Remembering Mohamed Al-Fayed: A Larger-Than-Life Character
When the news broke about Mohamed Al-Fayed’s passing, it instantly brought to mind a peculiar encounter I had with him at Fulham’s football ground, Craven Cottage. It was just moments before a Premier League match, and there I stood with the owner of Fulham and the Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger.
With only twenty minutes to kick-off, we engaged in light-hearted banter, when suddenly Al-Fayed pulled out two blue pills from his pocket and handed them to Wenger. Chuckling, the Egyptian billionaire remarked, “Give these to your boys, it will help them get it up later.”
Wenger, looking puzzled, questioned, “Get what up?”
As I examined the pills closely, I realized they were Viagra, and I burst into laughter. “Arsene, I don’t think he’s talking about getting up for a header…”
Wenger’s face turned red as he grasped what he held, hastily returning the pills. It was an awkward moment, yet it left us all laughing.
This amusing incident was characteristic of the times I spent with Mohamed Al-Fayed, a man of contradictions and charisma.
My initial meeting with him was over lunch at Harrods, the opulent Knightsbridge store he acquired in the 1980s. During that meeting, he entertained with a blend of dirty jokes, shocking claims, and razor-sharp insights.
He was known for his flamboyance, like his clip-on ties, worn for the convenience of quick removal when encountering an attractive woman. His sense of humor extended to gifting me one of these ties, which I later discovered was his way of making sure his presents were not rejected.
This initial encounter set the tone for our enduring friendship, filled with remarkable experiences and journalistic coups.
In 1999, I approached Al-Fayed with a request to interview Michael Jackson, who had not given a British newspaper interview in decades. With unwavering confidence, he assured me that he could make it happen. True to his word, Michael Jackson himself called, providing an emotional and revelatory interview.
However, I remain uncertain whether Jackson’s call was prompted by awareness of the interview or as a favor to Al-Fayed, potentially in exchange for the attention generated by a million-pound shopping spree at Harrods. Such deals were typical of Al-Fayed’s approach – everything was a negotiation.
From his humble beginnings selling fizzy drinks and sewing machines in Egypt to becoming one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, Al-Fayed epitomized a trading spirit. He was ambitious to be part of the British establishment, but rejection led him to expose political scandals.
Fulham fans cherished him for his contributions to their club, yet he was not without flaws. He could be both charming and controlling, displaying generosity to friends and ruthlessness towards foes.
The tragic loss of his son Dodi and Princess Diana in 1997 left Al-Fayed consumed by grief, leading him to propagate conspiracy theories and challenge the British establishment.
Although not universally admired, Mohamed Al-Fayed’s larger-than-life persona, generosity, and eccentricities left an indelible mark on those who encountered him. He is now reunited with his beloved son Dodi, resting alongside him on the family estate.
Rest in peace, old rascal.