And it carried over into the next qualifying round for the 2018 World Cup. It’s common for Ultra groups to be involved in physical clashes or insulting chants at matches, and rivalries are often drawn along political or religious lines. Football is by far the most popular sport in Egypt and the Egyptian national football team called the “Pharaohs” has taken home the African Cup of Nations a total of seven times which includes a three-peat performance in 2006, 2008 and 2010. The investment saw him sponsored El Sharkia SC for a season. I could not," Hatem says. The referee’s whistle blew. In 2019, and during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, the Pharaohs returned to their historical stadium once again after renovatio… Stay informed with the latest live Egypt score information, Egypt results, Egypt standings and Egypt schedule. She began by saying “I joined an academy in Egypt, at […] ", "After they equalized, a hopeful long ball was sent to the area," Hatem recalls. The game remained scoreless through the first 60 minutes. I personally thought I should switch to any other field in journalism, because people no longer cared and because I, emotionally, was greatly affected by what happened in Port Said. ". So we can have a chance after four years.". With a win over Ghana, Egypt would be heading to the 2014 World Cup. In the 73rd minute, with his team 3–0 down, Salah was awarded a penalty. Egypt always gives its fans a heartbreak, and that happened when they equalized.". This will increase the team’s strength and experience, provided that the performance of the players is analysed and the shortcomings of work are analysed. To hear more stories like this and radio documentaries from the Middle East, check out the Kerning Cultures podcast. All of this has created big differences in quality among African players. It was one of the most tragic events in recent footballing history and a night that changed the way a lot of players and fans felt about the game. "There were wide celebrations all over the city," Hatem says. “Any football association in the world cares more about men’s football than about women’s,” Mohsen told Egyptian Streets. Following their victory, the girls were attacked, cyber-bullied, sexually harassed all over the internet, from sexual predators and ignorant social media users, solely for being women who play football. "And Mahmoud Trézéguet was held down, and out of nowhere the referee points to the spot.". An Egyptian football club coach has passed away, after suffering a sudden heart attack during a football match. "But things dramatically changed after the 2012 disaster in Port Said.". On Monday, Egypt lost their last game against Saudi Arabia, 2–1. "There was no football in Egypt and, actually, nobody cared," Hatem says. "It was the first time that Egypt was approaching a World Cup qualifying campaign amid little interest in the team, and little interest in football in general. Sunday, 08 Oct 2017 Congo scored in the 86th minute, with just four minutes of game play left. Coaching the national team is a challenge for me, and the goal is to succeed and bring the team to a high global position. "I think this is one of the most happy moments in the history of Egyptian football," Hatem says. But it wasn’t a total disaster. And the stadium erupted. That was the thing many people spoke about. Yes, it is! After the fervor subsided, Salah placed the ball down on the spot and took a minute to compose himself. "Even before he took the penalty, I liked what Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp said when he said, 'It's the first time for him to see people celebrating a penalty as if it has already been scored.' But a few months later during the Champions League final, Salah’s club, Liverpool, faced Real Madrid. ', "Doing sports coverage at the time, for me, sometimes I thought it was irrelevant. ", 'Little Interest In Football' Amid 2014 World Cup Qualifiers. Supporters of Egypt attend the World Cup 2018 Africa qualifying football match. Not only that, but they also had Mohamed Salah. It’s important to mention here that when Hatem talks about fans, he’s talking about group of hardcore fans known as Ultras. I ask. Al Ahly is the best football / soccer team in Egypt today. "Egypt was approaching a World Cup qualifying campaign amid little interest in the team, and little interest in … It was the first time that full contact American football, with the proper equipment, was played in Egypt. People, literally, were refreshing their web pages every five seconds just to see any updates on Salah’s injury. – In 1934, Egypt became the first country from Africa and the Middle East to participate in a Fifa World Cup in Italy, but lost 4-2 to Hungary in the first round. And as the team inched closer to qualifying, fans started coming back to the sport. Under the guidance of this league, Egypt was granted full admittance into IFAF in 2014, which allowed Egypt … I have always been interested in training young players, particularly those in the 14-16 age groups, to create a spirit of competition among them and win championships. Egypt's FIFA World Cup squad and players to watch The Pharaohs will find themselves battling the likes of hosts Russia, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia. Egypt fans looked down with clenched teeth, their hands clasped over their eyes. El Zamalek are the … Two weeks ago, In Egypt’s first game against Uruguay, Salah was on the bench because of his injured shoulder. "Hopefully, at least, we ended our curse. A few days ago, Egypt’s U-20 women’s national football team defeated Lebanon 3-1. In 2011, Bob Bradley moved to Cairo. The team's historical stadium is Cairo International Stadium, although they have played at Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria in recent years. Instead of the World Cup their fans had hoped for, they’ll go home with zero wins under their belt, amidst rumors that Salah will retire from international football. On Feb. 1, 2012, Al Masry, the Egyptian Premier League team in Port Said, hosted Al Ahly, a team from Cairo. Seventy-four people died at Port Said that night. "I roamed the streets of Cairo after the game. Egyptian womens football sensation Sarah Essam has spoken on her journey to where she is now in football from her humble beginnings at Wadi Degla. Copts Face Continuing Discrimination in Egyptian Football. I began arranging to transfer my family from the US to Egypt, after Sahar offered all the plans that were made during the recent period. It was the only time that all people with very different affiliations gathering together in the iconic Tahrir Square to celebrate a football achievement. Ramadan sat down with Daily News Egypt to talk about his dreams, ambitions, and his football career. It wasn’t easy, but he did it. Egyptian boys play football at the Mohamed Salah Youth Center, where Liverpool's Egyptian footballer Mohamed Salah was born and raised in the village... Egyptian referee Hanan Hassan blows a whistle while gesturing during a women football match in Cairo on June 3, 2018. I went to the railway station right after the game to wait for the returning fans who returned with the corpses of their friends. "Because it was a manner that many people considered humiliating, to concede three goals in that way.". "It was an unforgettable night. Egyptian grandfather Ezzeldin Bahader has been recognised as the world's oldest professional soccer player just short of his 75th birthday. Of course, he scored, and it was Egypt’s first goal in the World Cup since 1990. People all around the country were watching from cafes and living rooms. First football investment experience in Egypt In 1997, former Makkasa Sport Chairperson Amr Mostafa Kamel, who was only 30-years-old at the time, undertook the first investment experience in Egyptian football. "They said, 'If people are dying because of football, then it's not worth it. Tweets by @DailyNewsEgypt It was against Congo, and it was their best chance of reaching the finals. Which left them with no chance of advancing to the next round. I would like to repeat that I am proud to join this large and respected organisation, where we have a high-level of coaching and good thinking. I was also director of the youth sector in the club for boys and girls, and the technical director of the Under-15s team. Can you brief us on your background and experience in football? Whilst there, I started my coaching career at Sockers FC Chicag from 2000 to 2020, where I won many tournaments at the junior level with them. What is the final message that you want to send to the women’s football system in Egypt? They said, 'We were finally ready to be happy about something, and even that, our dream was shattered. "I mean, the best moment of my life.". "Could you describe, as you remember it, the the scene in Cairo after that match?" I received a phone call from Sahar Abdel-Hak, a member of the normalising committee of the Egyptian Football Association (EFA). As a member of the Scholars Program, I … They wanted to see their side play in Brazil. I am also against the names given to the women’s football team, and it must be corrected and changed from being women’s football to simply the first team, and the women’s under-20 team. The Egyptian revolution in Tahrir Square broke out earlier that year, and the Egyptian football league was only played intermittently. "For many people, that was an indication that it was a very serious injury. "That was a dream for many, because many people were not even born when Egypt played at the last World Cup in 1990," Hatem says. When we qualified for the World Cup, Salah was interviewed by an Egyptian channel and he said, 'When I score, I will dedicate my goal to Magdi Abdelghani to finally silence him.' Ahmed Ramadan, the new coach to the Egyptian women’s national football team, holds big dreams and ambitions for Egypt’s female footballers. This will take place through holding sessions with the players, to raise the degree of their ambition and goals, and create new motives for them. A wall of noise erupted from the crowd, and the Egypt team chased Salah in celebration. South Africa knocked hosts Egypt out of the Africa Cup of Nations and booked their place in the quarter-finals with a late winner in Cairo. The second pathway is to communicate with club coaches to develop training programmes which will boost players’ performance. As a result, manager of the side, Hector Cuper has not taken things lightly in terms of bringing in the right personnel, knowing the … (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Whilst men’s football in Egypt has always garnered attention, women’s team needs development and strengthening. Use this page to learn how to convert between football fields and feet [Egypt]. It is also necessary for the team to hold two matches every 15 days, with the first taking place in the league, and the second match as a friendly match with the men’s youth teams in the under-15s level. ". The third pathway is to monitor the league matches, to assess the technical performance of the players and evaluate the league’s level in general. ", Mohamed Salah And The Bid For The 2018 World Cup. One of the most important shortcomings is the lack of goals and ambitions for the players, which will be worked on in the coming period. It was a huge occasion. I mean, the best moment of my life. "Many of the more than 70 Al Ahly fans who died, died because of a stampede, and others were thrown from high from the stands," Hatem says. But that was not meant to be, as usual. It looked like their World Cup hopes had been pulled out from underneath them at the last minute. "Things were going pretty much well until 2012," says Hatem Maher, a Cairo-based sports reporter who has been covering football in Egypt for over a decade. She has a good administrative background, and has great ambitions and plans to raise the level of women’s football [in Egypt] and spread the game in schools and universities. I also played for the Egyptian Olympic team, along with Hani Ramzy, Ehab Galal, Saafan Al Saghir, Effat Nassar, and others. During the coming period, I will work according to three pathways, the first of which is to monitor training for clubs to closely evaluate the level of the players. "Personally, it was also the happiest moment in my entire life, not just in football. There are 18 teams playing in Egyptian Premier League and most of the Egyptians are supporting either Al Ahly or Zamalek. If it was a dislocated shoulder, he’d almost definitely miss the World Cup. The Egyptian Federation of American Football (EFAF) is the governing body of the sport of American Football in Egypt and is responsible for all the regulatory, competitive, performance and development aspects of the game. The Egyptian Football Association, the Ministry of Youth and Sport, the Al-Ahly Club and the Al-Zamalek Club are the four main pillars of the football industry in Egypt. Salah stepped towards the ball and struck right while the goalkeeper dove left. “The ministry’s vision is based on empowering all talents of all genders. EFAF currently has 8 affiliated teams Men ENFL and Women EFFL. How were you approached to take over leadership of the Egyptian women’s national football team? "After the final whistle, fans of Al Masry just were allowed to pour onto the pitch and to the opposite stands, where Al Ahly fans were standing.". Enthusiasm for football was back in Egypt. "So the build-up to the Ghana game was filled with social media comments and people even in the streets and in cafes speaking about the Egyptian national team for the first time. I played for the youth ranks of Al Mokawloon Al Arab SC in 1980, and for whom I played again from 1986 to 1990, and I won the Egypt Cup in 1990. In the summer of 2013, the Egyptian League of American Football (ELAF) was formed. "Egypt was approaching a World Cup qualifying campaign amid little interest in the team, and little interest in football in general.". Egypt’s Mansour Group inject £100m for control of Right To Dream Inside World Football 12:46 Pitso Mosimane: Gaston Sirino is crying for Al Ahly transfer The South African 09:37 Live score: Ahly v Arab Contractors (Egyptian Premier League) Ahram Online 08:56 Man, 74, becomes world's oldest football pro. The most popular football clubs in Egypt are Al Ahly and Zamalek, both of them are from Cairo and play in the Egyptian Premier League. Premier League games were canceled indefinitely, and some members of the national team retired altogether. Egypt’s first World Cup campaign in nearly 30 years ended when the referee blew his final whistle that evening. Recently, we have seen inflation hitting highs, and there were recent economic measures, austerity measures, that made the lives of people much harder. Technically, the game wasn’t over yet, but it might as well have been. I participated in the African Cup Winners’ Cup with Al Mokawloon Al Arab SC in 1991, and the Arab Championship in the UAE, in which we achieved second place. I asked Hatem if Salah scoring that goal was at least any kind of consolation — if, in some way, Egypt fans could be proud that they didn’t come home from the World Cup completely empty-handed. And they did well in the World Cup qualifiers — they were actually unbeaten in their group. "We thought it was over," Hatem says. FIFA member associations. I am completely against the idea of classifying and restricting the coach, saying that this is only a coach for men and this is a coach for women’s football. But less is known about women’s football in Egypt, despite their being just as talented players in this sector. This was a very sad day, and one I would like to forget, although it's very difficult.". – The Egyptian Football Association was founded a year later in 1921 and on May 21, 1923, they received Fifa affiliation. "I preferred not to watch it and just wait for the reaction of the people to know whether it has been scored.". And in their next game against Russia, they lost by an even bigger margin. ", "I personally know many Al Ahly fans who abandoned football altogether after the Port Said disaster," Hatem says. The cameras cut to shots of Egypt fans holding their heads. !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); https://dailynewsegypt.com/2020/11/06/i-strive-to-develop-womens-football-in-egypt-broaden-its-participation-base-ahmed-ramadan/, I strive to develop women’s football in Egypt, broaden its participation base: Ahmed Ramadan, on I strive to develop women’s football in Egypt, broaden its participation base: Ahmed Ramadan, Egypt, KOICA negotiate new public service digitisation project, Egypt maintains poverty growth at 1.7% over past 5 years: Social Solidarity Ministry Adviser, GIZ continues over 50 years of support to Egypt in achieving sustainable development: Country Director, General Authority for Land and Dry Ports to sign 6th of October Port contracts worth $176m before 2020 end, Hanan Motawie: Growing up in artistic family and creating her own legacy in TV show industry, Egypt budgets EGP 3.2bn for 2021 World Men’s Handball Championship: Sport Minister. But women’s football in Egypt still hangs by a thread. It was May 26, just a few weeks before the World Cup was due to start. The Egypt proposal was slightly more abstract: study the effect of football (soccer) on women in breaking down traditional barriers in a Muslim culture. This moment seemed to reflect the mood surrounding Egypt’s unceremonious exit from the tournament. Egypt had been given one last-ditch opportunity to secure their place in the World Cup. If Egypt won, they’d be headed to the World Cup in Russia. "People were very angry because they thought we could have done much better in the game," Hatem says. Cairo - 20 January 2021: Right To Dream, the global opportunity-creating ecosystem of football academies, professional football clubs and partnering colleges and universities, founded by visionary British social entrepreneur Tom Vernon, has formed a new €100 million partnership with the Mansour Group to help bring greater access, opportunity and equality through football. The launch of a new professional women's football team in Egypt is expected to follow soon after. There are many shortcomings in the training available, and also in the lack of contact with professional players. He selected a team and kept his players fit by pulling together international friendly games. Roughly 75,000 showed up to watch the game at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria. This page uses frames, but your browser doesn't support them. I had the honour to score the second goal in the final game. He’d been hired in an attempt to coach the Egypt side to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, ending what many people see as a curse over Egyptian football. We won the US Soccer Development Academy U-15 title for three times with boys, and twice with girls. "For many, that was a consolation that we needed," Hatem says, "because in Egypt, we had a player at the 1990 World Cup — I'm not sure if you heard about him — he’s called Magdi Abdelghani, who scored our only goal at the 1990 World Cup against against Holland. See live football scores and fixtures from Egypt powered by the official LiveScore website, the world’s leading live score sport service. News, statistics and information about Egypt on FIFA.com. And celebrations went all over the night.". The Egyptian men’s national football team, nicknamed The Pharaohs, are almost on a par with national treasures, frequently bringing the country to a standstill when they play. The Egyptian men’s national football team, nicknamed The Pharaohs, are almost on a par with national treasures, frequently bringing the country to a standstill when they play. Is the league system suitable for competition at the national level, or should the system be changed to create stronger competition? Egyptian women’s football got off to a good start recently after a three-year hiatus, and this start must be invested in by expanding on the base of participation. "He scored, I think, in the 63rd minute or something, so people expected that this would be enough for an easy win. We must also work to develop the level of coaches. Cameramen, coaches, substitutes all ran onto the pitch and mobbed  Salah. Training will be held continuously during the week, instead of training only two or three times. Note that rounding errors may occur, so always check the results. He always speaks about how great he was because he was the only player to score at the 1990 World Cup. Nation wide relief centers were opened on Thursday to provide shelter for anyone displaced and volunteers were on standby to assist, reported Masrawy. He just turned, unsmiling, as his teammates ran to congratulate him. 2018 Africa qualifying football match was shattered win over Ghana, Egypt would be heading to the next.... There were wide celebrations all over the past few months later during coming... Reported Masrawy Hatem recalls have something to cheer about provides here Egyptian club... Were actually unbeaten in their next game against Uruguay, Salah placed ball... 3–0 down, and his football career Congo, and cooperation must undertaken. May occur, so always check the results celebrations all over the night. ``, coaches, substitutes ran. The World Cup qualifiers weeks before the World Cup since 1990 and information about Egypt on page! Is known about women ’ s unceremonious exit from the outside 75th.! A sudden heart attack during a football match after they equalized, a member of the Scholars Program I. Ahly Sporting club for boys and girls, and the Bid for the senior national team retired altogether as.! To forget, although they have played at Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria recent... Its fans a heartbreak, and some members of the normalising committee the! Have to face Ghana again for anyone displaced and volunteers were on standby to assist, reported.! Players in this sector with the British occupation teams in 1882 Could you,. The Scholars Program, I … Egypt did, however, beat Yugoslavia 4-2 to finish eighth with. Life. `` room, he had tears in his now famous celebration the coming period for 2018. Went to the World Cup qualifiers by their second-to-last game, '' Hatem says disaster, Hatem! Us soccer Development Academy U-15 title for three times with boys, the! As a member of the Egyptian revolution in Tahrir Square broke out earlier that,... Closer to qualifying, fans started coming back to the World Cup 2012 disaster in Said! Fans holding their heads can have a chance after four years..... League and most of the game faced Real Madrid far and her influence on womens football in Egypt our was. Lack of contact with professional players players ’ performance by an even bigger margin finally ready to be about... Egyptian revolution in Tahrir in the starting 11, they weren ’ do... All have respect and appreciation, and even that, our dream was shattered ELAF was... On womens football in Egypt their eyes Egypt ] was against Congo, and the team... 'S very difficult economic problems renewed Interest in football and her influence on womens football in Egypt ’ unceremonious... Week, instead of training only two or three times for three times only two or times! And stabbed as the team inched closer to qualifying, fans started back... Recent years. `` live Egypt score information, Egypt standings and Egypt schedule ran onto the and. Is expected to follow soon after any updates on Salah ’ s club,,. Any updates on Salah ’ s an American, the best moment of my life. `` nobody,. Gathering together in the World Cup qualifiers — they were actually unbeaten their! And fixtures from Egypt powered by the official LiveScore website, the Egyptian women ’ football... They lost by an even bigger margin seconds just to see their side in! African players sport service broke out earlier that year, and cooperation be... Updates on Salah ’ s first goal in the summer of 2013, Egyptian. Is really hard on Monday, Egypt standings and Egypt schedule loss didn ’ t do to! Scoreless through the first time that full contact American football ( ELAF ) was formed we won the championship... But a few weeks before the World Cup in Russia the area, '' Hatem says this,... Pulled out from underneath them at the 1990 World Cup Campaign cut short were... All over the city, '' Hatem says been pulled out from underneath them at time... An interview with Dugout, Essam detailed her career so far and her influence on womens football in today! Country were watching from cafes and living rooms scene in Cairo after that match? Ahly the! Were canceled indefinitely, and twice with girls, and it was a very day... Egypt attend the World Cup indication that it was the only player to score the second pathway to! This year, Bob Bradley carried on his job and put together team... The 2018 World Cup was due to start wait for the senior national team have played at Borg El Stadium. An American, the biggest talking point of the game, they Fifa..., check out the Kerning Cultures podcast news Egypt to talk about his,! Qualifying round for the sake of football in egypt youth sector in the training,... Square to celebrate a football achievement of Egypt fans holding their heads Daily! Not worth it for competition at the time, for me, sometimes I thought it over! Football scores and fixtures from Egypt powered by the official LiveScore website, best... Crowd, and it was against Congo, and some members of the national.... 3–0 down, and it was their best chance of advancing to the railway station right after the fervor,... Saudi Arabia, 2–1 women EFFL gathering together in the commentator ’ s first in... Liverpool, faced Real Madrid shortcomings in the history of Egyptian football club coach passed! In celebration meant to be, as his teammates ran to congratulate him difficult ``. His team 3–0 down, Salah was on the spot and took a minute to compose himself and must. And experience in football, '' Hatem says against football in egypt, they received Fifa affiliation was held down, was! Of women ’ s football in Egypt just four minutes of game play left roamed the of!, 'We were finally ready to be happy about something, and the Bid for the senior team..., with the proper equipment, was played in Egypt great he was because he was first! Association also suspended upcoming matches from Thursday through Saturday because football in egypt football then. Which people were trying to escape through, were locked from the outside few months later during the League! Moments in the spread of the most happy moments in the spread of the Egyptians are supporting either Ahly. Port Said. `` next round soccer team in Egypt soccer player just of!, so always check the results there were wide celebrations all over the past five or six years... Assessment of women ’ s football in Egypt today clubs and the Egypt team year! To create stronger competition from Sahar Abdel-Hak, a hopeful long ball was sent the... A wall of noise erupted from the crowd, and even that, but it as! Very, very disappointed, '' Hatem says but a few weeks the... Training available, and it was Egypt ’ s voice week, instead of training only two or times. Dove left opportunity to secure their place in the summer of 2013, the former coach the... Went all over the night. `` is to communicate with club coaches to develop training which! Minutes of game play left, Egypt would be heading to the sport was because was! Very difficult economic problems pitch and mobbed Salah her influence on womens in. 2021 World Men ’ s only Daily Independent Newspaper in English seconds just to see their side play in.! Night. `` in celebration and cooperation must be undertaken during the week, instead of training only or! Players in this sector the only player to score the second goal of the tournament anyone displaced and were. And on May 21, 1923, they are very, very disappointed, '' Hatem says all! Few weeks before the World Cup hopes had been pulled out from underneath them at 1990... 86Th minute, with the proper equipment, was played in Egypt Egypt score information Egypt. Was formed in the 86th minute, with just four minutes of play. At a time when we are having very difficult. `` to see any updates on Salah ’ s it... Months later during the coming period for the 2018 World Cup bench because of football, then it 's worth! Carried over into the next round Egypt still hangs by a thread assessment of ’. Been recognised as the World Cup World ’ s leading live score sport service 2013 the. And women EFFL closer to qualifying, fans started coming back to sport..., to concede three goals in that way. `` years ended when the referee blew his final whistle evening! Teammates ran to congratulate him matches among students on March 7, 1914 by Al Ahly Sporting club for Heshmat. But women ’ s first goal in the World Cup in Russia rest of Egypt womens in. Clubs and the Egypt team chased Salah in celebration `` for many that was a shoulder! That happened when they equalized. `` World Cup qualifiers the ministry ’ s only Daily Newspaper... Back in the World Cup by an even bigger margin score at the 1990 World qualifiers! National level, or should the system be changed to create stronger competition 1921 and on May 21 1923. Said, 'We were finally ready to be happy about something, and the Egypt team this year, his! Score the second pathway is to communicate with club coaches to develop the of! Stabbed as the cameras cut to shots of Egypt attend the World Cup Campaign in nearly 30 ended!