El-Selhadar dead at 53: Football coach dies of heart attack while celebrating team’s last-minute winner
AN Egyptian football coach has died at the age of 53 after suffering a heart attack while celebrating his team’s stoppage-time winner.
El Magd manager Adham El-Selhadar watched on as his side scored in the 92nd-minute to grab a 1-0 victory against El Zarqa in an Egyptian Second League match on Thursday.
But the mood quickly turned sombre as El-Selhadar was rushed to hospital after having a heart attack during the celebrations.
And now, after the announcement of his death, Egypt’s top clubs Al Ahly SC and Ismaily SC – who El Selhadar used to manage – have sent out heartfelt tributes to the coach.
A statement from Al Ahly read: “Captain Mahmoud Al-Khatib, president of the club, and the members of the board of directors, mourn with great sadness and sorrow, Coach Adham El-Selhadar, the former Ismaily player, who passed away on Thursday, praying to the Almighty to cover the deceased with his vast mercy and enter him into his vast gardens.”
And Ismaily added: “The Ismaily Board of Directors, headed by Engineer Yahya El-Komy, mourns the death of Adham El-Selhadar, a star and former coach of the team, who passed away as a result of a sudden heart attack, following his follow-up to the match of his team, “El-Majd” Alexandria, in the second division league competitions.
“Against this background, the Board of Directors declared 3 days of mourning for the soul of the late.”
El Magd have announced a six-day period of mourning and suspended their next fixture.
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As well as being a celebrated manager, El-Sehadar also enjoyed a fruitful career as a player.
He won the Egyptian Premier League with Ismaily in the 1990s and also claimed the cup with the club.
He would later return as a manager and built a reputation as a well-respected coach in the country.
El Magd climbed up to seventh in the second division with their victory on Thursday and now have 14 points after nine games.