Mukhtar Mukhtar, head of the planning committee at Al Ahly club, celebrates his 71st birthday today, Sunday. Born on August 17, 1954, he began his football career at Isco club, which included players like Hamdi Nouh, Ahmed Abu Rehab, and Yasser Al-Mohamadi. He joined Al Ahly at the start of the 1975-1976 season. His first official match with Al Ahly was against Kafr El Sheikh on October 3, 1975, and he scored his first official goal in his second match against Minya in Cairo on October 12, 1975.

Mukhtar Mukhtar made his personal glory with Al Ahly, playing more than 190 official matches, scoring 32 goals, and winning 10 titles over nine years, including 6 league titles, 3 Egypt Cup titles, and the African Champions League.

He continued with Al Ahly until his retirement at the end of the 1983-1984 season, before turning 30, due to a severe injury sustained in his last official match against Arab Contractors. The injury caused muscle atrophy in his leg despite several surgeries and intense training.

Demonstrating his high morals, Mukhtar insisted during his farewell match on January 24, 1986, to walk around the field holding the hand of Saeed El Shishini, the player involved in his injury, declaring publicly that the injury was unintentional and he bore no grudge. This act was warmly received by the audience and earned him the ‘Sportsmanship Award’ from the International Fair Play Committee under UNESCO in 1985, which he received on September 25, 1986.

His last official match was on November 11, 1983, against Arab Contractors, where he scored the only goal.

With the Egyptian national team, Mukhtar participated in the African Cup of Nations in 1976 and 1980, playing about 43 matches and scoring six goals.

After retirement, he moved into coaching, starting with youth teams at Al Ahly, then becoming assistant coach in the 2000/2001 season, and served as head coach before the arrival of German coach Dixie. He continued coaching for two years, winning three titles.

He then managed several Egyptian clubs, including Ghazl El Mahalla in 2002-2003, Petrogas which he promoted in 2006-2007, Enppi with whom he won the Egypt Cup in 2011 against Zamalek, as well as Al Masry, Al Ittihad Alexandria, and El Entag El Harby, before being appointed head of Al Ahly’s planning committee.