Mido started his career at Egyptian club Al Zamalek before moving to Belgium with K A A Gent.

Spotted by Ajax of Amsterdam, he moved to Holland and scored almost a goal every two games, but he had clashes with the coach - Ronald Koeman and was said to have thrown a pair of scissors at team-mate and Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovich.

Signed by Spurs in the January 2005 transfer window on an 18 month loan and became a fan favourite when he scored twice on his league debut against Portsmouth at White Hart Lane.  His size made him a formidable striker and his physical approach unsettled defenders.  He played 26 matches in the latter half of that season and hit 11 goals, earning a recall to the national side after he apologised in February for his attitude to the now departed national coach Marco Tardelli.

Mido did suffer some abuse from opposing fans who took his Muslim faith as an opportunity to brand him a "terrorist" in the wake of the London tube bombings of 7.7.2005.

His career with the national side had always been rocky, with his personal impression of his importance seemingly dictating how and how often he thought he should be played.  Having made over 40 appearances for Egypt, he fell out with manager Marco Tardelli to such an extent that he withdrew from a friendly international with injury, but turned out for his club Roma in a friendly a day later.  Tardelli was affronted by the incident and dropped the striker, who withdrew himself for selection for his country until after Tardelli had left.  Back in the squad, during an African Nations Cup semi-final in February 2006, Mido was substituted as the game was heading towards extra time and reacted furiously towards national coach Hassan Shetata.  He was immediately dropped and banned for six months.  He had to sit on the bench as his country won the title with a penalty shoot-out win over Ivory Coast.  The striker later apologised to Shetata and was taken back into the fold.

Following the African Nations Cup, Mido suffered a string of injuries and lack of fitness, making the second half of the 2005-06 season a disappointing one, when he was trying to earn a permanent move to Spurs.

Back in Egypt, he has set up the "Mido Football Academy" to bring through young footballers in his home country.

Lost 9 kilos over the summer of 2006 to be fit for the start of the new season with Spurs, but appeared to have lost something from his game along with the weight.  Scored a good goal on the turn against West Ham United, but failed to break the forward pairing of Berbatov and Defoe or Keane on a regular basis.

Over Christmas 2006, there were rumours that he had been in conflict with Martin Jol over his lack of first team opportunities and there was speculation that he might make a move back to Celta Vigo.  He figured less and less in the first team with a string of injuries, although it is more likely that his lack of fitness might have been to blame for his absence and what seemed to be a lack of hunger to do well, showing little appetite for his football and perhaps more for his food.

After almost joining Birmingham City, only to have the deal collapse over conditions of the contract, he finally joined Middlesbrough in August 2007 for £6 million, with Sunderland also having been interested in his services.