Omar Sakr, Egyptian success story in Europe

CAIRO – 5 December 2017: It is not easy to find success at such a young age in a difficult competitive field in Egypt like sports marketing. However, Omar Sakr is taking many steps now to be one of the most popular sports figures not only in Egypt, but in the whole world.

I heard his name for the first time in 2014; he was just a young, promising Egyptian talent trying to prove himself as a player in Europe. I watched a video for his skills and believed that he will be a big player one day, and in 2017, I interviewed him after he already became a new member on a list of only 14 Egyptian official football agents at FIFA, and he is only 21.

“I have been interested in sports marketing since I was young. I spent most of my spare time reading and getting to know more about this field. I have good relations with people in charge in Europe. At this time I was playing football and I decided to travel with a dream to play in Europe,” Omar narrated his first steps to Egypt Today.

Omar returned from Europe with a decision to focus more on his career at sports marketing, and for sure, decisive decisions are what really form our personalities.

“We only live once and we have to do the thing that we love most. I chose to continue in the field I am really gifted at and it was the right decision,” Omar continued to Egypt Today.

To have the talent is a gift, but you have to work hard to develop your talent. Omar never depended only on his talent to succeed and he wanted to add the value of learning to strengthen his talent. Omar said, “I had many online courses in sports marketing and in marketing generally, and I studied a lot. I love business and I have other projects outside football.”

Omar is the transfer manager at a third division Portuguese club, C.D. Portosantense, and he was the man behind the transfer of many Egyptian players to Europe. Omar told Egypt Today, “I have helped many Egyptian talents to move to Europe, like Ahmed Nader to Spain’s Cadiz, Seef Magdy to Spain’s Getafe, Ahmed Alouba and Omar Youssef to Portosantense, Abdelrahman Bebo and Omar Abed to Spain’s Extremadura, Mahmoud Felix to Portugal’s Braga, and many more players. I hope to expand my work in the future to include African players, not only Egyptians.”


Omar is the current transfetr manager at Portosantense, Photo courtsey of Omar Facebook account

Omar never forgot his people in Egypt. He opened a football academy months ago “Piramide” to discover and improve Egyptian talents. Omar spoke about his academy saying, “Piramide is a football academy to improve and help Egyptian talents to play in Europe. We hosted the Extremadura president in Egypt to attend the tryouts. It was the first Spanish tryouts in Egypt.”

Omar added, “The academy also works on marketing the players in the domestic clubs. Soon, the academy will be a sports company affording football diplomas, and training camps in Egypt and abroad. I hope also one day to help in establishing a club in Egypt.”

You can never find a grand success without the support of an enthusiastic team. Omar spoke about his team, saying, “I have a great passionate team from the youth. They are football trainers in all the academy branches, managers, designers, social media specialists and camp organizers. They are helping me so much to achieve my dream.”


Omar on the right after Portosantense signed the Egyptian player, Alouba, photo courtsey of Omar Facebook account

Omar is chasing his dream while he takes all these steps. He said, “I have a dream to form a base of young Egyptian players abroad to help to improve the game in Egypt. We already started, but we still have a lot to do to achieve this dream.”

Omar has achieved many great things and I believe that his passion, sincerity and persistence will take him to places he never even dreamt of.