Timoumi, Zakaria named CAF Champions League final ambassadors
Cairo, Egypt (PANA) - Morocco legend, Mohamed Timoumi, and Egyptian Moamen Zakaria, have been named ambassadors for the Total CAF Champions League 2019/20 final, scheduled for 6 November, 2020.
The appointment of the duo is in recognition of their achievements and contribution to the development of the game across the continent, CAF, the Confederation of African Football Associations, said on its website on Wednesday.
This is the first time in recent memory that CAF has named Ambassadors for the final of the premier continental club championship.
According to CAF, "As part of their roles, they will be involved in promotional and media activities amongst others as the curtains to the end of the season folds up.
Timoumi, unarguably one of the finest midfielders of his generation, had a distinguished career, winning the CAF Champions League in 1985 with FAR Rabat and participating in the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico.
On the other hand, Zakaria had his promising career cut short after being diagnosed with the rare neurological disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in 2019.
Ahead of the final, the competition returns on 17 October, 2020, in Casablanca, with Wydad playing hosts to Al Ahly, while Raja faces Zamalek 24 hours later.
The return legs take place on 23 and 24 October respectively in Egypt.
Timoumi was born in Rabat on 15 January 1960. He started his career in US Touarga at the age of 18 before moving to FAR Rabat in 1984, where he won the African Cup of Champion Clubs (now CAF Champions League) in 1985.
After excelling with Morocco at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico when the Atlas Lions became the first African side to reach the second round, he moved to Spanish side Murcia. After one season, he went to Belgium to play for Lokeren. In 1989, he returned home to don the colors of OC Khouribga. Timoumi later played in Oman for Al Suwaiq, before returning to FAR Rabat, where he retired in 1995.
Moamen Zakaria
On his part, Zakaria was born in Sohag on 12 April 1988. He started in the youth ranks of Cairo giants Al Ahly before joining El Entag El Harby in 2009. He later played for Al Masry and ENPPI. In 2013 Zakaria moved on loan to Zamalek where he won two Egyptian Cup titles. He joined Al Ahly in January 2015, winning four Egyptian Premier League diadems and a host of domestic titles with the Red Devils. He had a brief loan spell with Saudi side Al Ahli Jeddah in 2018.
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