Club World Cup Preview: Al Ahly, the kings of African football
Al Ahly, despite a difficult season, come into the Club World Cup full of confidence
They are the most decorated team going into the Club World Cup, the team with the most appearances at the competition, the African ‘Club of the Century’ and the undisputed Pharaohs of Africa. Welcome to the real Red Devils, Al Ahly.
They’ve won four of the last six CAF Champions League (with a semi final and final appearance in tow) and have just won their third successive Egyptian Premier League, but not all is rosy for the Cairo giants as they head into the Club World Cup.
The Season
Al Ahly kicked off this season looking to retain the Champions League for a third successive season under the tutelage of Swiss coach Marcell Koller. But a slow start, an aging squad and ever fraying relationships between Koller and his players turned the season sour.
For much of the season Al Ahly lagged behind domestic rivals Zamalek and Pyramids. They lost the CAF Super Cup to Zamalek in Riyadh, a humiliation in Cairo. From September on, Koller was under increasing pressure from the players, fans and most importantly the board of Al Ahly, led by the ruthless legend Mohamed ‘Bibo’ El Khatib. They stumbled through the CAF Champions League group stage, coming behind Orlando Pirates coached by a certain Jose Riveiro but were knocked out by emerging rivals Mamelodi Sundowns in the semi finals, the first time since 2019.
The Egyptian Premier League this season adopted a new league system where the league splits in two and then top half teams and bottom half teams play each other an extra time. When the fixture computer spat out the Cairo Derby as the first game of the second round, the league had less than a week to prepare.
The league was unable to secure foreign referees for the game (standard practice for the derby) and so Al Ahly protested. Thinking that they could bully the league into postponing the game to a time that better suited the Red Devils, the club instructed the players to not come out to the pitch. Much to the surprise of the board, the league instead awarded a 3-0 win by forfeit to Zamelek which not only humiliated the champions but allowed Pyramids the chance to open up a lead at the top of the table.
Fortunately for Al Ahly, Pyramids were themselves chasing a treble, and while they won the Champions League, the new boys on the block slipped up in some easy domestic fixtures in the final weeks, allowing Al Ahly to sneak ahead and win the title.
But the title is not assured. Pyramids and Zamalek have jointly argued that Al Ahly should not only have lost the forfeited game but also should be deducted three points which would in turn allow Pyramids to take top spot and be crowned Egyptian champions for the first time in their history.
The two clubs have taken the issue to CAS and so while they are at the Club World Cup, Al Ahly could be stripped of their title and would finish the season without a trophy for the first time in over two decades.
The Squad
It may have been a terrible season by Al Ahly’s lofty standards, but the club has responded emphatically. With the experience of legends Rami Rabia, Amr El Solia and Ali Maaloul all leaving, they have bolstered their squad.
Former Aston Villa star and Egyptian international Mahmoud Trezeguet arrived from Turkey, Tunisian international Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane came in, midfield tank Aliou Dieng has returned from Saudi Arabia along with Hamdy Fathi and most shockingly of all Ahmed Sayed ‘Zizo’ made the move across Cairo from Zamalek to Al Ahly.
This team has extraordinary depth, particularly in midfield. Fathy is a classy holding midfielder who can drop into centre back. Aliou Dieng and Ben Romdhane provide near limitless energy and box-to-box presence. Zizo and Trezeguet both provide craft and excellent delivery from out wide.
At the back, Achraf Dari is the centre back stalwart who will step up to lead the line in the absence of Rabia and Yahya Attiat-Allah provides excellent attacking impetus from left back. You’ll remember him as the Moroccan whose beautiful cross found Yousef En-Nesyri’s head to send the Atlas Lions into the World Cup semi final at the expense of Portugal. And behind them is Mohamed El Shenawy, Africa’s best goal keeper over the last decade.
But the true heart of this Al Ahly side is Emam Ashour. Once touted as the new golden boy of Egypt, he struggled to adapt culturally to Europe when he moved to Midtjylland (who wouldn’t, coming from Cairo) and so returned to Al Ahly two years ago. He is the complete attacker, capable of playing virtually anywhere in both midfield and attack, he is the X-factor in this team and if anyone will craft out openings, it will be him.
If there is any weakness in the team, it is the absence of Rami Rabia. The centre back was not only a reliable leader but a classy defender. While Achraf Dari has finished the season excellently, he has struggled generally in Egypt and failed to capture the form he had when he was arguably the best centre back on the continent and led Wydad Casablanca to the 2022 Champions League triumph.
Hamdy Fathy or Mostapha El Ash are likely to slot in, but neither is the complete centre back and it will be a challenge to fill the hole that Rabia leaves behind.
The Coach
Perhaps the biggest signing of the Club World Cup transfer window was Al Ahly’s new head coach Jose Riveiro.
The Spaniard was one of the hottest properties on the continent after his brilliant spell in charge of Orlando Pirates in South Africa. Taking over a struggling mid-table side, Riveiro made them genuine challengers to Mamelodi Sundowns in the PSL and won five cup competitions in just over two years.
He is tactically flexible, looking to build up from the back as much as possible but also is a cup specialist. He knows how to set up a defensive shape in one-off games while giving his attackers enough freedom to express themselves.
There is no doubt that Riveiro could be a huge success at Al Ahly but the biggest challenge facing him and the club is time. He’s only been in charge for a couple of weeks, a two or three training sessions and his first official game as head coach will be the opening game of the Club World Cup against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
The Group
Al Ahly are in arguably the easiest group of the African teams at the Club World Cup. Inter Miami blow hot and cold with their collection of aging superstars and inexperienced youngsters. Porto are at one of their lowest points in decades, finishing third in the Portuguese league. Palmeiras are the favourites for this group, they have the squad to back it up and are going well in club football this season. But Al Ahly will have fond memories of the Brazilians, having beaten them in the 2021 edition.
But if Al Ahly are to get out of the group, they will have to beat Inter Miami in the opener. While Miami have the stars, Al Ahly are the much more experienced side. They have been there and done it. They also have the physical tools to overwhelm Inter Miami in midfield and if they can shackle Messi (good luck with that), they will be favourites to win.
Key Player
While Ashour, Zizo and Trezeguet will claim the headlines (not to mention centre forward Wessam Abou Ali) for me most important player in this team is Aliou Dieng.
The Malian international regularly keeps Tottenham star Yves Bissouma out of the national team and for good reason. He is an absolute machine. Fit as a Duracell bunny, stronger than your favourite body builder and with a penchant for the odd screamer, he is the complete all-action midfielder. If Al Ahly are going to progress from their group, it will be through dominating the midfield, covering their defensive cracks and giving a platform for their attack to thrive. All of that rests on Dieng’s performances.
Predictions
I’m a hopeless optimist but history tells us never to bet against Al Ahly, a second place finish in the group is on the cards and I think they’ll do it.
Excellent piece, as usual