Egyptian goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal became a national hero overnight after he led his country’s team to qualify for the quarter-finals of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations. The Zamalek goalkeeper started the tournament as a second choice behind Mohamed El-Shenawy. However, El-Shenawy sustained an injury before the end of regular time in the match against Ivory Coast on Wednesday in the Round of 16. This led the Portuguese coach to summon Abou Gabal in the 88th minute to guard the net until the end of the second extra time, resulting in a penalty shootout between the two teams.
Abou Gabal’s crucial save allowed Egypt to advance to the next round after winning 5-4, as none of the Pharaohs stars missed a penalty.
#### Who is Jabaski?
Egyptian clubs traditionally do not print players’ names on their jerseys, making the name "Jabaski" less popular in past years despite its association with Abou Gabal for years.
Abou Gabal, who had "Jabaski" on the back of his jersey, played a key role in the penalty shootout, saving a shot from Eric Bailly, a defender for Ivory Coast and Manchester United. His appearance with the Egyptian national team, which does display players' names on their jerseys, drew attention to him, and he became well-known in global media as "Jabaski."
The name "Jabaski" dates back to Abou Gabal's early days at Zamalek, where he played from 2013 to 2016 before leaving and returning after three years. During that time, he was coached by Portuguese coach Jose Valdo Ferreira, who had significant difficulty pronouncing his name, leading him to seek an alternative solution.
That solution was to use the name of a Portuguese basketball player called "Jabaski," whose initials were similar to "Gabal," to refer to the Zamalek goalkeeper, according to Abou Gabal’s previous statements. The 32-year-old goalkeeper liked the name and decided to wear it on his jersey whenever he had the opportunity, gaining worldwide recognition under this Portuguese name.
