Shikabala

Mahmoud Abdelrazek Hassan Fadlala (Arabic: محمود عبد الرازق حسن فضل الله IPA: [mæħˈmuːd ʕæbdelˈɾæːzeʔ, -eɾˈɾæː- fɑdˈlɑllɑ]; born 5 March 1986), nicknamed Shikabala (Arabic: شيكابالا IPA: [ʃikæˈbæːlæ]), is an Egyptian former professional footballer who played as a forward. He is considered one of the best Egyptian football players of all time, having been named "Best Player in Egypt" in numerous polls on various football seasons. His playing style is characterized by dribbling, penetrating, playmaking, and shooting powerfully from long range with his left foot. He began his football career with the Zamalek youth team before joining the first team. He then joined PAOK of Greece, and Sporting Lisbon of Portugal. He then moved on loan to Al-Wasl of the UAE, Ismaily of Egypt, Al-Raed of Saudi Arabia, and finally Apollon Smyrnis F.C. of Greece, before returning to Zamalek. At international level, he was part of the Egyptian squad that won the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and also represented his country at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Shikabala won 18 titles with Zamalek through his illustrious career as a football player. He announced his retirement from professional football in July 2025. He is nicknamed the "Apache" by Egyptian fans, also his nickname "Shikabala" originates from Zambian striker Webster Chikabala.