I Didn’t Pick the Signings: Ferreira’s Explosive Zamalek Claims and the FIFA Fallout
1 December 2025
Ferreira claims he wasn't behind most Zamalek signings
Yanick Ferreira, the former Zamalek coach, spoke in blunt terms about his time in charge, insisting he was not the decision-maker for the majority of the club’s new arrivals during his tenure.
He outlined the reasons that pushed him to file a formal complaint with FIFA, arguing that unresolved issues within the club left him with little room to maneuver.
In televised remarks, he stated that he was not the deciding influence for the summer 2025 signings, with the sole exception of one Brazilian player, Joao Bezerra.
Ferreira highlighted how some players were affected by the surrounding conditions, pointing to Chico Panza’s pay struggles and Mohamed Al‑Sayed’s perceived lack of respect at times.
He added that he had urged the administration to prune the squad, noting that having 31 players was far too many to handle effectively.
Departure, negotiations and a pre-match analysis setback
He said he could not see a path to success at Zamalek and that some colleagues described the club’s situation as the worst in its history.
Regarding his firing, he claimed he learned about his exit from journalists and that the departure was not handled well — some reporters told him he had been dismissed before an official notice.
He recounted conversations with John Edward, the Sporting Director, to verify the circumstances of his exit, and with Abdulrahman Ismail, the head of contracts, who clarified the matter.
Ferreira asserted that the club began negotiations the next day to settle his dues amicably, but not all required terms were met and no agreement was reached.
Initially, he did not intend to escalate the issue to FIFA; however, the club’s failure to respect him and meet his financial claims compelled him to seek FIFA’s intervention.
He wrapped up with a striking revelation about pre-match preparations before the key game against Al Ahly: there was no video analysis of the opponent because the analysis platform’s invoices had not been paid.
Punchline 1: If football contracts were as punctual as a well-timed shot, we’d finally see some revenge goals and on-time payments. Punchline 2: And if surprise signings had a receipt, maybe the fans would stop playing detective and start cheering with receipts in hand.
