Zamalek appoint Bassem El-Sebky after 15-trophy spell with Esperance de Tunis

Zamalek have appointed Bassem El-Sebky as head coach of their first-team handball side, with the Egyptian returning to the club after a successful five-year spell in charge of Esperance Sportive de Tunis.

The Cairo club confirmed the appointment on Wednesday as they began preparations for the new season. El-Sebky signed his contract in the presence of Zamalek vice-president Hisham Nasr and Shady Tarek, the club’s director of indoor sports recruitment.

El-Sebky joins Zamalek after an outstanding period in Tunisia, during which he guided Esperance Sportive de Tunis to 15 trophies in five years.

His honours with the Tunisian club included six Tunisian Cups, five Tunisian league titles, one African Champions League crown, one African Cup Winners’ Cup and two Arab Championship titles. He also led Esperance Sportive de Tunis to fifth place at the Handball Club World Cup.

The appointment marks a return to familiar surroundings for El-Sebky, who is regarded as one of Zamalek’s own. He represented the club as a player for 14 years and helped them win five league titles, five Egypt Cups and two African titles.

Zamalek’s decision to bring him back to the club reflects his record both domestically and internationally. His time as a player established his connection with the Cairo side, while his coaching career has since developed through major successes with Esperance Sportive de Tunis and the Kuwait national team.

At international level, El-Sebky led Kuwait to three Asian Handball Championship titles. He also took charge of the national side at two editions of the World Championship.

The new Zamalek coach will now prepare the first team for the forthcoming campaign, having been handed responsibility for a side with which he previously achieved significant success as a player. His return comes after five years in Tunisia in which he added a substantial collection of trophies to his earlier achievements with the Egyptian club.

El-Sebky’s record at Esperance Sportive de Tunis includes success across domestic, continental and Arab competitions, while his work with Kuwait has given him further experience on the international stage. Those achievements were central to Zamalek’s decision to appoint him as the club seeks to build for the new season.