Yahoo Sports Omar Marmoush: 10 things you (probably) didn’t know
The exciting Egyptian forward is now a Manchester City player – and here’s 10 things you should know about our new No.7…
He could have represented Canada
Omar’s excellent grasp of the English language is partly due to his dual citizenship.
His parents worked in Canada for six years and attained Canadian citizenship.
However, despite a few visits to Ottawa, Marmoush was raised and lived in Egypt and proudly says he is “100% Egyptian”.
Career beginnings
Marmoush made his professional debut as a sub on 8 July 2016 aged 17 for Wadi Degla in the Egyptian Premier League, grabbing an assist from the bench.
The game ended in a 3-2 victory for Marmoush’s team, and he would make 18 appearances for the New Cairo outfit before moving to Wolfsburg in 2017.
WATCH: Marmoush signs for City
Germany calling
Marmoush signed for Wolfsburg in 2017 aged only 18.
The first three years would be spent largely with the Bundesliga outfit’s second XI in the Regionalliga Nord – the fourth tier of German football - making 36 appearances and scoring 11 goals.
Loan wolf
As Omar served his apprenticeship in German football he was loaned out to St Pauli and VfB Stuttgart – while occasionally playing for his parent club.
For St Pauli, he would play 21 times and score seven goals in the 2.Bundesliga in 2020/21 and then spent the 2021/22 campaign with Bundesliga giants Stuttgart, making 21 appearances and scoring three goals.
Moving on
Omar’s four-year stay with parent club Wolfsburg yielded 48 appearances and six goals.
His various loan spells undoubtedly helped shape him as a player, and he was a first-team regular in 2022/23 before he moved to Eintracht Frankfurt on a free transfer – and what a piece of business that was by Frankfurt!
Flying start for the Pharaohs
Omar marked his senior debut for Egypt on 8 October 2021 by scoring the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Libya.
He has since won 35 caps and scored six goals for his country.
WATCH: I’m proud to be the first Egyptian to join City, says Marmoush
African Cup of Nations finalist
Marmoush played 59 of minutes of the 2021 African Cup of Nations final as Egypt took on Senegal.
The game ended 0-0 and Senegal won the competition 4-2 on penalties – Marmoush would have likely taken a spot-kick had he stayed on.
Liverpool’s Mo Salah, as the fifth penalty-taker, never got the chance to take one with team-mates Abdelmonem and Lasheen both failing to score.
Seven Up
Omar took the No.7 shirt at Frankfurt and was delighted to discover the jersey was available at Manchester City.
He says there is no special reason behind the number, and that it was one his brother used to favour when they were kids and he decided to carry the tradition on!
Inspired by Mo Salah
Liverpool’s Mo Salah is an inspiration to Omar.
The ‘Egyptian King’ – as he is known at Anfield – is a player City’s new forward admires greatly, stating: "He managed to become one of the three best players the world. That inspires me and it's something I also want to achieve.
"He’s not just an incredible player; he’s a leader, an inspiration to all of us.
"Watching how he trains, how he approaches the game—it’s a learning experience every time.”
Free-kick specialist
Omar joined an elite club this season with three goals from direct free kicks in three games.
He netted against Stuttgart, Slavia Prague and Bochum – a feat achieved previously only by Christian Fuchs while with Bochum in 2010, Lionel Messi in 2016/17 and 2017/18, and Alessandro Del Piero in 2008/09.
