Fayza Haidar entered the field of football early in her life. She played this sport with a passion that befits coaches and players at one and the same time.
She comes from the southern ancient city of Luxor, where people tend to be a bit more conservative than those living in Cairo or in the northern coastal cities.
This did not, however, prevent Haidar from following her passion.
She took the extra mile, namely of becoming a coach, not of a women’s team, but of a men’s one. In this, she opened new horizons for all female soccer players, coaches and fans.
Haidar joined Helwan General Club as it made its debut into Egyptian football competitions in 1997. She then moved to the Aviation Club in 2003. To her utter pride, her team won the league championship in 2005.
“I was the youngest player at the Egyptian national female football team, having started playing with the team at the age of 14,” Haidar told the Egyptian Mail. She participated with the team in the African Nations qualifiers in 1998.
She then became the captain of the Aviation Club’s football team and the Egyptian national team. She led both teams as a captain for a whole decade.
She is now the oldest player in the Egyptian national team as the team participates in the 2022 African Nations qualifiers. Haidar, 37, moved to the Future Club in the 2021/22 season as a professional player.
She faced many difficulties at the beginning of her football career. She was bullied by her family and neighbours. “Everybody used to tell me that this is a boys’ sport,” Haidar said.
When she started playing, Haidar did not have enough money to buy football boots. Her coaching career technically started in 2009 when she became the first technical director of a men’s team in Egypt.
Haidar participated in the Governor’s Cup. Her team came in third place. She also won the best technical director award. Nonetheless, a woman coaching men is far from easy or an all-time joy.
Haidar said she faces difficulties. Some of the players refuse to take instructions from a female. However, Haidar believes that her mission is not to only improve performance inside the playing field, but also to change minds.
“I am sure minds will change in the future and we will achieve brilliant results,” Haidar said. She became the general coach of the Aviation Club’s women team eight years ago.
The team succeeded in coming in second place in the Egyptian General League in 2019. She also holds the position of technical director of the same club, doubling as a player for it.
Her team succeeded in winning the General League Shield. She is confident that state support to female athletes will propel them into more progress in the coming period.
Local female soccer competitions will resume next week. Haidar expressed hopes that the media will play a role in throwing light on the struggles of local female soccer players and coaches.
She also hopes that female soccer matches will be broadcast live on TV, so that the members of the public and football fans can know local players and coaches.
She also has hopes that soccer will be more financially rewarding for female players and coaches.
“Financially speaking, female players and coaches take little,” Haidar said. “I hope this will change in the future, given our struggle for recognition and excellence.”
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