Former EFA President, Samir Zaher dies aged 74

CAIRO – 13 March 2018: Former Al-Ahly defender and former Egyptian Football Association (EFA) President, Samir Zaher, died aged 74 on Tuesday after his health deteriorated last week.

Zaher, born in Damietta in 1943, started his football career with the city’s local club before joining Al-Ahly in 1964.

Zaher shined with Al-Ahly and joined the national team between 1965 and 1967. He also represented the national military team in 1970 until his retirement in 1973.

Zaher joined the EFA in 1992 as a board member and he became the EFA Vice President in 1994.

Zaher became the EFA president for two spells. The first one was between 1996 and 1999 and the national team managed to win the 1998 African Cup of nations.

Zaher’s second spell as EFA president between 2005 and 2012 was the most successful period in Egyptian football history as the national team won three consecutive African Cup of Nations in 2006, 2008 and 2010 and participated in the 2009 FIFA Confederation Cup in South Africa.