Yakan Hussein Zaki Yakan (12 September 1934 – 22 December 2012) was an Egyptian football coach and former football player who played as a defensive midfielder.[2] He spent almost his whole career with Zamalek. He played also for the Egypt national football team. He was part of the team that won the 1959 African Cup of Nations.

Yakan Hussein
Personal information
Full name Yakan Hussein Zaki Yakan
Date of birth (1934-09-12)12 September 1934
Place of birth Aswan, Egypt
Date of death 22 December 2012(2012-12-22) (aged 78)[1]
Place of death Cairo, Egypt
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1951–1953 Al Ahly
1953–1972 Zamalek
International career
1953–1970 Egypt 82 (10)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Egypt (as player)
Africa Cup of Nations
Winner 1959
Mediterranean Games
Gold medal – first place 1955
Arab Games
Gold medal – first place 1953
Gold medal – first place 1965
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Hussein played for his country at the 1960 and 1964 Summer Olympics. He was part of the team that won the gold medal at the Arab Games in 1953 and 1965. After retiring from football, he worked as a head coach. He was elected as Zamalek's board member in the 1990s.[3]

Early life

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Yakan Hussein was born into a well-off family on 12 September 1934 in Khairat Street in Sayyeda Zeinab, Cairo. He had nine brothers and sisters. He played football in the streets of Aswan when his father moved to work in Upper Egypt. It was not long before the family moved again to Sayyida Zeinab after a brief period in the city of Zagazig, Sharqia. His actual beginning came in the secondary school of commerce with the high school team. He then played for the Nubian Youth Club team in the Abdeen neighborhood.[4]

Playing career

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Club career

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In 1951, he was chosen by Al Ahly's coach. He spent two years with the team. In 1953, he moved to Zamalek, where he spent his whole career. During his time with Zamalek, he won the Egyptian Premier League three times in (1959–60, 1963–64, and 1964–65). He also won with Zamalek the Egypt Cup for six times in (1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, and 1962).

 
Hussein (third standing from left) with Zamalek in 1964

Hussein was called "King of coverage", for his defensive ability, he was the first full-back to possess the elements of modern football, including extreme speed to intensify attacking, instant rebounds to strengthen defenses, mastery of accurate cross passing to teammates, and powerful shooting with both feet and head to exploit semi-opportunities and turn them into goals. He was honored with the Order of Sports, first class twice, once from President Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1966, and the second from President Anwar Sadat on his retirement day. He retired from football in 1972.[5]

International career

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He was also a member of the Egypt national football team between 1953 and 1970 and played 82 caps with 10 goals. He played for his country in the 1953 Arab Games in Alexandria where Egypt won the gold medal.[6] He was also a part of the team that won the gold medal at the 1955 Mediterranean Games in Barcelona.[7]

 
Hussein (front row, second from left) with Egypt in 1959

His most notable appearances were at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, and 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where Egypt finished fourth. He was also a part of the team that won the gold medal at the 1965 Arab Games in Cairo.[8] Hussein was a part of the team that won the 1959 African Cup of Nations in Sudan.[9][10]

Film career

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In addition to the fact that he was a star on the field, he was involved in the Egyptian Film Industry and participated in the 1963 film The Belle and the Students, starring Shoukry Sarhan, Shwikar, Hassan Youssef, and Samir Sabry.[11]

Coaching career

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After his retirement from football, he coached football clubs in the Gulf Area for several years, before returning to Cairo in 1983. From 1988 through 1992 he was elected a member of Zamalek's board of directors. His son Hesham Yakan and nephew Ayman Younes both played for Zamalek, and the Egypt national football team.[12]

Death

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Yakan Hussein Zaki died on 22 December 2012 at the age of 78 after a long struggle with illness, in Cairo.[13]

Honours

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Zamalek SC
Egypt

References

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  1. ^ صالح, أحمد (23 December 2012). "وفاة يكن حسين نجم الزمالك الأسبق عن 78 عاما". Al-Masry Al-Youm (in Arabic). Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Yaken Zaki". Olympedia. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  3. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Yaken Zaki". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  4. ^ شوفي حامد (26 June 2021). "يكن حسين.. المدافع المتين".
  5. ^ "Olympedia – Yaken". www.olympedia.org. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  6. ^ "1st Pan Arab Games, 1953 (Alexandria, Egypt)". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  7. ^ "زى النهارده.. وفاة يكن حسين نجم نادى الزمالك". 22 December 2022.
  8. ^ "4th Pan Arab Games, 1965 (Cairo, Egypt)". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  9. ^ شوفي حامد (26 June 2021). "يكن حسين.. المدافع المتين".
  10. ^ "African Nations Cup 1970". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  11. ^ "يكن حسين - ﺗﻤﺜﻴﻞ فيلموجرافيا، صور، فيديو". elCinema.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  12. ^ حسام الحاج (24 April 2022). "قصة عائلة رياضية.. "آل يكن" زملكاوية تربوا على عشق الكيان الأبيض".
  13. ^ "قصة عائلة رياضية.. "آل يكن" زملكاوية تربوا على عشق الكيان الأبيض". 24 April 2022.
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