JOHANNESBURG – A 75-year-old Egyptian man hopes to become the world’s oldest soccer professional.
According to middleeastmonitor.com, Ezzeldin Bahader, who fancies himself as a striker, began playing soccer at the age of six in the last millennium, but believes 2020 is the year he will finally achieve his dream - some 69 years later.
The grandfather of six worked as a civil engineer before taking up the role of land cultivation expert.
Born in Cairo, he moved to Kuwait before finally relocating to Al Rehab in Egypt.
Throughout his life Bahader has played amateur football, and recently began applying to join clubs before he was accepted by Egyptian third division club October 6. In addition to training with the club, he is also working with a personal trainer to improve his fitness levels.
He will not achieve the feat of becoming the world’s oldest professional footballer through a couple of substitute appearances. He needs to play two 90-minute matches, which he hopes to achieve in March.
The current Guiness World Record for the oldest professional soccer player belongs to Israel’s Isaak Hayik who represented Ironi Or Yehuda at the age of 73 in 2019.