Alexandria-born commentator Mahmoud Bakr, one of Egypt's most famous football figures, passes away on Wednesday evening
Egypt's famous football commentator Mahmoud Bakr, who gained huge popularity in part because of his witty remarks, died on Wednesday at the age of 71.
Bakr has been suffering from heart problems recently and was taken to the intensive care unit at an army-owned hospital in his hometown of Alexandria.
He is one of Egypt's most popular commentators and former footballers.
Bakr worked for a host of television channels in the past decade, having been one of the most sought-after commentators.
He rose to stardom as a commentator during the 1990 World Cup which included Egypt's remarkable 1-1 draw with then European champions the Netherlands in the group stage.
"The justice of the sky has fallen on Palermo," Bakr famously said when Egypt were awarded a penalty against the Netherlands, which Magdi Abdel-Ghani converted to make it 1-1.
He was particularly popular with the fans for his funny comments about players.
Bakr, who also served as a board member of the Egyptian Football Association, was a solid defender and played a key role in helping Alexandria-based club Olympic win their only Egyptian Premier League title in 1966.
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