KingFut’s ‘Hidden Pharaohs’ series introduces our readers to some of the many players of Egyptian origins, who may seem unknown to most Egyptian and African football fans.
After profiling FC Copenhagen’s Danish-Egyptian starlet Yones Felfel in the series’ first installment, Ziad Ibrahim will be now be casting the spotlight on FC Farul Constanţa’s Egyptian-Romanian youngster, Walid Hassan.
Full Name: Walid Hassan Abdellatif
Date of Birth: May 6th, 1997
Place of Birth: El Giza, Egypt
Height: 1.78 m (5 ft 8 in)
Current Club: FC Farul Constanța
Previous Club(s): Zamalek, Pepsi
International Career: N/A
Position: Attacking Midfielder, Winger
Walid Hassan – commonly known as “Il Piccolo Faraone” – is a young Egyptian-Romanian footballer who plays for FC Farul Constanţa in Romania. Hassan, born May 6th, 1997, started his football career at the age of 5, as he played for the academy of Egyptian giants Zamalek SC, before he was promoted to the youth team at the age of 9.
Walid was then transferred from Zamalek to Pepsi FC (Nogoom El-Mostakbal) until he decided to reside in his mother’s nation, Romania, in 2011. During the 2011/2012 season, Walid joined FC Farul Constanţa, where he currently plays for the club’s U-19 side – making him the youngest player on the team.
In recent years, Farul Constanţa have fallen down the Romanian football ladder. At the end of the 2008-09 season – four years after reaching its first ever Romanian Cup final match – the club were relegated from the first division and have been competing in the second tier ever since.
Next Destination?
Romania may not be where the attacking midfielder/winger continues to ply his trade, however, as he has admitted to receiving offers from France and Italy. However, Walid remains undecided on whether or not he’s ready to depart Romania, and so he will remain with Farul until the next transfer window at the very minimum.
International Career:
Walid Hassan is eligible to represent Egypt and Romania internationally through his parents. However, Walid refused to play for the youth national team of Romania after being called up three times by the head coach, who was impressed by Hassan’s performances with Farul, he told EParena. Hassan is one of the players shortlisted to join the U-17 Egyptian national team.
The 17-year-old youngster who looks up to Algerian France international legend Zinedine Zidane, has high hopes as he aims to one day represent the Egyptian national team at the World Cup – whether on the senior level or the youth stage.
