File photo: Ahmed Hegazi celebrates winning the Saudi Professional League with Ittihad Jeddah fans. Hegazi s official Twitter account
The towering central defender underwent successful surgery on the cruciate ligament of his left knee last June after sustaining the injury on 27 May, causing him to miss the final round of the Saudi Professional League last season.
The 32-year-old Egyptian stopper missed all Ittihad games since the start of the ongoing season to complete his rehab program.
The Saudi side published a video celebrating the return of their veteran defender, who received a warm welcome at the team’s training session.
Ittihad Jeddah will start their FIFA Club World Cup campaign against New Zealand's Auckland City FC on 12 December as the winner of the game will play against Egypt's Ahly in the second round of the prestigious tournament.
Since joining Ittihad from former English Premier League's West Bromwich FC in October 2020, Hegazi has been an essential part of the team.
He scored 10 goals and provided one assist in 80 appearances with the Saudi team despite his playing position in defense.
He was listed as one of the top 11 players in the Saudi title for the 2022-2023 season, and his presence helped Ittihad win the league.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
Short link: