Born in Old Town Mombasa in 1957, Abbas became a legendary goalkeeper on club and international level, earning him the title, Kenya 1. He hails from a family with a history of respected Maalims and footballers. His father, Maalim Ahmed Abbas Said was a well-known sheikh and the secretary General of Mombasa District Football federation (MDFA). In the 50s and 60s, something that massively shaped is inclination to pursue football as a hobby and later as a career.
Mahmoud met another famous goalkeeper, Mohamed Magogo in 1966 while still in school, during those days, Khamis Secondary was renowned for producing some of the best footballers in Mombasa who went ahead to claim national glory with the likes of Ahmed Brek, Mahmoud Mohamed, Nassir Omar (minster for defense) among others. Tudor Day, Khamisi’s next-door rival also churned out a good lot of footballers like Tom Olaba, Jummane Kiranga and Ali Mbarak Mbogore whom he was to play together with at some point.
He was to lead his school Khamis secondary (formerly called Arab Boys) to football glory before going to Shimo La Tewa to pursue his A levels from where he joined Liverpool FC (later renamed Mwenge FC), the best team in the coast at the time, and Abaluya Football Club which later became AFC Leopards. He was at Liverpool for 6 years before joining Abaluya in 1978. At Liverpool he played alongside Ahmed Brek, whose son was to play for Harambee Stars in the 90s. The recently-departed icon Leonard Mambo Mbotela coined the Kenya One nickname that has stuck to this very day.
Mahmoud was called to the Harambee Stars lineup from 1976 at only the age of 20 as the fourth goalkeeper alongside his contemporary Mahmoud Magogo who now coaches football in Abu Dhabi.
Mahmood was an imposing figure between the posts and had incredible athleticism, resplendent in his long pants and Addidas boots. A footballer who played against him once said that standing between the posts during spot kicks, it was as if Abbas was filling the entire length of the goalposts. He was terribly good at saving spot kicks.
At AFC, he assisted the club to win four National League titles and three CECAFA Club Cups. According to the AFC fan magazine Fanzine, “His personal glory amounted to being honored as the best goalkeeper at the CECAFA Challenge Cup on three occasions: in Malawi in 1978, and 1981 and 82 in Tanzania and Uganda respectively. He was also awarded the Guinness Stout Effort Award in 1980 for his unstinting service and wonderful consistency for his club and country that any player would have most reason to be proud…”
In an interview with the late broadcaster and literary figure, Ken Walibora, Mahmoud recalls a moment in 1982 when Kenya, the defending CECAFA champions went to play The Cranes in Uganda. The match ended in a penalty shoot-out and he saved three. Earlier on he had threatened to walk out of the filed after the referee had allowed a goal which had struck the woodwork before the legendary Bobby “six-Million-Dollar-Man) cleared it. After what would have become a full-blown fight on the pitch subsided, the match went on to a full one-twenty minutes before the penalty shoot-outs. Outside, he said, Idi Amin was in the process of overthrowing Obote and they could hear gunshots.
Mahmoud’s tall frame with his warm, welcoming personality is still quite a common sight around mosques he frequents for prayers around Majengo, Mombasa.