The 33-year-old playmaker declared earlier that the cup final against ENPPI would be his last game, but protests from fans and teammates almost saw him reverting on his decision.

However, Emam opted to hang up his boots after skippering the Whites to a morale-boosting Egyptian Cup victory last month.

The Zamalek favorite has 87 caps with Egypt as he was a key member of Mahmoud Al-Gohari's 1998 team, which won the African Cup of Nations in Burkina Faso.

He was the first Egyptian to play in the Italian Serie A, where he spent five years with Udinese, including a loan spell at Holland's De Graafschap.

With Zamalek, Emam won three league titles, two cup titles and two CAF Champions League titles.

Zamalek chairman Mamdouh Abbas promised to organize a huge testimonial to 'one of the club's legends'.