Omar Marmoush: Who is Eintracht Frankfurt's Egyptian striker with links to Mo Salah and Alphonso Davies?
Omar Marmoush currently tops the Bundesliga scorers chart for Eintracht Frankfurt, was on the books at Wolfsburg but scored a Bundesliga debut goal for VfB Stuttgart, is a friend of Mohamed Salah and could also have played alongside Alphonso Davies. Confused? Allow bundesliga.com to fill in the blanks...
Stats correct as of 4 October 2024
Age: 25 (born 7 February 1999)
Club: Eintracht Frankfurt
Position: Forward
Country: Egypt (32 caps, six goals)
Key stats
A product of the Wadi Degla youth academy in his native Cairo, Marmoush made the move to Europe at 18 years of age, signing for Wolfsburg's reserves side in 2017 and then making his professional - and European - debut with the club in 2020.
The 6'0'' striker bagged his first senior goal in Germany while on loan at St. Pauli in the second half of the 2020/21 season, but it wasn't until his 2021/22 loan move to Stuttgart - when he scored a last-minute equaliser against current club Frankfurt on debut - that things really started to click.
His return of three goals in 21 appearances for the Schwabian club belies the quality he showed in that campaign - Marmoush earned two Bundesliga Rookie of the Month awards, in September 2021 and March 2022, as well as a call-up to the Egypt national team. The rising star's stock rose even further when scored the winning goal on his debut in the 1-0 victory over Libya in October 2021, and he was included in the Pharaoh's squad for the delayed 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Watch: All of Marmoush's Bundesliga goals
A recall to parent club Wolfsburg followed and, in what has become a pattern with the ambitious forward, he hit the ground running in season 2022/23. With six goals and one assist in 36 appearances in all competitions, Marmoush continued to impress - and continued to grow in confidence.
He agreed a transfer to Frankfurt in summer 2023 and wasted no time getting into the groove at Deutsche Bank Park, smashing in six Bundesliga goals in his first 10 league outings for the Eagles, as well as three in three in the UEFA Europa Conference League. A goal and two assists against Bayern Munich - contributing to a 5-1 win - saw him match his then best ever full-season statistics (seven goals, three assists), after just 14 games of the campaign.
He went on to rack up a total of 16 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions for Dino Toppmöller's side in 2023/24, notching braces in the famous 3-3 draw with Dortmund and away to Union Berlin the very next week as well as another two-assist, one-goal turn, this time away to Freiburg.
Despite intense transfer interest from a number of renowned European clubs in the summer of 2024, Marmoush stayed put at Deutsche Bank Park and the decision has been vindicated by his stunning early-season form in 2024/25. While his career thus far has been something of a slow and steady build, what Bundesliga fans are seeing this season looks more like an explosion.
Watch: The best of Marmoush so far in 2024/25
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Following his goal-and-assist performance in the 3-1 win over Hoffenheim on Matchday 2, Marmoush scored in four successive matches for a league-high six goals (as well as three assists) after just five matchdays. Two of those goals and two of those assists came in the 4-2 win over Holstein Kiel on Matchday 5, which he followed up with a goal in Frankfurt's 3-1 Europe League win over Besiktas in Istanbul just four days later. It seems the Pharaoh has taken his game to the next level - again!
Plays a bit like: Andrej Kramarić
Although a centre-forward by trade and not shy of a shot (he averaged two per game over his first 10 appearances of 2023/24), the Cairo native often finds himself moved into wide attacking positions. Eight years the Croatian's junior, Marmoush has an extra yard of pace on the Kramarić we know now, but we've seen the Hoffenheim forward play everywhere across the front line to great effect. A role we're already seeing Marmoush fulfil now, as he uses his pace and power to bring the danger from any area.
Did you know?
Marmoush made his international debut for Egypt against Libya in 2021, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win, but had already been in regular contact with the poster boy of Egyptian football, Liverpool forward Salah well beforehand.
"We're in touch. The contact between the Egyptian players in Europe is very good," he told the St. Pauli website when quizzed on the two-time African Player of the Year. "We try to support each other because we know it isn't easy to make the transition to Europe."
And it's not just support that Salah has provided for Marmoush - the Liverpool talisman has clearly also been something of a guiding light for the Frankfurt star.
"He managed to become one of the three best players the world," Marmoush told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. "That inspires me and it's something I also want to achieve."
That being said, as a Canadian citizen - Marmoush's parents worked in Canada for six years and have Canadian passports - the ambitious striker was also eligible to be called up by the same national team as Bayern left-back Alphonso Davies instead.
What they're saying
"He's responsible for producing danger up front, firing in goals and setting up others. He's very difficult to defend due to his pace and how fast he can run in deep. He can also sneak in from close range, take a great touch and play some great passes. He's in outstanding form at the moment, and he's feeling comfortable. That's the key to his success these days. He feels comfortable with this club and the squad, and is thus a key component for us." - Frankfurt head coach Dino Toppmöller after Marmoush's turn in the 4-2 win over Holstein Kiel on Matchday 5 (2024/25)
"Omar has already proven that he can hold his own in the Bundesliga, but at the same time, he still has great potential to develop further." Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krösche in September 2023
"What he has done in the German league since last season deserves even more praise and attention. Marmoush proves every day that he’s a distinguished talent and wonderful player." - Former Egypt international Ahmed Shobair
"Over the past year, Omar has come on in leaps and bounds with good performances in the U23s, and that has seen him dip his toes into the Bundesliga and with the senior squad. Now he needs to gradually get used to playing at Bundesliga level, so that he can take it to the next step." - Former Wolfsburg sporting director Marcel Schäfer
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