Ibrahim Mughrabi (Arabic: إبراهيم المغربي, born 1939 in Damascus) is a Palestinian[2] footballer who played professionally in Syria, Greece, and Egypt as a striker. He was the first foreigner to ever play in the Greek Championship. In Greece he was known just as "Ibrahim".
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ibrahim Al-Mughrabi | ||
| Date of birth | 1939 | ||
| Place of birth | Aleppo, Syria[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| –1962 | Halab Al-Ahli | ||
| 1962–1963 | AEK Athens | 22 | (7) |
| 1963–1964 | Al Ahli | ||
| International career | |||
| Syria Military | |||
| 1965 | Palestine | 6 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
editMughrabi studied Law at the Damascus University, while playing football for Halab Al-Ahli. Hailing from a noble family, he played football mostly as a hobby.
In 1962 he moved to Athens in order to continue his studies at the University of Athens and signed for AEK Athens, becoming the first ever foreign player to play for a Greek club. He made his debut, on 27 September 1962 against Egaleo, introducing himself to the fans of the club by scoring a hat-trick, in a 7–2 win. On 7 October, he opened the score with a header in the 4–0 home win against Ethnikos Piraeus[3] He also scored an opener against Aris on 21 October, in the final 3–1 win at home.[4] On 28 April 1963, he scored in the 3–0 home win over Panionios.[5] He shaped the last of the 5 goals of his club in the 5–1 against PAOK at home, on 5 May.[6] His last 2 goals for AEK were on 19 May 1963 in a match for the Greek Cup at home against Kalamata, where he formed the final 7–1. In his only season at AEK he won the Greek Championship.[7]
He left AEK and Greece halfway of the season and returned to Syria, while the following year he moved to Cairo and joined Al Ahli, where he signed a professional contract. It is the first professional contract signed in Egyptian football. At the end of the season he gave up football to practice law.[2]
International career
editIn 1965 he played with Palestine in the 4th Pan-Arab Games held in Egypt, winning the fourth place. He scored the winner in the match against Lebanon.[8]
Personal life
editMughrabi lives for decades in Switzerland, along with his partner.[2]
Honours
editAEK Athens
References
edit- ^ Νικόλας, Αγγελίδης (8 September 2016). "Στα χνάρια του πρώτου ξένου στην ιστορία της ΑΕΚ!". aek-live.gr (in Greek). Online.
- ^ a b c Νικόλας, Αγγελίδης (19 July 2023). "Ανακαλύψαμε... τον θρυλικό Ιμπραήμ της ΑΕΚ!". aek-live.gr (in Greek). Online.
- ^ "7/10/1962: ΑΕΚ-Εθνικός 4-0". aektoday.com. Archived from the original on 15 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- ^ "21/10/1962: ΑΕΚ-Άρης 3-1". aektoday.com. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- ^ "ΑΕΚ-ΠΑΝΙΩΝΙΟΣ ΣΤΗΝ Α ΕΘΝΙΚΗ". flash.gr. 29 March 2002.
- ^ Καζαντζόγλου, Σταύρος (18 October 2020). "ΑΕΚ: Ο καλός πελάτης ΠΑΟΚ". enwsi.gr.
- ^ "Ιμπραήμ". aekpedia.com.
- ^ "4th Pan Arab Games, 1965 (Cairo, Egypt)". RSSSF.