Nayim

Nayim

Personal information
Full name	Mohammed Ali Amar
Date of birth	5 November 1966 (1966-11-05)
Place of birth	Ceuta, Spain
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Youth career
	Ceuta
1979–1985	Barcelona
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1985–1987	Barcelona B	46	(7)
1987–1988	Barcelona	7	(0)
1988–1993	Tottenham Hotspur	144	(18)
1993–1997	Zaragoza	123	(5)
1997–2000	Logroñés	67	(5)
National team
1984–1985	Spain U18	4	(0)
1985	Spain U19	1	(0)
1985	Spain U20	4	(0)
1987	Spain U21	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Mohammed Ali Amar (born 5 November 1966 in Ceuta), commonly known as Nayim, is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a central midfielder.

He is best known for scoring a last-minute goal for Real Zaragoza in the 1995 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final against Arsenal, with a lob over opposing goalkeeper David Seaman from 40 yards in the final minute of extra time.

Having started his professional career with FC Barcelona, with little impact, Nayim also represented Tottenham Hotspur for five seasons.

Club career

At almost 19, Nayim left his hometown and joined FC Barcelona's La Masia, then managed by Terry Venables, but had very few opportunities in two seasons with the first team. He arrived at Tottenham Hotspur originally on loan, in November 1988 (11 league appearances during the 1988–89 campaign, scoring twice), signing the following year for £400,000. His first goal for the club came in a 2–0 win at Southampton, and he also found the net in Spurs' 3–0 home win over West Ham United.

In 1989–90, Nayim made a total of 23 appearances, helping Tottenham to a third-place finish. The League Cup offered him his first experience of English cup competition, playing in four games en route to the semi-final and scoring three goals.

The following season proved to be Nayim's most successful campaign in English football. Although Spurs finished in only 11th, he enjoyed 33 league outings and scored five times. His path to a Wembley final was again halted at the League Cup semi-final but, in the FA Cup, Tottenham overcame Nottingham Forest 2–1 in the final, with Nayim replacing injured Paul Gascoigne early in the match, and setting up both of his team's goals to bring success to White Hart Lane.

In 1991–92, Nayim appeared in 31 league games, adding six appearances in the League Cup campaign, including both legs of the semi-final where Nottingham Forest, this time, bested the Spurs. The following season, he won the Goal of the Month competition for October with a spectacular volley against Liverpool. Later in the season, Nayim scored a hat-trick in the FA Cup quarter-final at Manchester City, helping them to a 4–2 success.

In May 1993, after 144 appearances and 18 goals for Spurs, Nayim signed for Real Zaragoza for £500,000. His most notable moment in football came in the final seconds of extra-time in the 1995 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final by lobbing David Seaman from 45 yards to score a last-minute goal and win it 2–1 against Spurs' arch rivals Arsenal.

Nayim retired in 2000, after a stint with Spanish second division side CD Logroñés. He took up coaching afterwards, managing Atlético Ceuta, and serving as assistant to AD Ceuta. In 2006 the Aragonese village of Trasmoz named a street 'Gol de Nayim' ('Nayim's Goal').

In late 2009, he joined former Zaragoza teammate José Aurelio Gay's coaching staff, being named his assistant manager after Marcelino García Toral's sacking.

Honours

Club

• Barcelona:
  • Spanish Cup: 1987–88

• Tottenham:
  • FA Cup: 1990–91

• Zaragoza:
  • UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1994–95
  • Spanish Cup: 1993–94

Country

• Spain U20:
  • FIFA U-20 World Cup: Runner-up 1985

External links

• BDFutbol profile
• Mohamed Nayim career stats at Soccerbase