Mido: What happened to the controversial Spurs and Egypt star? | OneFootball

Although never quite on the level that Mohamed Salah is today, former Tottenham striker Mido was once the golden child of Egyptian football.

The controversial frontman notched 20 goals in 51 appearances for his country and was part of the squad for their 2006 Africa Cup of Nations triumph.

His international career, however, should have been far more decorated.

Mido first found himself on the wrong side of Egyptian FA when he turned down a call-up in 2004 because he was injured, only to play for his club side the following day.

Naturally, this didn’t go down well and the player was forced to apologise for his conduct before being considered for selection again.

Two years later, in a crucial AFCON semi-final against Senegal, Mido was in hot water again – this time for a blazing mid-match row with Egypt boss Hassan Shehata.

When Shehata opted to replace the striker in the second half with the score tied at 1-1, Mido infamously branded his coach “a donkey”, to which Shehata fired back: “No, it is you who is the donkey,” during a sensational touchline bust-up, per Goal.

You can check out the fiery exchange below.

Watch: Mido and Egypt coach Hassan Shehata involved in heated confrontation during AFCON semi-final in 2006

Mido was banned from representing his nation for six months for his behaviour, but never again played for Egypt at a major tournament – missing the 2006 final.

His club career was similarly packed with story moments, beginning when he joined Dutch giants Ajax whilst still a teenager.

In a sign of things to come, Mido quickly managed to upset manager Ronald Koeman with his attitude.

“In his own country, he is seen as a superstar but he must be aware that he has a lot to learn and needs to be reminded about what it means to play for a club like Ajax. If I put him on the bench, he must work hard in order to earn respect,” Koeman said of the youngster.

It wasn’t just his coaches that Mido fell out with, though, once reportedly launching a pair of scissors at strike partner Zlatan Ibrahimovic after a dressing room disagreement. His eventual Eredivisie tally of 21 goals in 40 games in his time with the club, though, was a creditable one.

Mido’s Ajax exit was preceded by a brief loan spell at Celta Vigo, before he made a permanent switch to Marseille and then moved on to Roma.

A fresh start at Tottenham

His Tottenham career got underway when he arrived in north London on an 18-month loan deal in January 2005. Proving his class immediately, Mido bagged two goals on his debut against Portsmouth.

His success continued at White Hart Lane in his first full season with the club as he found the net 11 times in 27 Premier League appearances.

That return was enough to convince Spurs to sign him on a permanent deal for £6.75 million in August 2006. Unfortunately for boss Martin Jol, he would manage just one further top-flight goal after putting pen to paper.

Despite his undoubted talent, Mido would never produce another double-figure goal return in a single season for any club.

Mido’s Middlesbrough regret

The player himself would later admit his regret over departing Tottenham for Middlesbrough in 2007, revealing: “I made a big mistake leaving. I wasn’t patient enough to play a match and not play the next one.”

Mido also struggled with injures during his time in the North East and his physical condition would increasing become an issue as he got older.

After disappointing loan spells at West Ham and Wigan, he exited Middlesbrough in July 2010, having scored just seven goals in 32 appearances across two seasons.

The striker then became somewhat of a footballing nomad, popping up once again at Ajax, Zamalek and even made a sole appearance for Barnsley before calling time on his career.

A drastic body transformation post-retirement

It was here that problems really began to mount up for Mido on the health front. Piling on the pounds, he ballooned to more than 23 stone, according to a 2018 interview with The Guardian.

“I was 150kg and I reached a point where I couldn’t walk 30 yards,” he admitted. If I did, I started to feel pain in my back, my joints and my knees.

“I remember I was getting off my boat in Egypt five months ago – this day is the turning point in my life – and I was walking off on to an island.

“I had three friends with me and it was 300 yards to the end of the island. The sand was a bit heavy and it was a bit sunny and I said to them: ‘I cannot walk.’ I had to sit for 30 minutes. I was only 34.

“That was the moment the switch flicked. Two days later I saw the doctor. He asked me to do blood tests. When I had the results and the doctor started to talk to me, I knew I had to change.

“He told me that my cholesterol is 320 and that the top of the average is 200. He said I was on the edge of being diabetic.”

The medical professional then went on to warn Mido that he could die before the age of 40, which prompted him to take drastic action.

Eliminating fried food, red meat, salt and sugar from his diet, the former Spurs favourite was able to drop close to six stone in just six months.

You can see his impressive body transformation below.

After several years in various managerial roles, including two spells as boss of Zamalek where he won the Egyptian Premier League and the national cup twice, Mido has now settled into life as a pundit – covering Egypt’s 2022 AFCON campaign.

Nearing his 39th birthday, Mido finally appears to have put the troubles of his younger days behind him, and it’s great to see.