Farouk Gaafar

Farouk Gaafar

Personal information
Full name	Farouk Fouad Gaafar
Date of birth	(1952-10-29) 29 October 1952
Place of birth	Sayeda Zienab, Cairo, Egypt
Position(s)	Centre Midfield
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1971–1988	Zamalek
International career
1970–1981	Egypt	62	(7)
Managerial career
1990–1991	Gomhoriat Shebin
1991–1993	Zamalek (Asst.)
1995–1996	Zamalek (Asst.)
1996–1997	Egypt
1998–1998	Baladeyet El-Mahalla
1998–1998	Zamalek (Asst.)
1998–1999	Zamalek
1999–1999	Montakhab Suez
2000–2002	Ghazl El Mahalla
2002–2002	Ismaily
2002–2002	Al-Riyadh
2003–2003	Baladeyet El-Mahalla
2003–2003	Tersana
2003–2004	Al-Masry
2005–2005	Suez Cement
2005–2005	Zamalek
2006–2008	Tersana
2008–2013	Tala'ea El-Gaish
2013–2014	Ghazl El Mahalla
2015–2015	Al-Ansar
2016–2016	El Dakhleya
Medal record Men's football Representing Egypt (as player) African Games 1973 Africa Cup of Nations 1974
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Farouk Gaafar فاروق جعفر (Nick Names: Roo-a & King of Midfield) is an Egyptian footballer manager and former football player.

He played as a midfielder for Zamalek and the Egypt national football team. He finished eighth in the magazine France Football voting for the 1975 African Player of the Year. Following his retirement, Gaafar managed Egypt during 1996 and 1997 and later El Geish club.

Early life and education

Farouk Fouad Gaafar was born in Cairo on 29 October 1952. His origin is from Aswan in Upper Egypt. His grandfather migrated to Cairo after the construction of the High Dam. He had 10 brothers and sisters. Gaafar has a Bachelor’s degree in physical education.

Playing career

Club career

Gaafar played in Zamalek's youth team for over 5 years, he played for the first team in 1971, started his professional career in the 1971–71 Egyptian Premier League's season, after the resumption of the football activities in Egypt.

Gaafar (lower row, first from right) with Zamalek squad, winners of the 1975 Egypt Cup

Gaafar (middle), Hassan Shehata and Taha Basry with Zamalek in 1976

He played for Zamalek for 17 years from 1971 to 1988, he was nicknamed the "King of midfield", he scored over 50 goals for Zamalek in all competitions. Gaafar won with Zamalek three titles of the Egyptian Premier League (1977–78, 1983–84, 1987–88).

He won the October League Cup (held instead of the cancelled Egyptian Premier League) once in 1974. He also won four Egypt Cup titles (1974–75, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1987–88). Gaafar was lucky to play amongst more than a generation of Zamalek in his career. He was one of the best Egyptian players of his generation.

Gaafar (standing row, first from left) with Zamalek in 1984

At the continental level, Gaafar won with Zamalek the 1984 CAF Champions League, 1986 CAF Champions League and the Afro-Asian Club Championship of 1987. Gaafar scored 53 goals for Zamalek in the Egyptian Premier League and over 70 goals in all competitions. After Zamalek won the double, and lifting the Egyptian League and Egypt Cup trophies in the 1987–88 season, Gaafar retired as a player in 1988.

International career

Gaafar played for the Egypt national football team for 11 years from 1970 to 1981, he played 62 international caps and scored 7 goals. He was a part of the team that won the bronze medal in the 1973 African Games in Nigeria, and scored in the group stage against Upper Volta and in the semifinals against Nigeria.

Gaafar (standing row, first from left) with Egypt in 1974 African Cup of Nations

Gaafar was a part of the team that finished third in the 1974 African Cup of Nations in Egypt, and fourth in the 1976 African Cup of Nations in Ethiopia and fourth in the 1980 African Cup of Nations in Nigeria. He won the best playmaker award in 1974 African Cup of Nations and was included in the 1974 CAN dream team and he also won the best playmaker in the 1976 African Cup of Nations and was included in the 1976 CAN dream team. Gaafar came the 7th African footballer of the year by France Football in 1975, and 8th African footballer of the year by France Football in 1977.

Managerial career

Managerial statistics

As of match played 4 August 2016

Managerial record by team and tenure

Team	From	To	Record					Ref.
			P	W	D	L	Win %
Egypt	1 July 1996	1 March 1997	2	1	0	1	050.0
Baladeyet	1 July 1998	21 November 1998	1	0	0	1	000.0
Zamalek SC	8 December 1998	16 April 1999	9	4	3	2	044.4
Suez SC	18 November 1999	30 November 1999	1	1	0	0	100.0
Ghazl	1 August 2000	30 June 2002	29	8	12	9	027.6
Ismaily SC	1 July 2002	18 October 2002	4	3	0	1	075.0
Baladeyet	2 March 2003	15 October 2003	15	4	4	7	026.7
Tersana SC	15 October 2003	22 December 2003	5	3	1	1	060.0
Al Masry SC	22 December 2003	6 November 2004	26	7	12	7	026.9
Suez Cement	17 June 2005	18 August 2005	1	1	0	0	100.0
Zamalek SC	18 August 2005	30 December 2005	19	11	2	6	057.9
Tersana SC	20 June 2006	30 June 2008	64	16	21	27	025.0
El Gaish	10 January 2008	5 January 2013	141	42	53	46	029.8
Ghazl	9 September 2013	19 January 2014	5	1	1	3	020.0
Al Ansar FC	24 March 2015	27 March 2015	0	0	0	0	!—
El Dakhleya SC	24 May 2016	4 August 2016	4	2	0	2	050.0
Total			326	104	109	113	031.9	—

Honours

As a player

Zamalek

• Egyptian Premier League: 1977–78, 1983–84, 1987–88
• Egypt Cup: 1974–75, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1987–88
• October League Cup: 1974
• Egyptian Friendship Cup: 1986
• African Cup of Champions Clubs: 1984, 1986
• Afro-Asian Club Championship: 1987

Egypt

• African Games bronze medal: 1973
• African Cup of Nations third place: 1974

Individual

• Best Playmaker in 1974 African Cup of Nations
• Best Playmaker in 1976 African Cup of Nations
• 7th African footballer of the year by France Football: 1975
• 8th African footballer of the year by France Football: 1977

References

• angelfire.com

External links

• Farouk Gaafar – FIFA competition record (archived)
• Farouk Gaafar at FootballDatabase.eu
• Farouk Gaafar at National-Football-Teams.com
• angelfire.com