Ziko, Trezeguet, and Dunga: The origins of Egyptian players' nicknames

Egypt's 3-1 victory over New Zealand brought a unique Egyptian football tradition back into the spotlight. In the team's lineup, players like Ziko, Salah, and Trezeguet appear, but these are rarely the names written on their birth certificates.

Mostafa Ziko's case is rooted in family. His real name is Mostafa Mohamed Zaky Abdelraouf. His older brother, Abdel-Raouf, was the first to be called "Zico" due to their surname "Zaky" and the aura of the Brazilian legend. When Mostafa began his football journey, coaches simply called him "little Zico," a name that stuck and eventually evolved into "Ziko."

Mahmoud Hassan, universally known as Trezeguet, earned his nickname during his youth days. His coach, Badr Ragab, noticed a striking resemblance to French striker David Trezeguet, both in appearance and playing style—particularly his aerial ability. Ragab noted that he never imagined the nickname would stay with him for his entire professional career.

Meanwhile, Nabil Emad is known as Dunga, in reference to the Brazilian 1994 World Cup-winning midfielder. A club director gave him the name at the start of his career in the Egyptian second division because Nabil played the same position with a similar style. The nickname became his professional identity, persisting even as he moved to clubs in Saudi Arabia.