Having started his career in the lower leagues and worked his way up to international football, Sayed Moawad’s is a story of talent and persistence. His first steps on the ladder came in the youth ranks of his hometown club Fayoum, then in Egypt’s third tier, before earning a move to second-division side Aluminium.From there in 2006 he made the jump to top-flight football with Egyptian heavyweights Ismaily, before going on to become his country’s first-choice left-back after the tragic sudden death of former international Mohamed Abdel Wahhab. The latter had been the Pharaohs’ number one in the position between 2004 and 2006.

On the back of his impressive displays during Egypt’s success at the CAF African Cup of Nations Ghana 2008, Moawad earned a loan move to Turkish club Trabzonspor. Less than four months later, however, he had returned to his homeland to join Al Ahly.

Impressive going forward, though occasionally guilty of defensive lapses, Moawad has struggled to cement a regular starting berth since joining the Cairo outfit, with the club’s Portuguese boss Manuel Jose tending to prefer Angolan international left-back Gilberto.