Alexandria, Egypt – The drive from Cairo to Alexandria feels like travelling through time between two ancient cities that have rich history but different faces. You don’t see that when you travel by train, with the two cities linked by the second oldest railway line in the world which stretches over 200km. It’s when you travel by car that you see the huge difference.
Cairo tries to balance the modern and the old but the latter overpowers the former through the old buildings that populate the 15th biggest city in the world. Alexandria on the other hand has been spruced up with a makeover.
The freeway that joins the two cities is littered with new buildings, including a number of apartments that are part of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s promise to build a million homes. The young people who will move into these flats will be subsidised by the government. There isn’t much colour in those apartments though, just like the other buildings, which share the same colour as the sand that’s sprinkled all over the city.
That colour (disclaimer: I am colour blind) is close to the yellow of Mamelodi Sundowns who are looking to overthrown the old-guard that is Egyptian football which has ruled over the continent with an iron fist. The Brazilians paid for 150 supporters to come to Alexandria for Sunday’s second leg of the CAF Champions League final against Zamalek.
It won’t be just those fans who’ll be supporting Sundowns. Almost all Al-Ahly fans will be backing the Brazilians. Mohammed Elshereif, who welcomed me to Cairo, wore a devilish smile when I asked him which club will he support in the final.
“I love my country,” he said, “but I am an Al-Ahly fan first. I will be supporting Sundowns. We will never hear the end of it if Zamalek wins even though there is a huge gap between us and them in terms of success. We have won this trophy eight times while they have won it just five times. The last time they won this cup (in 2002), there was no Facebook, no Twitter and no smart phones.”
Those three things – Facebook, Twitter and smartphones – played a key role in overthrowing Honsi Mubarak in 2011 during the Arab Spring. Egyptian football has been searching for normality after that. A spectator ban was imposed after a politically motivated riot at Port Said Stadium in 2012 during a league match between El Masry and Al-Ahly that resulted in the death of 74 people.
There has been an attempt to bringing normality with the spectator ban partially lifted but things haven’t been the same. It’s partly why this match will be played in Alexandria at a Borg El-Arab Stadium. The venue is closer to the airport than the people, especially those in Cairo.
But that won’t stop the 35-000 supporters that Zamalek fans will be allowed in a stadium that sits 86-000. On Thursday they clashed with security officials at their base in Cairo during the sale of the tickets. But Elshereif, who is undoubtedly biased, doesn’t believe they’ll shake Sundowns.
“That stadium is huge. It will be like a drop in a pond.”
Al-Ahly fans in contrast are like an ocean. Everyone I met, including those at reception at the hotel I am in, support the Red Devils. Once they heard that I am a South African going to the final, one joked that I should be given the best room in the hotel because tomorrow we, yes me and them, celebrate.
That shows the extent of the rivalry between these Egyptian giants. I believe that it’s okay with them and not us because they both compete not only domestically but also in the CAF Champions League space. We don’t have that luxury. It’s an achievement for us to have a team in the group stage of the continental competitions and a party when they reach the final. I remember Orlando Pirates being paraded at the OR Tambo International airport like champions after they lost last year’s Confederation Cup to Etoile du Sahel. One of their sponsors even gave the players medals.
The trend looks to be changing with clubs taking playing in the continent serious. Heck, even Gavin Hunt, who has previously sent reserves to their continental matches, talked about challenging for the Champions League next year without being asked about it. Once we have our clubs competing for the continent’s biggest prize like Al-Ahly and Zamalek does, then club loyalty can be allowed to trump national patriotism.
“I’ll look out for you at the stadium,” Elshereif said. “I’ll tell my friends that there is a South African reporter who will be celebrating Sundowns’ win with us.”
Independent Media