, looking for new players, for new faces," Aguirre said in a press conference after the first game against Zimbabwe in which Trezeguet scored his goal of the African Nations Cup with 24 teams and in the summer (both for the first time) Of course, Trezeguet can be one of those new faces. "

"This is a good opportunity to show the world its ability to play at any level," he said. "Of course Mohammed Salah is the most prominent, but we have other players as well."

But improving the conditions of professionalism seems to be the last concern for Trezeguet. In response to a question about whether the nations of Africa had the opportunity to show their own metal, he said: "I do not market myself in the tournament. All I want is to win »her title, because" if I won the championship I would have raised the name of my country and for me it is more expensive than any professional. "

His statistics in the first round

- Participated in three matches (253 minutes).

- Perform 80 passes, 64 of which are correct (80% accuracy).

- Perform three attempts on goal.