Al Ahly Fires Back at the 'Billion-Dollar Team' Tag After a 2-0 Super Cup Victory

Match Recap

Mohamed El Ghazawy, a member of the Al Ahly board, responded to the description of the Red as the "Billion-Dollar Team," saying it is natural for them to win the Egyptian Super Cup.

Al Ahly clinched the title yesterday by defeating Zamalek 2-0.

Ghazawi said in radio comments today that Jens Torup, the Al Ahly coach, is progressing with the team in a successful and steady manner. Al Ahly has a coach who can always place the Red on the podium; the players rose to the task and all members shared the same spirit.

Ahmed Mustafa Zizou is an exceptional, respectful, and disciplined player who did not waver under the abuse from the rival’s crowd.

“Ahly will win every trophy,” he added, noting that football has become an industry and that you must have great players to lift trophies, which also raises sponsorship value.

He stressed that Al Ahly’s destiny is to collect all titles and that fans will not settle for less; Ahly possesses the largest squad in Africa.

“Al Ahly operates with a different system, rules, and core principles,” he said, noting there were no locker-room issues as the club stays grounded in its values.

Team Return and AFCON Call-Ups

The Al Ahly first-team squad returned to Cairo from the United Arab Emirates after lifting the Super Cup.

The victory was secured with a 2-0 win over Zamalek at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

The return from Dubai airport saw the absence of players who joined the Egyptian national team, which will enter a closed camp tomorrow in Ain for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, while other professionals left to join their national teams.

Torup’s meeting with the club’s management was postponed to discuss winter transfer plans until next week; the Danish coach and his aides left for Denmark for a short break and will return to Cairo to continue preparations.

The technical staff granted players five days of rest after the victory.

Injury Update: Trezegue Returns to Cairo

The Ahly delegation decided to bring Mahmoud Hassan Trezegue back to Cairo and he will not join the national team camp, after a medical test in Abu Dhabi confirmed a hamstring strain.

Walid Salah Din, the football director, tasked the club doctor with sending the scans to the national team doctor to inform him of the player’s condition and that he could not join the camp in the UAE during the international window.

156th Trophy Adds to Legacy

Al Ahly clinched the Egyptian Super Cup with a 2-0 victory over Zamalek in the UAE, marking the club’s 156th title across domestic, African, and global competitions. The honours include:

- 12 CAF Champions League titles

- 4 Africa Cup Winners’ Cups

- 1 CAF Confederation Cup

- 1 Afro-Asian Cup

- 8 African Super Cups

- 1 Africa-Asia-Oceania Cup

- 1 Arab Club Champions Cup

- 1 Arab Club Winners’ Cup

- 2 Arab Elite Cups

- 45 Egyptian Premier League titles

- 39 Egypt Cups

- 7 Sultan Hussein Cups

- 16 Cairo Leagues

- 16 Egyptian Super Cups

- 1 United Arab Republic Cup

- 1 Egypt Football Association Cup

All this, besides four bronze medals at the FIFA Club World Cup.

120 players contributed to 16 Super Cup titles, with Hossam Ashour featuring most (11 matches), followed by Mohamed Shenawy (10), Mohamed Hany, Amr El-Sulaya, and Taher Mohamed Taher (9 each). Others with multiple appearances include Ali Mouloul, Yasser Ibrahim, Mohamed Magdy Afsha and Hussein El Shahat (8); Rami Rabia (7); and six players with six appearances, twelve with five, and many more in single appearances.

Punchline 1: If trophies paid salaries, Ahly would already be retired on a beach living off the trophy cabinet.

Punchline 2: If humor paid like sponsorship, this article would come with a flagship contract. Until then, enjoy the banners and the coffee money.