One of the most significant players in African football history, former Egypt captain Ahmed Hassan once held the world record for senior international appearances. ‘The Falcon’, who won 184 caps, was a four-time CAF Africa Cup of Nations winner and his illustrious career included a successful spell in Europe, where he represented the likes of Besiktas and Anderlecht.
He also spent three years with Al Ahly, where his crowning glory was lifting the CAF Champions League title in 2008 – a triumph which gave him the opportunity to compete in that year’s edition of the FIFA Club World Cup™ in Japan. Al Ahly will make their ninth appearance at the tournament at Saudi Arabia 2023 and, as the competition races into view, Hassan spoke to FIFA about his former club’s prospects.
FIFA: Firstly, what memories do you have of competing in the 2008 Club World Cup with Al Ahly?
Ahmed Hassan: Playing at the Club World Cup was one of the best things I achieved in my footballing career. I was very happy and proud to compete at the tournament and represent Africa. While we lost 4-2 against Pachuca in the quarter-finals and were beaten 1-0 by Adelaide United in the match for fifth place, the most important thing was we were champions of Africa and got to represent not only Egypt, but the whole continent at the Club World Cup.
Al Ahly will play the winners of the opening match between Al Ittihad and Auckland City in the second round of this year’s tournament. How do you assess their chances?
If Auckland City go through, I think Al Ahly will have a good opportunity to win. However, if it’s Al Ittihad, I think it’ll be a really tough match. We’ve all seen how strong the Saudi Pro League is, especially with its clubs signing some of the world’s top players. If Al Ittihad get through, home advantage will play a big role, so that will make the match even harder. But Al Ahly are used to playing in big matches and we saw that when they beat Al Hilal at the FIFA Club World Cup in 2021. The club can absolutely compete in those games.
How far do you think Al Ahly can go this year?
Hopefully Al Ahly will go all the way, but they’ll have to work very hard to get there, because all the teams participating in the tournament have developed to a very high level. It’s going to be a tough task for them, but we can certainly hope to see them in the final.
Which Al Ahly players do you expect to shine at the tournament?
The squad is full of great players, but I think Percy Tau could perform really well because of his speed. Emam Ashour could also have an impact if he’s switched on. In defence, Mohamed Abdelmonem is a really good player. I think the Tunisian, Ali Maaloul, can make a real difference with his experience. Hussein El Shahat will be another to watch. If all these players are on their game, they can really shine at the Club World Cup.How much will Al Ahly benefit from the tournament being hosted in Saudi Arabia?
They’ll benefit a lot. It’s good whenever a tournament is held in an Arab country, because it makes the players feel like they’re competing at home. There will be loads of fans there. If their first match is against Auckland City, I’m sure the stands will be full of Al Ahly fans. If it’s Al Ittihad, then at least half the crowd will be Egyptian. Either way, it’s great for Al Ahly because their fans are everywhere, and there’s a really big community in Saudi Arabia.
How much will Al Ahly benefit from the tournament being hosted in Saudi Arabia?
They’ll benefit a lot. It’s good whenever a tournament is held in an Arab country, because it makes the players feel like they’re competing at home. There will be loads of fans there. If their first match is against Auckland City, I’m sure the stands will be full of Al Ahly fans. If it’s Al Ittihad, then at least half the crowd will be Egyptian. Either way, it’s great for Al Ahly because their fans are everywhere, and there’s a really big community in Saudi Arabia.
Those experiences really helped me as a player, and I learned a lot about discipline, commitment and professionalism. I would definitely advise young players to take advantage of any opportunities to turn professional, whether that’s in Belgium, Turkey or elsewhere. They can use those opportunities as a stepping stone to even bigger things. I believe things have changed now. The good thing for young players now is that it’s so much easier for clubs to keep an eye on them and evaluate their performances and statistics. Whenever I see a special young player, I hope they get to play professionally outside Egypt. Other African countries have a lot of professionals, sometimes between 50 and 60, whereas Egypt only has about 10, despite the abundance of talent at the country’s disposal.
- نویسنده : محمدمهدی اسماعیلی رها
Friday, 18 July , 2025