Football legend Mohamed Timoumi

02/04/2006

Maghrebia correspondent Hassan Benmehdi interviewed Moroccan football legend Mohamed Timoumi, who reflected on the high points in his 20-year career as a star player.

By Hassan Benmehdi for Maghrebia in Casablanca – 02/04/06

[File] Timoumi helped Morocco get to second round of 1986 World Cup.

In an exclusive interview with Magharebia, Mohamed Timouni talked about his club Royal Armed Forces (FAR) and his plans to help young people learn from his experience.

Magharebia: What were the high points in your sporting career?

Mohamed Timoumi: I have to say that my 20 years of playing football were full of high points. I was present at moments when important titles were won, both national and international. One example was when I played for my club FAR in the African championship or on the national team in the Olympic Games, the World Cup and the Mediterranean Games. As an individual player, I would say that being named African Player of the Year in 1985 was a great source of pride for me.

Magharebia: The 1986 World Cup in Mexico was an event where you were represented Morocco particularly well. What memories do you have of the tournament?

Timoumi: For me, Mexico 1986 really was one of the most remarkable stages in my sporting career. The World Cup is a wonderful celebration of football. The atmosphere in which it takes place gives it a unique feel, especially because this king of sports is very popular all over the world. The cup is an eternal dream for all players, who hope and dream to experience it one day. The performance of the national team during this event was something which we will never forget. It will be remembered not only by Morocco, but also by Africa and the Arab world for the fact that the national team became the first national Arab-African team to advance to the second round of an international football tournament. The amazing occurrence marked a huge breakthrough for Arab-African football, which until then had been nothing more than an "extra" on the international football stage.

Magharebia: And the FAR team?

Timoumi: My achievements with this club are still firmly impressed on my memory. FAR is indeed a great club where I learned many things, not only on a professional level but also on a personal one. It is a club which has been a leading player on the African and Arab football scene on many occasions.

Magharebia: And what is your opinion of the national team?

Timoumi: Over the years, Moroccan football has gone through highs and lows, but currently the technical standard of the national team has fallen a lot, for a number of reasons.

Magharebia: What are you doing at the moment?

Timoumi: I never abandoned the idea of making the transition from player to coach. It was just that the circumstances were not right for me to take this path, but now I have to admit that the television programme for young people called "Al Kadam Addahabi" has convinced me to return to football. What I would like to do most is to help young players benefit from my experience.