Cairo’s main international airport is still busy at midnight, but there seems to be a distraction. Airport staff – and there’s no shortage of people offering their services – look at phones or gather close to radios. Al Ahly, Egypt’s most successful club, are playing in the African Champions League final against Esperance of Tunisia in the first leg.
Football is huge in Egypt, the interest evident even in the airport. After a 0-0 first leg, Al Ahly will prevail in the second in front of 80,000 a week later in Cairo to become champions of Africa.
The day after The National arrives in the world’s sixth biggest city of 22 million, Zamalek, another huge Cairo club, will win the secondary CAF Confederation Cup final against Moroccan side RSB Berkane, again in front of a sell out 80,000 crowd in Cairo’s international stadium.
The Zamalek v Al Ahly rivalry is legendary. They are – by a distance – the most popular teams in the country of 111 million, a number which has doubled since 1990. Al Ahly have been the country’s champions 15 times so far this century and 39 times overall. They have also been African champions 10 times since the turn of the century, a dominance which puts even Real Madrid’s continental achievements in Europe in the shade.
Zamalek have been less successful but trophies are still the norm: six domestic titles since 2000 and five pan African trophies across four competitions.
Yet neither Al Ahly nor Zamalek are top of Egypt’s Premier League today. Pyramids, a relatively new club, have won 17 of their 23 league games so far and suffered only one defeat. They lead second place Al Masry by 14 points with two games in hand. Al Ahly are fifth, Zamalek 11th, though both have games in hand given after were allowed to postpone domestic games to focus on their continental commitments . Al Ahly played 18 continental games this season, resulting in a disjointed league table.
Al Ahly’s home game against Pyramids on July 12 – the domestic season is still running out of sync with other leagues – looks to be huge.
The National travelled out to the offices where Pyramids are based in New Cairo to meet Mamdouh Eid, the club's CEO. It’s beyond a sprawl of luxurious new gated residential developments with names like Golden Gates. This is a new Egypt. They’re built on the desert but feature areas of lush grass watered from one of the most consistent water supplies in the world, the Nile. And it’s so hot that the taxi driver puts his mobile phone by his car’s air conditioning to cool it down.
Aged just 34 when he took the position five years ago, Eid was an architectural engineer who studied in sports management in Switzerland. He also played basketball for Egypt, the second most popular sport in the country, before later advising football clubs and holding the role of director of football for the Mena region at leading sports management company SEM Group. We sat down in Eid’s office, which has blue Pyramids shirts on the wall and another of the Brazilian national team worn by Ronaldinho.
“I know him,” he says pointing at Ronaldinho as he offers coffee. On the bookshelves are tomes on Arsene Wenger, while the club’s “Values, Legacy, Mission and Vision” are framed on the wall of the office. Among them is ‘Dedication to Local Talent: We nurture local talent, fostering a sustainable future for Egyptian Football.’
Pyramids are top of the Egyptian Premier League. What’s your story?
It’s simple. We are a club that started in 2008 in upper Egypt in Beni Suef. The founder of the club did a good job. Our current ownership took over in 2019 with myself and we try to pride ourselves on being Egyptian and representing Egypt everywhere. Our name is Pyramids. The stones for the pyramids came from Upper Egypt, like us. They came down the Nile, like us. The pyramids became the pride of Egypt and we are working bit by bit to make Egyptians proud.
Like the pyramids, we’re working on making a strong foundation. We don’t want to be a club that did well for a year and then disappears. We are proud that we have been consistent to be in the top three for the last five years and we have finished second in the last two years in the league. We went to the CAF Cup final, we’ve been in the semi-final in our first year in the Champions League. We are going slowly and surely in the right way. We are targeting to do better all the time.
Is that via a strong academy to bring young Egyptian players through?
We’re proud of the work we’re doing with the academy to develop coaches and players. We’re proud that in the last African Nations under 20s final, we had five players on the pitch from our club, including the best player in the competition. Two are now in the first team, three are on loan because it’s important to get more playing time to develop.
And your stadium?
It’s the Air Force Stadium (capacity 25,000). I think it’s the best stadium for us and we have use of the best training ground. It was built by the military and we came to an agreement to use it exclusively.
Is it difficult building a football club when Zamalek and Al Ahly are so dominant?
Of course. They are two very special clubs with huge legacies and histories. It’s not something that anyone should diminish, but we believe that Egyptian football deservers having more than two big clubs. All the clubs should have ambitions to win and I believe that four to five clubs should be going into the season with the hope of winning the league. That would enrich football, it would be good for Al Ahly and Zamalek as well and be good for the national team. It would be good for the country and the youth because football is very important in our nation.
Pyramids are located in an area near Cairo where there’s lots of development. Is this a deliberate strategy?
Cairo and Egypt are always expanding. Here in New Cairo, in West Cairo. Around 30 million people live in this area, there is enough room for everyone. There is no doubt that there is room to grow in this area, to grow our fan base. The right way to do that is to keep our heads down, to keep working and have humility. I believe that ‘well done’ is better than ‘well said’.
Who are your supporters?
We have supporters from Upper Egypt where the club started. We cannot compare with having hundred plus years of competition like others. We are still a young club and we are growing slowly but we are seeing our fanbase slowly increasing. We have more young fans than older fans. When someone is 50 or 60 they are not going to change their loyalty.
How important is Mohamed Salah for Egypt?
Incredibly important. He’s a big source of pride. He gives people ambition and makes them believe that they can achieve. He’s a role model for so many, a source of happiness. Whenever he plays the entire country supports him, whichever games he’s in.
Why are Egypt often ranked among the strongest teams in African football?
Egypt is strong in many areas. We’re the first the oldest civilisation that is still there. It has been a significant country all through time and it’s because Egyptian people have special characteristics. Egyptians are strong, resilient and perform well in tough moments. This has been proven through history. In football, Egyptians have strength and technical ability.
I’ve lived in Europe, my wife is American, but both of us wouldn’t choose anywhere else to live in the world.
Pyramids keep coming close to winning a trophy but haven’t won one yet. Does this annoy you?
We’re making a natural progression. It’s not easy to win trophies in Egyptian football. If it was then other teams would have won them.
We hope to reach the furthest point we can get to, to be better than where we are today. We want to be an organisation that gives a lot of good, education and happiness. We have respect for everyone.
What are the biggest issues facing Egyptian football?
I’d rather focus on the positives.
What are the positives?
Our work. Our potential. I’m optimistic about the future.
