Rami Shaaban
Encyclopedia
Rami Shaaban (ˈrɑːmɪ ˈʃaːban; ; born 30 June 1975 in Fisksätra
, Stockholm
) is a Swedish
professional football
player. He currently plays as a goalkeeper for Hammarby IF
. He is the son of an Egyptian father and a Finnish mother. He has played for a number of teams in England, including Arsenal
, and in Sweden. He was a Swedish national team member
until 2008.
to play for Zamalek
and Ittihad Osman, while also studying at university. After a couple of years, Shaaban returned to his hometown and joined Nacka FF, a club based close to where he grew up. After a string of impressive performances, he was asked to join Swedish first division
outfit Djurgården and, in August 2002, earned a move to Arsenal
.
as a potential replacement for David Seaman
. When Seaman was injured, Shaaban played in two matches in the UEFA Champions League
-at home against PSV Eindhoven and away against AS Roma, as well as in three matches in the Premier League. Unfortunately, Shaaban broke his leg during training on Christmas Eve
2002, ultimately sidelining himself for the rest of the season. Due to the severity of his injury, Shaaban feared he would not be able to play again, but after rigorous physical therapy Shaaban was able to resume playing. When Seaman left Arsenal in the summer of 2003 Arsène Wenger
signed Jens Lehmann
, who played every match that season as Arsenal went undefeated for the entire 2003-2004 league season. Shaaban was plagued by injuries and failed to become Arsenal's first-choice keeper.
for a month, but did not make any appearances for the Hammers. In February 2004, he signed for Brighton & Hove Albion
on non-contract terms, making his debut in a 2-1 victory over Sunderland
, and signed a short-term contract lasting until the end of the season days later. After his contract expired he was released on a free transfer and had a trial at Dundee United, playing his only match as United beat Sheffield Wednesday to win the City of Discovery Cup; however, Shaaban could not agree terms and was snapped up by Fredrikstad F.K.
.
On 12 February 2008, Shaaban signed a five-year contract with Swedish team Hammarby IF
.
squad for the 2006 World Cup
, although he did not have an international cap
to his name. He made his debut in the warm up game with Finland
as a substitute, coming on for 45 minutes and keeping a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw. On June 10, 2006, he played in the 2006 World Cup contest against Trinidad and Tobago
. He also played four games in the Euro 2008 qualifiers, in which he kept a vital clean sheet against Spain national football team
, and was also a member of the nation's final stage squad. Shaaban had a possibility to choose Finland as his national side, but decided to represent Sweden because at that time Finland had two strong national team goalkeepers in Antti Niemi and Jussi Jääskeläinen
.
In 2007, he lost the position as 1st goalkeeper as Andreas Isaksson
claimed it after joining Manchester City
.
Djurgårdens IF:
Arsenal FC:
Fredrikstad FK:
father. As a result, he has both Swedish and Egyptian citizenship. He was raised as a Muslim
. In his late teens to early twenties, Shaaban lived in Cairo
, where he played football and attended university
. Prior to joining Arsenal, he also worked as a mountain explosives specialist.
Shaaban has one son, Gabriel, born 2002 to his ex-wife. Several years after his divorce, he began dating a makeup artist
named Frida. Although they are not married, the two have a son Noah, born in August 2008. Shaaban made a move to Hammarby partly to be close to Gabriel. He currently lives in a large lake house with his son and wife.
Reporters often credit Shaaban for remaining down-to-earth. Shaaban claims he has friends ranging from sheet metal workers to footballers, such as Fredrik Ljungberg
: Ljungberg and Shaaban remain close after becoming friends whilst at Arsenal. The two are often seen drinking coffee together.
Shaaban is known for his love of coffee
; he is often seen with a cup of coffee in his hand. He once said, "I dare not keep count of how many cups I drink per day. But mom is actually even worse."
Fisksätra
Fisksätra is a locality situated in Nacka Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 6,864 inhabitants in 2005. Built in the 1970s, much of it as council housing, it has inhabitants from 70 different nationalities.- References :...
, Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
) is a Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
professional football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player. He currently plays as a goalkeeper for Hammarby IF
Hammarby IF
Hammarby Fotboll is a Swedish football club based in Johanneshov - just south of Södermalm, the southernmost district of Stockholm city centre...
. He is the son of an Egyptian father and a Finnish mother. He has played for a number of teams in England, including Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, and in Sweden. He was a Swedish national team member
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
until 2008.
Early career
Shaaban started his senior career at local club Saltsjöbadens IF before moving to CairoCairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
to play for Zamalek
Zamalek
Zamalek Sporting Club , is an Egyptian sporting club based in Meet Okba, Giza, Egypt that plays in the Egyptian Premier League....
and Ittihad Osman, while also studying at university. After a couple of years, Shaaban returned to his hometown and joined Nacka FF, a club based close to where he grew up. After a string of impressive performances, he was asked to join Swedish first division
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
outfit Djurgården and, in August 2002, earned a move to Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
.
Arsenal
In August 2002, Shaaban joined ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
as a potential replacement for David Seaman
David Seaman
David Andrew Seaman MBE is a former English football goalkeeper who played for several clubs, most notably Arsenal. He retired from the game on 13 January 2004, following a recurring shoulder injury...
. When Seaman was injured, Shaaban played in two matches in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
-at home against PSV Eindhoven and away against AS Roma, as well as in three matches in the Premier League. Unfortunately, Shaaban broke his leg during training on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
2002, ultimately sidelining himself for the rest of the season. Due to the severity of his injury, Shaaban feared he would not be able to play again, but after rigorous physical therapy Shaaban was able to resume playing. When Seaman left Arsenal in the summer of 2003 Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
signed Jens Lehmann
Jens Lehmann
Jens Gerhard Lehmann is a German former football goalkeeper. He was voted UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year for the 1996–97 and 2005–06 seasons, and he has been selected for three World Cup squads. He was a member of Arsenal's Invincibles, playing every match of their famous unbeaten title winning...
, who played every match that season as Arsenal went undefeated for the entire 2003-2004 league season. Shaaban was plagued by injuries and failed to become Arsenal's first-choice keeper.
Other clubs
In January 2004, Shaaban was loaned to West Ham UnitedWest Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
for a month, but did not make any appearances for the Hammers. In February 2004, he signed for Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
on non-contract terms, making his debut in a 2-1 victory over Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, and signed a short-term contract lasting until the end of the season days later. After his contract expired he was released on a free transfer and had a trial at Dundee United, playing his only match as United beat Sheffield Wednesday to win the City of Discovery Cup; however, Shaaban could not agree terms and was snapped up by Fredrikstad F.K.
Fredrikstad F.K.
Fredrikstad footballklubb is a Norwegian football club from the town of Fredrikstad. With nine league championships and eleven Norwegian Cup wins, FFK is one of the most successful clubs in Norwegian football...
.
On 12 February 2008, Shaaban signed a five-year contract with Swedish team Hammarby IF
Hammarby IF
Hammarby Fotboll is a Swedish football club based in Johanneshov - just south of Södermalm, the southernmost district of Stockholm city centre...
.
International career
Shaaban was called up to the SwedenSweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
squad for the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, although he did not have an international cap
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
to his name. He made his debut in the warm up game with Finland
Finland national football team
The Finland national football team represents Finland in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Association of Finland....
as a substitute, coming on for 45 minutes and keeping a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw. On June 10, 2006, he played in the 2006 World Cup contest against Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago national football team
The Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals...
. He also played four games in the Euro 2008 qualifiers, in which he kept a vital clean sheet against Spain national football team
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and was also a member of the nation's final stage squad. Shaaban had a possibility to choose Finland as his national side, but decided to represent Sweden because at that time Finland had two strong national team goalkeepers in Antti Niemi and Jussi Jääskeläinen
Jussi Jääskeläinen
Jussi Albert Jääskeläinen is a Finnish football goalkeeper, who plays for Bolton Wanderers.-Club career:Jääskeläinen was born in Mikkeli, and made his Veikkausliiga debut in Finland for MP Mikkeli in 1992, and became the club's first choice goalkeeper in 1994. In 1996, he moved to VPS Vaasa where...
.
In 2007, he lost the position as 1st goalkeeper as Andreas Isaksson
Andreas Isaksson
Andreas Isaksson is a Swedish footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Dutch club PSV Eindhoven and for the Swedish national team.-Club career:...
claimed it after joining Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
.
Club
- AllsvenskanAllsvenskanAllsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
: - Champion: 20022002 in Swedish footballThe 2002 season in Swedish football, starting January 2002 and ending December 2002:- Official titles :- Competitions :- Promotions :- Relegations :- International qualifications :- Allsvenskan 2002 :...
- Svenska CupenSvenska CupenSvenska Cupen , is a knockout cup competition in Swedish football and the main Swedish football cup. Svenska Cupen usually refers to the men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held. Each year 98 teams compete, comprising the 16 teams from Allsvenskan and the 16 teams of Superettan...
: - Champion: 2002
- Premier League:
- Champion: 2001-02, 2003-04
- Runners-up: 2002-03
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
: - Champion: 2003-04
- Norwegian Football CupNorwegian football cupThe Norwegian Football Cup is the main knockout cup competition in Norwegian football. It is run by the Football Association of Norway and has been contested since 1902, making it the oldest football tournament in the country. The tournament is commonly known as Cupen or NM, an acronym formed...
: - Champion: 2006
Personal life
Shaaban grew up in Solna, Stockholm with a Finnish mother and an EgyptianEgyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
father. As a result, he has both Swedish and Egyptian citizenship. He was raised as a Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. In his late teens to early twenties, Shaaban lived in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, where he played football and attended university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
. Prior to joining Arsenal, he also worked as a mountain explosives specialist.
Shaaban has one son, Gabriel, born 2002 to his ex-wife. Several years after his divorce, he began dating a makeup artist
Makeup artist
thumb|[[Michelle Camaclang]], an international-certified professional makeup artistthumb|Special effects makeup techniquesA Make-up artist is an artist whose medium is the human body, applying makeup and prosthetics for theatrical, television, film, fashion, magazines and other similar productions...
named Frida. Although they are not married, the two have a son Noah, born in August 2008. Shaaban made a move to Hammarby partly to be close to Gabriel. He currently lives in a large lake house with his son and wife.
Reporters often credit Shaaban for remaining down-to-earth. Shaaban claims he has friends ranging from sheet metal workers to footballers, such as Fredrik Ljungberg
Fredrik Ljungberg
Karl Fredrik "Freddie" Ljungberg is a Swedish footballer who currently plays as a right winger for Shimizu S-Pulse in Japan. Ljungberg was captain of the Swedish national team until he announced his international retirement after UEFA Euro 2008.Ljungberg was a model for Calvin Klein underwear...
: Ljungberg and Shaaban remain close after becoming friends whilst at Arsenal. The two are often seen drinking coffee together.
Shaaban is known for his love of coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
; he is often seen with a cup of coffee in his hand. He once said, "I dare not keep count of how many cups I drink per day. But mom is actually even worse."