Is Marmoush following in Salah's footsteps?

After six arduous seasons in Germany, 25-year-old Omar Marmoush has risen to become one of the top players in the Bundesliga and European football. The Eintracht Frankfurt forward has delivered standout performances this season, earning headlines in German and European sports media. Egyptian fans are following his games closely, drawing comparisons between him and their star Mohamed Salah.

Salah’s extraordinary achievements in Europe, where he competed alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, have inspired a new generation of Egyptian players, including Marmoush. Before Salah’s rise, Egypt had never had a player leave such an impact in European football.

Marmoush’s journey mirrors Salah’s beginnings. Both emerged from Egyptian league teams other than Al-Ahly and Zamalek, traditionally the powerhouses of Egyptian football. Salah, now 33, started with El Mokawloon Al Arab, while Marmoush joined Wadi Degla, a club near his home in Cairo.

At just 17, Marmoush made his professional debut, helping Wadi Degla secure fifth place in the 2015-2016 Egyptian league season. In 2017, he moved to Germany to join VfL Wolfsburg. At the time, his former coach at Wadi Degla, Ahmed Hossam Mido, predicted his success, writing on X: "God willing, he will become one of the best forwards in Europe."

Many Egyptian players have competed in the German league since the 1990s, long before Marmoush was born. Samir Kamouna, a former Kaiserslautern player (1999–2001) and sports analyst, explained to Qantara that the German league presents unique challenges for Egyptian players, from learning the language to adapting to the lifestyle and passionate fan culture. "Packed stadiums at every match create extra pressure for the players," he said.

"The first two years were the hardest"

Marmoush faced tough conditions at VfL Wolfsburg, spending much of his time on the bench. Speaking to Egyptian media, he reflected: "From the start, I was determined to play professionally. The first two years were the hardest. Life was completely different—training, food, and sleep. I couldn’t speak German during my first six months, but over time, I was able to adapt to the team."

Since 2020, Marmoush has gradually integrated into the German league. He spent loan spells with St. Pauli in the second division and Stuttgart before returning to VfL Wolfsburg, where he began to showcase his skills.

Marmoush broke through at Eintracht Frankfurt during the 2023-2024 season, scoring 17 goals and providing 6 assists in all competitions. Nottingham Forest sought to sign him last summer, but Frankfurt kept their Egyptian star. This decision appears to have worked in Marmoush's favour, as he became the Bundesliga’s top goal contributor this season, scoring 15 goals and assisting 9 more for his teammates.

Marmoush’s progress has been no accident. Since 2020, he has worked with Egyptian personal trainer Sherif Alaa to improve his physical abilities. Alaa told Qantara: "When Marmoush first joined me, we watched his matches together and discussed what areas we wanted to improve, such as building his physique and strengthening his physical duels on the field."

Alaa adds that Marmoush trains with him during the summer breaks: "The club's coach assigns him certain exercises for this period, which are sent to me. We then decide what works best and implement it. Marmoush is a quick learner, listens well, and is eager to improve." However, Alaa was surprised by Marmoush’s performance this season with Frankfurt. "He had an injury to his hand before the season started, but he trained diligently and got physically prepared during the off-season."

Marmoush is now the most prolific Egyptian player in a single Bundesliga season, surpassing Mohamed Zidan, who starred for several clubs, including Werder Bremen and Dortmund (2004–2012). Overall, Zidan tallied 47 goals and 17 assists in 155 Bundesliga appearances, while Marmoush has 36 goals and 22 assists in 108 matches.

Marmoush remained under the radar in Egyptian football until 2021, when he debuted for the national team against Libya in the African qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, scoring the match-winning goal. He has since become a regular starter, playing alongside Mohamed Salah.

Salah's influence

Diaa El-Sayed, former Egyptian national team coach, emphasised Salah’s influence on Marmoush: "Salah would advise players during national team camps about his lifestyle and training routines," he told Qantara.

While Marmoush now rivals Salah in goals and assists among players in Europe’s top five leagues, Salah dismissed comparisons during the Sharjah Book Fair last November: "Omar has great potential and is important for his team and the national team. But I want people to stop comparing him to me so he doesn’t feel the pressure—let him carve his own path."

Diaa El-Sayed comments that Marmoush is still at the beginning of his career and has the potential to follow in Salah’s footsteps, "Both are distinguished by their professionalism in both their approach and training." Samir Kamouna, a former Kaiserslautern player, added: "Salah has broken records in the Premier League and become a legend, ranking among the world’s top three players." For Marmoush, the key challenge remains consistency—a cornerstone of Salah’s success.

Marmoush's outstanding performances with Frankfurt have prompted Manchester City, who are struggling this season, to pursue him during the current January transfer window. Kamouna believes a move to Manchester City would help Marmoush build a strong reputation in England, having already made a lasting impact in German football. Meanwhile, Egyptians are hopeful that Marmoush can become the “next Salah” in English football as Liverpool’s star approaches the twilight of his career.

This text is an edited translation of the Arabic original. Translated from Arabic by Zuzanna Nabulssi.