Italian · Savona, Italy · Born 27 October 1992Exciting Italian-Egyptian forward nicknamed 'Il Faraone' who burst onto the scene at AC Milan before becoming a key figure at Roma.
Stephan Kareem El Shaarawy was born on 27 October 1992 in Savona, Italy, to an Italian mother and an Egyptian father, which earned him the enduring nickname "Il Faraone" (The Pharaoh). He joined Genoa's youth academy in 2006 and made his first-team debut in December 2008 at just 16, though it amounted to only ten minutes of Serie A action over the following two seasons. A loan to Padova in 2010-11 proved transformative, and El Shaarawy scored a decisive brace in the promotion play-offs against Varese that alerted Italy's biggest clubs to his talent. AC Milan signed him in 2011, and his blistering breakthrough in the first half of the 2012-13 season, scoring 16 goals before the winter break, made him one of the most talked-about young forwards in European football. El Shaarawy made his senior Italy debut in August 2012 and scored his first international goal against France that November. After loan spells at Monaco and Roma, he signed permanently for the Giallorossi in 2016, later spending time in China with Shanghai Shenhua, where he was named the best player of the 2019 Chinese FA Cup, before returning to Roma in 2021. El Shaarawy won the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League with Roma in 2022 and represented Italy at the 2013 Confederations Cup and Euro 2016, continuing to be a reliable attacking option for the national team into his thirties, drawing on the dual Italian and Egyptian heritage that has shaped his identity throughout his career.
Breakout 2012-13 season with AC Milan scoring 16 Serie A goals
His nickname 'Il Faraone' (The Pharaoh) reflects his Egyptian heritage, and he was once compared to the young George Weah after his breakthrough season at AC Milan.
Did You Know?How They Played
Pacey left winger with strong dribbling skills and ability to cut inside
Lasting Impact
El Shaarawy established himself as one of Italy's most consistent attacking players during the 2010s and early 2020s, contributing to Italy's resurgence on the international stage.
Career Honours
- Serie A 2x (Roma 2023, AC Milan 2011)
- Coppa Italia 2x
- UEFA Europa League finalist 2023 (Roma)
- UEFA Europa Conference League 2022 (Roma)
- Serie A 2010-11
- UEFA Europa Conference League 2021-22
| Club | Period | Fee | Apps | Goals | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genoa | 2008–2011 | — | 3 | 0 | #92 |
| Padova | 2010–2011 | loan | 29 | 9 | — |
| AC Milan | 2011–2016 | — | 83 | 21 | #26 |
| Monaco | 2015–2016 | loan | 15 | 0 | — |
| Roma | 2016–2016 | loan | 16 | 8 | — |
| Roma | 2016–2019 | — | 93 | 26 | — |
| Shanghai Shenhua | 2019–2021 | — | 16 | 1 | — |
| Roma | 2021–2026 | — | 150 | 18 | — |
 Italy | — | — | 32 | 1 | — |
Italian Athletes