The 29-year-old has hardly played for German champions Borussia Dortmund this term, but hopes that the morale-boosting Bundesliga triumph would help him on the pitch.

“I feel I’m living my best football days and I want to make use of that,” Zidan told FilGoal.com from Egypt’s pre-match camp in Ismailia.

“We need to get out of that dark tunnel we’re in at the moment in order to repeat the achievement of being champions of Africa.”

Egypt, the champions of the Africa Cup of Nations’ latest three editions, are facing a serious challenge to qualify for the 2012 finals as they lie bottom of Group 7 with one point from three games.