Who Is Going To Be The Next Shikabala?
The curtain has finally fallen on one of African football’s most iconic careers as Mahmoud Abdel Razek, famously known as “Shikabala,” officially announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 39.
The legendary Zamalek SC captain leaves behind a remarkable legacy spanning more than two decades, during which he became the heartbeat of the Egyptian giants and one of the continent’s most recognizable football figures.
In an emotional farewell video posted on his official Facebook page, Shikabala bid goodbye to football and the passionate “White Knights” supporters who stood by him throughout his career. To honour his contribution, Zamalek announced the retirement of the iconic No.10 jersey a symbol of the influence he had on the club.
During his glittering career, Shikabala made 398 appearances, scored 70 goals and provided 89 assists while helping Zamalek win more than 15 major trophies, including league titles, Egypt Cups and the CAF Confederation Cup.
But beyond the trophies and statistics lies a story deeply connected to Zambia.
Many younger football fans across Africa may not know that the name “Shikabala” was inspired by legendary Zambian forward Webster Chikabala.
Egyptian fans gave Mahmoud Abdel Razek the nickname because his style of play reminded them of Webster “Webby” Chikabala, one of Zambia’s most gifted and entertaining footballers of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Webster Chikabala rose to continental prominence during the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations, where Zambia finished third and the lethal striker earned recognition as one of the tournament’s standout performers. His flair, dribbling ability, confidence and impact on matches captured the imagination of football fans beyond Zambia’s borders.
Born in Chambishi on March 27, 1965, Chikabala began his football journey at Chambishi Blackburn before playing for clubs such as Mufulira Blackpool, Vitafoam United and Nchanga Rangers.
His talent eventually earned him a move to Europe with C.S. Marítimo in Portugal before later joining Eendracht Aalst in Belgium.
At national team level, Chikabala represented Zambia at both the 1990 and 1992 AFCON tournaments and also featured at the 1988 Olympic Games. He became one of the symbols of Zambia’s golden football generation.
Sadly, his life was cut short in December 1997 when he died at the age of 32 after suffering from meningitis while coaching in Zimbabwe.
Yet nearly three decades later, his legacy still echoes across African football through the name “Shikabala.” The emotional twist in this story is that Webster Chikabala’s son, Zambian rapper Y Celeb, chose music instead of football. The “Shikabala” bloodline remains influential in entertainment, but not on the pitch. That has left many fans wondering whether the football chapter of the Chikabala legacy has effectively ended however, legends never truly die when their story continues inspiring others.
Maybe the next “Shikabala” will not necessarily carry the Chikabala surname. Maybe it will simply be the next Zambian footballer capable of making Africa fall in love with Zambian flair again. A player so gifted that fans outside Zambia give him a legendary nickname out of admiration.
Now that the Egyptian legend has retired, many fans are asking the same question:
Who is going to be the next Shikabala?
Who will become the next African footballer capable of captivating fans with flair, loyalty, personality and magical moments the way Webster Chikabala inspired Mahmoud Abdel Razek?
Football may eventually produce another superstar, but names like Shikabala and Chikabala are not easily replaced.
