When Handshakes Pause, Trophies Speak: Ahly Lift Egyptian Super Cup in Abu Dhabi

Handshake moment sparks debate

Ahmed Sayed Zizo, the Ahly winger, refused to shake Hesham Nasr, the Zamalek vice president, during the ceremony for the Egyptian Super Cup after the red team’s triumph.

Ahly claim the title

Ahly won the domestic crown by defeating their traditional rival Zamalek 2-0 on Sunday at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, securing the trophy for the fifth straight time and the sixteenth in club history.

Three Ahly players show class

The trio of Ahly players, Mohamed El Shennawy, Mohamed Hani and Mahmoud Hassan "Trezeguet," offered a subtle display of sportsmanship by delaying the celebration until the medical and administrative staff could join them on the pitch.

Ahly captain and goalkeeper El Shennawy led the celebration, walking with Trezeguet and Hani to receive the trophy after a short group hug.

TV commentators noted that Zizo's first title with the red shirt followed his sensational transfer in June after he refused to renew his contract with Zamalek.

In post-match interviews, Zizo said he was happy to win his first trophy with Al Ahly and stressed that his focus was on helping the team win rather than scoring.

He added the trophy arrived at a crucial moment and he would quickly close this page to prepare for Egypt's national team camp for the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Fans of Zamalek hurled chants at Zizo, but he declined to comment on the taunts.

Former Ahly star Hossam Ghaly praised Zizo's calm, saying he conducted himself professionally and did not react to insults from opposition fans.

There was a notable moment during the ceremony when Zizo did greet everyone at the podium but skipped a handshake with Hesham Nasr, drawing speculation it was a quiet echo of their earlier contract dispute.

Instead, he hugged Khaled Mortagy, the secretary-general, and the team delegation, in a gesture deemed as reserved but respectful.

Analysts suggested the moment was a response to tensions from transfer negotiations, including a claim that Zizo asked for a salary exceeding 80 million Egyptian pounds per year.

Neither Al Ahly nor Zamalek issued an official comment about the incident at the podium.

In a separate note, El Shennawy, Hani, and Trezeguet carried the trophy and stood in a ceremonial guard of honor for the visiting Zamalek players.

After the match, Walid Salah El-Din, the club's football director, praised the victory as deserved and thanked the players for their performance.

Adel Mustafa, the assistant coach, noted that Ahly played in a structured way and made the most of opportunities in the final.

The trophy was the first under the new board's tenure, as Ahly's Danish coach Yies Torup had just taken charge last month.

Punchline: In football, sometimes the handshake is optional, but the trophy is non-negotiable.

Punchline: If suspense were a sport, this ceremony would win gold—the awkward pauses and all, kept the journalists entertained and the fans talking.