Kahraba Egyptian footballer Date of Birth: 13.04.1994 Country: Egypt

1. Early Career
2. Breakthrough at ENPPI
3. European Stint
4. Luzern (Loan)
5. Grasshoppers (Loan)
6. Return to Egypt
7. Zamalek
8. In Saudi Arabia
9. Continued Stint at Al-Ittihad
10. International Career
11. Playing Style

Early Career

Born and raised in Cairo, Egypt, Mahmoud Abdel-Moneim, better known as Kahraba, began his football journey with the youth team of local club Al-Ahly. Under the guidance of coach Badr Ragab, he earned the nickname "Kahraba," which translates to "electricity," due to his energetic and impactful performances on the field. At the age of 15, he formed a potent attacking duo with fellow Al-Ahly academy product Mahmoud Hassan, known as "Trezeguet," scoring an impressive 36 goals in 20 youth league games.

However, Kahraba's stay at Al-Ahly was short-lived as the club disbanded its youth team, forcing him to join another Cairo-based club, ENPPI.

Breakthrough at ENPPI

In 2011, Kahraba made his professional debut for ENPPI in a cup match against Al-Ahly on September 21. His first Egyptian Premier League appearance followed on December 18 of the same year, starting in a match against Wadi Degla. Establishing himself as a regular in the team's starting lineup proved challenging, as more experienced players such as Egyptian international Ahmed Raouf and Ivorian Die Foneyie occupied his preferred position. Kahraba featured in just three league matches during the 2011/2012 season and 13 the following season. On May 14, 2013, he scored his first goal for ENPPI, the winning goal in a match against Telephonat Bani Sueif.

European Stint

Kahraba's performances for Egypt's youth teams in the summer of 2013 attracted the attention of several European clubs, including German side Schalke 04, English club Hull City, and Swiss team Luzern. A move to Hull, whose manager Steve Bruce had expressed interest in Kahraba, fell through due to difficulties in securing a work permit for the Egyptian.

Luzern (Loan)

In the summer of 2013, Kahraba joined Luzern on loan until the end of the 2013/2014 season. He made a positive impact with the Swiss club, scoring 7 goals in 16 league appearances, making him the club's second-highest goalscorer. However, Kahraba's time at Luzern was marred by his repeated displays of disrespect towards coaches, teammates, and club officials. Following a cup match against Basel on March 26, 2014, he refused to shake hands with Luzern's sporting director Alexander Frei, leading to his suspension from team training and the termination of his loan agreement two days later.

Grasshoppers (Loan)

In May 2014, Kahraba agreed on another loan move, this time to fellow Swiss club Grasshopper. The loan was for six months, with Grasshoppers paying €100,000 and holding an option to buy Kahraba's contract for €1 million. Yet again, Kahraba failed to establish himself in the starting lineup and declined Grasshopper's offer for a permanent contract, citing his unwillingness to be a substitute.

Return to Egypt

In November 2014, Kahraba was reportedly close to joining Cairo giants Al-Ahly, but the move did not materialize. He continued to play for ENPPI during the second half of the 2014/2015 season, scoring six goals and providing two assists to help his team finish fourth in the Egyptian Premier League. In May 2015, Kahraba was suspended by ENPPI and fined for arriving late to training and having an altercation with general manager Hussein Amin.

Zamalek

On August 2, 2015, Kahraba signed a five-year contract with Egyptian champions Zamalek for a transfer fee of €750,000. He played a crucial role in helping his new club win the Egypt Cup in September. Kahraba also impressed in the CAF Confederation Cup, scoring four goals in five appearances as Zamalek reached the semi-finals before losing to eventual winners Étoile du Sahel. In the 2015/2016 Egyptian Premier League season, Kahraba scored 11 goals and provided 5 assists in 29 appearances, becoming Zamalek's top goalscorer. His performances were pivotal for his team, as they struggled to earn points in his absence. Kahraba also contributed two goals in four matches in the 2016 CAF Champions League.

In Saudi Arabia

On July 14, 2016, Kahraba joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad from Jeddah on a one-year loan, with Zamalek receiving a fee of $2 million. He made his Saudi Pro League debut on August 11, 2016, starting and scoring in a match against Al-Raed. In his third match, Kahraba netted four goals against Al-Wehda. Kahraba maintained impressive form throughout the season, leading Al-Ittihad's attack and finishing as the club's top scorer with 16 goals in 20 league matches. He helped his team win the Crown Prince's Cup Final on March 10, 2017, with his crucial goal.

Continued Stint at Al-Ittihad

In May 2017, both Al-Ittihad and Emirati club Al-Jazira were reported to be interested in acquiring Kahraba in the summer transfer window. Zamalek chairman Mortada Mansour made frequent public statements about Kahraba's value throughout the season, with figures ranging from $15 million to $100 million. In June 2017, Al-Ittihad extended Kahraba's loan agreement for another season, paying Zamalek 45 million Egyptian pounds.

Kahraba continued to score in the 2017/2018 season, netting a goal in each of the first two matches. However, his performances declined significantly after that. In October 2017, Kahraba attributed his poor form to a long-term back injury that had worsened in recent times. He traveled to Germany for treatment in November.

International Career

Kahraba played for various Egyptian youth teams, making 25 appearances and scoring 10 goals for the U-20 team. He participated in the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup and won the 2013 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, where he was named to the tournament's Best XI, finished second in the scoring charts, and scored the winning penalty in the final.

Kahraba was first called up to the Egyptian senior national team by coach Bob Bradley in August 2013 at the age of 19. He made his international debut on September 10 in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Guinea. After Bradley's departure, Shawky Gharib, who took over as national team coach, did not include Kahraba in his squads. Kahraba returned to international football in 2015 under Héctor Cúper. On September 6, 2015, he scored his first goal for Egypt in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Chad.

Kahraba was part of Egypt's squad for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations as a backup. He appeared as a substitute in the group stage matches against Uganda and Ghana. In the quarter-final against Morocco, Kahraba came off the bench to score the winning goal in the dying minutes. He started the semi-final against Burkina Faso and assisted Mohamed Salah's crucial goal. However, Kahraba was suspended for the final against Cameroon due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

Playing Style

Kahraba primarily serves as an attacking winger, with his usual position being left wing. However, he can also play on the right wing, as an attacking midfielder, as a second striker, or as a "false nine." He is known for his pace, skill on the ball, dribbling ability, and direct style of play. Kahraba has often drawn criticism for his selfishness and lack of professionalism, having encountered conflicts with teammates, coaches, and club management in many teams he has played for.