Tunisia midfielder Ben Ramadan reveals why he left Al Ahly for Al Shamal

Tunisian midfielder Mohamed Ali Ben Ramadan has revealed that a lack of regular playing time and his desire to feature more prominently influenced his decision to leave Al Ahly for Qatari side Al Shamal during the summer transfer window.

The former Esperance Tunis midfielder joined the Egyptian giants with high expectations but struggled to secure the consistent opportunities he wanted during a difficult season for the club.

Speaking to Qatari television channel Al Kass, Ben Ramadan acknowledged Al Ahly’s stature but explained that the decision to leave was driven by his desire to play regularly and contribute more on the pitch.

“Al Ahly is a great team that plays for championships and has great ambitions, and that is why I took the step of moving to it. Of course, the move to it was somewhat difficult because of the fans of Esperance, who have a great favour upon me, but I chose the sports project because I am a player who was raised on the professional mentality,” he said.

The Tunisian international admitted that he did not receive the opportunities he had hoped for at Al Ahly, who endured a challenging period that affected players, supporters and the club’s management.

“I didn’t get my full opportunity at Al Ahly club. Al Ahly went through a very difficult year for the fans, players, and management, and they weren’t used to this atmosphere. But Al Ahly always comes back and corrects its course.

“I lived through a difficult year, and then the offer from Al Shamal of Qatar came, and I agreed because I wanted to play and participate. Al Ahly’s management was professional, and their handling of the matter was smooth, and they wished me success,” he added.

Ben Ramadan also explained that Al Shamal’s ambitious sporting project played a significant role in convincing him to make the switch to Qatar.

“Because it is a team that is developing very quickly, there is a lot of work happening at the club, the management has ambitions, and they are competing for championships. I was impressed by their project and they were able to convince me to move to them,” he said.

Beyond his departure, the midfielder recounted a frightening incident during Al Ahly’s training camp in Tunisia, when he, Hussein El Shahat and Karim Fouad nearly drowned while swimming in the sea.

Ben Ramadan said the three players had gone swimming during a break from training when strong currents pulled them into deeper waters.

He explained that Fouad was close to drowning after losing his grip on a rope, prompting El Shahat to intervene before also finding himself in danger. Ben Ramadan then moved to help his teammates separate from one another.

According to the midfielder, Yasser Ibrahim spotted the situation from a distance and rushed to their rescue, preventing what could have been a tragedy.

“I thank God that Yasser Ibrahim saw us from afar and came to save us quickly. This day was very bad, and I saw death with my own eyes,” he recalled.

Ben Ramadan also addressed his relationship with Esperance supporters, acknowledging the emotional difficulty of leaving the Tunisian club for Al Ahly and insisting that he never intended to disappoint the fans who supported him throughout his career.

“I cannot upset the Esperance fans, and if it happened, it was unintentional. The Esperance fans are more difficult to deal with than the Al-Ahly fans in terms of psychological pressure, and they are exceptional, and I miss them very much,” he concluded.