FIFA Club World Cup| Preview of Al Ahly
Club: Al Ahly
Country: Egypt
Coach: Jose Riveiro (Spain)
Captain: Mohamed El Shenawy (Egypt)
Group: A
Opponents: Inter Miami (USA), Palmeiras (Brazil), FC Porto (Portugal)
Egyptian club Al Ahly isn’t new to participating in the same competition with the top teams across the globe. They competed with Pachuca, Al Ain, Botafogo, and the almighty Real Madrid in the 2024 FIFA International Cup, where they reached the semi-finals and lost 1-0 to the Mexicans. Unquestionably, the Red Devils of Cairo are the best team on the African continent after winning four of the last six CAF Champions League titles.
The FIFA Club World Cup’s maiden edition is uncharted territory for all participating teams. How will the African teams fare when they meet the big boys?
Al Ahly, on paper, looks like the team that can go far on the African continent because they always show a huge mentality when the game gets tough. In Group A, the Egyptians will face Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, Brazilian giants Botafogo and Portuguese masters FC Porto.
Al Ahly defended their Egyptian League title but fell short in the CAF Champions League when they lost on the away goal rule to South African side Mamelodi Sundowns. The club subsequently sacked Swiss manager Marcel Koller for the unfortunate elimination. His sacking was a bit unnecessary because they had less than two months for the FIFA Club World Cup, where every win can fetch you $2m. Koller had won the last two CAF Champions League titles, and reaching the semi-finals was not enough for him to send the club to the USA.
The club is in the middle of a mini transition, yet they don’t care if you fail to satisfy them. That is the level they have sent themselves to.
Former Orlando Pirates’ Spanish manager Joise Riveiro has a huge task at hand as he is new to the squad and system, and can not give any excuse as any horrible performances can lead to his sacking. The Spaniard worked magic with Orlando Pirates and is expected to make Al Ahly play well to excite fans.
Al Ahly has an immense core of veteran Egyptian goalkeeper: Mohamed El Shenawy, defender Mohamed Hany, midfielder Emam Ashour, and striker Wissam Abou Ali, to face their opponents.
The return of Malian midfielder Aliou Dieng, from a loan from Al Kholood of Saudi Arabia, is set to boost their midfield. The club secretly had negotiated with Zamalek’s attacker Zizo, who joined ahead of the competition as a free agent. He is also expected to give them massive support in attack. The acquisition of Tunisian midfielder, Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane, who joined Hungarian side Ferencvaros from Esperance in 2023, is a statement signing, and Riveiro is due to integrate him into the attacking midfield of the club.
Al Ahly faces giants from their respective continents, and they must double their efforts to secure a place in the knockout stage. Expectations are indifferent because the club failed to hit their usual standard in the 2024-25 season.
Al Ahly squad for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025
Goalkeepers: Mohamed El-Shennawy, Mostafa Shobeir, Mohamed Ahmed, Mostafa Makhlouf
Defenders: Yasser Ibrahim, Achraf Dari, Mostafa El-Esh, Omar Kamal, Ahmed Ramadan, Mohamed Hani, Ahmed Nabil, Yahya Attiat Allah, Karim El-Debees, Khaled Abdel-Fattah
Midfielders: Marwan Atteya, Hamdi Fathi, Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane, Trezeguet, Aliou Dieng, Emam Ashour, Ahmed Reda, Taher Mohamed, Hussein El-Shahat, Mohamed Magdy
Forwards: Wessam Abou Ali, Achraf Bencharki, Nejc Gradisar
