Mohamed Elneny was born on 11 July 1992 in El Mahalla El Kubra, Egypt. He developed through the youth ranks at Al Ahly before moving to Al Mokawloon, where he established himself as a first-team regular in the Egyptian Premier League. His performances attracted attention from European clubs, and in January 2013 he joined Swiss side FC Basel on loan, a move that quickly became permanent.
At Basel, Elneny won the Swiss Super League in each of his four seasons, cementing his reputation as a reliable defensive midfielder. In January 2016, Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger brought him to the Premier League for a fee reported around £5–7 million. He made history as the first Egyptian to play for the club and picked up an FA Cup winner's medal in 2017. Among his more memorable contributions was a stunning long-range goal against Dundalk in the 2020–21 Europa League, which was voted Arsenal's goal of the season. He also scored his first Premier League goal — a volley from the edge of the box — against Newcastle United in May 2021.
A composed, passing-focused defensive midfielder, Elneny is noted for his positioning, ball retention, and ability to disrupt opposition play without drawing attention to himself. After 8.5 years at Arsenal — making him the club's longest-serving player at the time of his departure — he joined UAE Pro League side Al Jazira in July 2024, winning the UAE League Cup in his debut season.
Elneny made his senior international debut for Egypt in September 2011 and has earned over 100 caps, representing his country at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.