Egyptian forward Bilal Mazhar pushes for Panathinaikos breakthrough

Egyptian forward Bilal Mazhar has built an interesting European career after emerging through the youth system in Egypt and making a name for himself during his time at Panathinaikos.

Born on November 21, 2003, Mazhar began his football journey at the Arab Contractors Academy in Egypt before moving to Greece in 2020 to join the Panathinaikos academy.

It was in Greece that the young striker made a major impression, particularly during the 2022/23 UEFA Youth League campaign.

Mazhar finished the competition as the tournament’s top scorer after finding the net nine times, underlining his goalscoring ability and attracting attention as one of the promising young forwards in European youth football.

His performances at Panathinaikos eventually opened the door to the next stage of his career, with the Egyptian deciding to continue his development outside Greece.

In the summer of 2024, Mazhar moved to Portugal to join Estrela Amadora as he sought to gain experience in another European league and take the next step in his professional career.

His spell in Portugal was followed by a return to Greece in January 2025, when he joined Lamia.

Mazhar featured in 10 league matches for Lamia, giving him further experience at senior level after his impressive performances in youth football.

The forward has also represented Egypt internationally at Olympic level.

Mazhar was part of the Egyptian Olympic team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he made six appearances during the tournament.

His career so far has taken him from the Arab Contractors academy to Panathinaikos, Portugal and back to Greece, with his UEFA Youth League scoring record remaining one of the standout moments of his development.

At 22, Mazhar continues to look to establish himself at senior level after making his mark in European youth football and gaining valuable experience across different competitions.