Hossam Hassan, our new signing, expressed his happiness after joining Al Ahly from Smouha for the next five years.

In an exclusive interview with Al Ahly Media Center, Hassan, the 27-year-old forward, spoke about how the negotiations went, the story of his tryouts at Al Ahly, his relationship with the players, and his ambitions with the club. 

“I can’t express how happy I am to achieve this long-awaited dream. The negotiations did not take long with Amir Tawfik, head of the club’s transfers department. “

“I come from a family who supports Al Ahly.  For us, watching Al Ahly winning was a major source of happiness.”

The Beginning: 2006   

“In 2006, I went to the tryouts of Al Ahly, but unfortunately I wasn’t accepted. Thank God after 15 years, I am able to fulfill that dream of mine.”

“I performed very well during my last season at Smouha, which caused a lot of clubs from Egypt and abroad to be interested in me. However, when Al Ahly comes calling you can’t think twice.”

My Target

“I played in more than one team; however, my main goal was always to reach the top.  During my early days at Tala’ea El Gaish, I liked how Mohamed El Shenawy left Al Ahly when he was young and joined El Gaish in order to have more playtime. ”

“I’m very happy to have the opportunity to play with him (El Shenawy) in the same team, as he is now one of the best goalkeepers in Egypt and Africa.”

Close Friendships

“I have a great relationship with the majority of the players at Al Ahly. I played with most of them on the national team. I am very close to Yasser Ibrahim and Ayman Ashraf, as we played together in Smouha. I also have a good relationship with Mohamed Magdy “Afsha” and Mohamed Sherif.”

Role Model

"Al Ahly's president Mahmoud El Khatib has been my idol growing up. El Khatib is a legend and an inspiration to all the players. Now I am a player at Al Ahly and I will have the chance to meet him in person."

Upcoming Challenges

"Al Ahly is a team that always searches for titles. Of course, playing for Al Ahly is a big challenge and I am ready for it."

"I am also happy to play under coach Pitso Mosimane. He is a fantastic coach and everyone knows his ability to develop his players and how he can manage his players psychologically. He has a unique understanding of the game and I am so excited to be part of his team."

2019-2020 CAF Champions League Final

"I am a fan of the club and I always watch the team's games. I watched the team's victory over Zamalek in the CAF Champions League final in 2019 and it was a very difficult game and the team achieved a very precious victory. I also watched the final against Kaizer Chiefs and I was sure that we will win the game."

Ambitions

"My dreams and ambitions with the club have no limits. The team will participate in many important competitions this season. I can't wait to start my journey with the team and I want to help them win more titles."

"My ultimate dream has always been playing in the FIFA Club World Cup and I took a big step towards achieving my dream after signing for Al Ahly. Al Ahly is the only Egyptian club that participated in the prestigious competition and I want to be part of the team's squad in the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan."