An Introduction to One of the World Most Successful Clubs
With the FIFA Club World Cup starting tonight between Inter Miami and the Egyptian Club Al Ahly, everyone will know the American club. After all, the Florida-based club that has Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and is coached by Argentinian Javier Mascherano. These are names that need no introduction for European football fans.
But who is their opponent? Inter Miami will play against one of the world’s most successful clubs: Al Ahly. This article will introduce fans to a club that is relatively unknown to them.
Africa’s Most Successful Club
Established in 1907 and located in one of Cairo’s fanciest districts, Al Ahly has one of the richest records in football. With a fanbase surpassing 100 Million, the Egyptian club nicknamed the Red Devils holds basically every record in Egyptian and African Football.
The Egyptian Red Devils hold the record for most Egyptian League titles with 45, most Egyptian Cups with 39, most Egyptian Super Cups with 12, most African Champions League with 12, and most African Super Cups with eight. Any record in African or Egyptian football is basically held by the Red Devils. It is enough to say that Al Ahly played in seven of the last nine CAF Champions League finals, winning four of them. Al Ahly has a level fo dominance in Egyptian and African football that is unmatched in any country or continent.
The Egyptian Red Devils have 125 trophies in their history.
For Al Ahly fans, any season that does not end in winning a treble is considered a failure. Al Ahly just sacked their Swiss coach Marcel Koller because the club got knocked out of the CAF Champions League semi-final. This sacking came after he won 11 trophies in two years.
With such a rich history, the Egyptian club will go to the newly introduced FIFA Club World Cup with high ambitions. An event that was waited for years, Al Ahly have improved their squad massively in the hope of achieving good results in the newly introduced tournament.
A Squad Filled With Stars
Most people reading this article will know about Egyptian football because of Liverpool star Mohamed Salah and Manchester City’s new signing Omar Marmoush. Yet, if you look at the Egyptian National Team, it is basically these two and Al Ahly squad.
In the goalkeeper position, they have Mohamed El Shennawy, Egypt’s Starting goalkeeper. In defence, they have two Moroccans who helped Morocco for their famous 2022 World Cup fourth place finish in Achraf Dari and Yahya Attiat Allah. In midfield, the Red Devils have Egypt two starting defensive midfielders in Hamdi Fathi and Marwan Attia. The team is led by prolific playmaker Emam Ashour and Palestinian striker Wessam Abou Ali.
With all that richness, the club management did not stop there. They got back Egypt starting winger Mahmoud Hassan “Trezeguet” and signed their rival -Zamalek- best playmaker in Ahmed Zayed “Zizo”. This is in addition with Tunisian International Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane and Moroccan International Achraf Bencharki.
With all these massive signings and forming what is considered a galacticos for Egyptian football, the expectations are quite high, and the new manager, Jose Riveiro, who will lead his first game in charge against Inter Miami, will have a tough job matching those expectations.
Fans Expectations
Al Ahly fans’ expectations are clear. They participate in any tournament with the target of winning it. The club fans do not care who their opponent is. Whether they play against the last position team in the Egyptian League or against Real Madrid, the fans expect the club to win the game.
In a group that consists of Inter Miami, a Brazilian club Palmeiras, and Portuguese giants Porto, the expectations will be at least getting through the group stage. Whether the Egyptian Red Devils can do that remains to be seen.
Al Ahly starts their games against Inter Miami on Sunday, 15 June 2025, at midnight GMT. After that, they play against the Brazilian club Palmeiras on 19 June 2025 at 4 PM GMT. Al Ahly ends their games against Portuguese club Porto on 24 June 2025 at 1 AM GMT.
The best thing the Club World Cup can do is introduce global fans to clubs from other places in the world other than Europe.
Be sure to follow the campaign of Africa’s most successful clubs.
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