Al Ahly deny plans to recall Egypt internationals

Mohamed El-Damati has denied reports that Al Ahly are considering asking for their players to leave the Egypt squad before Tuesday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Sudan.

The Al Ahly board member said the club supported all of its players while also prioritising the interests of the national team.

“We support all Al Ahly players and we are also with the interests of Egypt,” El-Damati said on Al-Nahar TV.

“It is not true that Al Ahly are thinking of asking for their players to return from the Egypt squad. I believe the Egyptian Football Association understood the message from the club’s statement.”

Al Ahly recently issued a statement criticising Egypt manager Hossam Hassan over comments he made about the club’s captain, Mohamed El-Shenawy.

El-Damati also defended the goalkeeper’s contribution to Al Ahly, highlighting his long service and major international appearances.

“Mohamed El-Shenawy is one of Al Ahly’s most important players of the last 10 years,” he said. “He has sacrificed a lot for the club and has played in two World Cups, the Olympics and the Club World Cup. We do not need to talk about him because he is a historic player at the club.”

Egypt will face South Sudan in the second round of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations next Tuesday.

The Egypt squad is scheduled to leave Cairo for Juba, the capital of South Sudan, at 12:00pm. The journey is expected to take five hours.

Egypt began its qualifying campaign with a goalless draw against Angola at Cairo International Stadium.