PSV Eindhoven's playmaker Amir Adel (also known as Alexander Jacobsen) with Egypt U-20 medical staff; Usama El-Shaer and Hisham Abdel-Aziz during preparations for the African Championship (Photo: AO)
Denmark-born Egyptian attacking midfielder Alexander Jakobsen was called up Tuesday for the first time to join Egypt's squad amid preparations for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The Pharaohs will hold a training camp in Cairo from 24 to 28 March. The team are set to play a warm-up game against Togo on 28 March ahead of the qualifiers, which begin in June.
Jakobsen, AKA Amir Adel in Egypt, is currently playing for Danish club Viborg FF.
Adel has worn the Egyptian jersey only once, playing for Egypt's youth team at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Under 20, which Egypt won. He made a single appearance against Benin in the first round.
The 22-year old player started his football career in Denmark in 2004 playing for Lyngby Boldklub, F.C. Copenhagen and Dutch club Jong PSV.
At the senior level, he has played for Jong PSV, Falkenbergs FF (Sweden), FK Bodø/Glimt (Norway) and finally with Viborg FF.
From 2010 to 2014, Jakobsen represented Denmark on youth international teams.
On 6 March, Egypt coach Hector Cuper officially called up 10 foreign-based players to join the March camp, adding Jakobsen to the list just this week.
Egypt has been drawn alongside Niger, Swaziland, and North African rivals Tunisia, in Group J of the 2019 qualifiers. They will start their campaign playing Tunisia from 5 to 13 June.
The seven-time African Champions finished runners-up at the 2017 AFCON in an impressive return to Africa's elite for the first time since 2010.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
Short link: