Saad Samir: Egypt defender retires from football after Cleopatra FC spell

Veteran Egypt centre-back Saad Samir has retired from professional football after leaving Cleopatra FC, bringing down the curtain on a decorated career at the age of 37.

The defender, born in Banha in April 1989, steps away from the game following his spell in the Egyptian Premier League with Cleopatra, whom he joined on a free transfer from Al Ahly in August 2023. His professional journey ends officially on 15 July 2026, when his exit from Cleopatra marked his move into retirement.

Samir, a right-footed central defender standing at 1.85m, built his reputation during a long and successful association with Al Ahly. Across league, cup and continental competition, he amassed more than 330 senior appearances, including 218 in the Egyptian Premier League and 48 in the CAF Champions League.

His honours list is one of the most extensive of his generation in Egyptian football. With Al Ahly he won the CAF Champions League four times, lifting the trophy in 2011-12, 2012-13, 2019-20 and 2020-21, and added the CAF Confederation Cup in 2013-14. Domestically, he became a seven-time Egyptian champion and also collected the Egypt Cup, three Egyptian Super Cups and, later in his career, two Egyptian League Cups with Future FC and Cleopatra.

Samir also featured on the international stage, finishing as Africa Cup of Nations runner-up with Egypt in the 2016-17 season.

Having most recently played for Cleopatra in the top flight, the former Al Ahly and Future FC defender now concludes a career marked by sustained success in both domestic and continental competition.