Winners of 12 African Champions League titles and 44 Egyptian league titles and participants in ten editions of the FIFA Club World Cup™, Egypt’s Al Ahly are in elite company in world football.
That’s why it makes perfect sense to see them in the decisive stages of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024™ents/mens/intercontinentalcup/2024 in Qatar. On Saturday they will meet Mexican side and Concacaf champions Pachuca in the FIFA Challenger Cup, with the winner advancing to the Intercontinental Cup final against Real Madrid.
Al Ahly advanced to his phase of the competition thanks to a 3-0 win over Al Ain in the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup during which striker Wessam Abou Ali, a new arrival to the club in 2024, notched the opening goal.
Speaking with FIFA ahead of Saturday’s contest, Abou Ali is anxious to continue his excellent start with the club in the tournament.
“On a personal level, I’ve had the great, great first nine months in the club, scoring lots of goals, and then the last game [against Al Ain] went really well for the team, so it gives us confidence, gives us a good feeling,” said Abou Ali. “Hopefully we’re going to have a lot of supporters in the stadium who are going to help us. We watched Pachuca, it’s a great team and we have full respect, but hopefully we’re going to get into the final.”
Unlike Abou Ali, goalkeeper and captain Mohamed Elshenawy has ample experience playing in these international matches, as the 35-year-old mainstay is appearing in his fourth FIFA club tournament.
“Participating in the Intercontinental Cup means a lot to us at Al Ahly,” said Elshenawy to FIFA. “We’ve always been present in this competition, and all the players are proud and happy to be part of it, fully focused on the challenge. Our goal is to win the Challenger Cup, reach the final, and ultimately claim the title.”
Abou Ali echoed the sentiments of his skipper, acknowledging that the stakes are high to deliver a satisfying result to everyone associated with the club.
“It means a lot for the club to play in this tournament,” said Abou Ali. “It’s a big tournament. It’s big for each player individually, but also as a club, for the fans. It’s just huge. To be one game away from the final is big for everyone.”
Elshenawy and many of his team-mates will also be familiar with their surroundings against Pachuca, as Doha’s 974 Stadium served as the venue during their 2021 FIFA Arab Cup campaign. “It remains significant for us, and we’re delighted to return, as the atmosphere is always amazing with our fans present.”
Meanwhile, for Abou Ali, the chance to take the pitch at a FIFA World Cup™ stadium will serve as the memory of a lifetime.
“I think it’s going to be ridiculously nice,” said Abou Ali. “It’s a dream come true for some players to be on this stage. I know some have been before, but if you take the whole team, there are so many that are hungry to see these big stages, the stadiums, the fans and of course the big games, so it’s going to be amazing.”
