The Cairo Derby between Al Ahly and Zamalek represents one of the most passionate rivalries in world football. Here we will look at the earlier days of this fixture.
Al Ahly Sporting Club was founded 1907 and is considered the first Egyptian club. In 1910 membership was limited exclusively to Egyptians.
Kasr El Nil was founded in 1911, a Belgian,George Marzbach. The club changed its name to El Mokhtalat in 1913. (In 1941 the name changed to King Farouk and then in 1952 to Zamalek SC). The 2 Cairo rivals first met in 1917 and played each other 40 times up to the summer of 1937.*
In compiling this post I have drawn on the work of Dr Tarik Ahmed Said. His pages include line ups, scorers etc. for these matches. However, I have only been able to establish which was the home team in the matches marked *
Balance of power:
Titles:
Hussein Hegazi's associations with the 2 clubs were as follows:
1915–23 Al-Ahly
1923–28 El Mokhtalat
1928–29 Al-Ahly
1929–31 El Mokhtalat
*This blog covers the history of Association football up to July 1937.
Al Ahly Sporting Club was founded 1907 and is considered the first Egyptian club. In 1910 membership was limited exclusively to Egyptians.
Kasr El Nil was founded in 1911, a Belgian,George Marzbach. The club changed its name to El Mokhtalat in 1913. (In 1941 the name changed to King Farouk and then in 1952 to Zamalek SC). The 2 Cairo rivals first met in 1917 and played each other 40 times up to the summer of 1937.*
In compiling this post I have drawn on the work of Dr Tarik Ahmed Said. His pages include line ups, scorers etc. for these matches. However, I have only been able to establish which was the home team in the matches marked *
Date | Competition | ||||
09.02.17 | Al Ahly | 1 | 0 | El Mokhtalat* | Friendly |
02.03.17 | Al Ahly* | 0 | 1 | El Mokhtalat | Friendly |
17.03.24 | Al Ahly | 1 | 1 | El Mokhtalat | Sultan Cup SF |
21.03.24 | Al Ahly | 0 | 2 | El Mokhtalat | Sultan Cup SF (R) |
??.10.26 | Al Ahly | 3 | 0 | El Mokhtalat | League |
12.11.26 | Al Ahly | 2 | 0 | El Mokhtalat | League |
25.10.27 | Al Ahly | 2 | 1 | El Mokhtalat | League |
20.04.28 | Al Ahly | 1 | 0 | El Mokhtalat | Egypt Cup F |
30.11.28 | Al Ahly | 0 | 3 | El Mokhtalat | League |
21.12.28 | Al Ahly | 0 | 0 | El Mokhtalat | League |
15.03.29 | Al Ahly | 1 | 0 | El Mokhtalat | Egypt Cup QF |
Abandoned after 81 mins. | |||||
25.10.29 | Al Ahly | 0 | 0 | El Mokhtalat* | Friendly |
06.12.29 | Al Ahly | 0 | 1 | El Mokhtalat | League |
07.03.30 | Al Ahly | 1 | 3 | El Mokhtalat | Sultan Cup SF |
06.06.30 | Al Ahly | 2 | 2 | El Mokhtalat | League |
28.11.30 | Al Ahly | 4 | 0 | El Mokhtalat | League |
26.12.30 | Al Ahly | 3 | 3 | El Mokhtalat | League |
23.01.31 | Al Ahly* | 1 | 0 | El Mokhtalat | Friendly |
13.02.31 | Al Ahly | 3 | 2 | El Mokhtalat* | Friendly |
26.06.31 | Al Ahly | 4 | 1 | El Mokhtalat | Egypt Cup F |
06.11.31 | Al Ahly | 1 | 1 | El Mokhtalat | League |
18.12.31 | Al Ahly | 1 | 2 | El Mokhtalat | League |
06.05.32 | Al Ahly | 1 | 2 | El Mokhtalat | Egypt Cup F |
18.11.32 | Al Ahly | 3 | 3 | El Mokhtalat | League |
23.12.32 | Al Ahly | 0 | 0 | El Mokhtalat | League |
24.03.33 | Al Ahly | 3 | 1 | El Mokhtalat | Egypt Cup SF |
03.11.33 | Al Ahly | 2 | 3 | El Mokhtalat | League |
11.05.34 | Al Ahly | 0 | 3 | El Mokhtalat | Egypt Cup SF |
02.11.34 | Al Ahly | 3 | 0 | El Mokhtalat | League |
22.02.35 | Al Ahly | 2 | 1 | El Mokhtalat | League |
10.05.35 | Al Ahly | 0 | 3 | El Mokhtalat | Egypt Cup F |
03.11.35 | Al Ahly | 1 | 1 | El Mokhtalat | League |
24.01.36 | Al Ahly | 2 | 2 | El Mokhtalat | League |
08.01.37 | Al Ahly | 5 | 1 | El Mokhtalat | League |
19.02.37 | Al Ahly | 1 | 1 | El Mokhtalat | Sultan Cup R1 |
02.04.37 | Al Ahly | 2 | 1 | El Mokhtalat | Sultan Cup R1 (R) |
16.04.37 | Al Ahly | 4 | 1 | El Mokhtalat | League |
30.04.37 | Al Ahly | 1 | 1 | El Mokhtalat | Egypt Cup QF |
14.05.37 | Al Ahly | 2 | 2 | El Mokhtalat | Egypt Cup QF (R) |
30.05.37 | Al Ahly | 5 | 0 | El Mokhtalat | Egypt Cup QF (R) |
Balance of power:
Wins | Drawn | Goals | |
Al Ahly | 17 | 13 | 68 |
El Mokhtalat | 10 | 49 |
Titles:
League | Sultan Cup | Egypt Cup | |
1920-21 | El Mokhtalat | ||
1921-22 | El Mokhtalat | El Mokhtalat | |
1922-23 | El Mokhtalat | Al Ahly | |
1923-24 | Al Ahly | ||
1924-25 | Al Ahly | Al Ahly | Al Ahly |
1925-26 | Al Ahly | ||
1926-27 | Al Ahly | Al Ahly | Al Ahly |
1927-28 | Al Ahly | Al Ahly | |
1928-29 | El Mokhtalat | Al Ahly | |
1929-30 | El Mokhtalat | Al Ahly | |
1930-31 | Al Ahly | Al Ahly | Al Ahly |
1931-32 | El Mokhtalat | El Mokhtalat | |
1932-33 | |||
1933-34 | El Mokhtalat | ||
1934-35 | Al Ahly | El Mokhtalat | |
1935-36 | Al Ahly | ||
1936-37 | Al Ahly | Al Ahly |
In earlier posts we have looked at Egyptian players who played in the UK, and it comes as no surprise to find them featuring in the Cairo Derby.
The remarkable Tewfik Abdallahaka Tewfick Abdullah aka Tawfik Abdallah (who played in Egypt, Scotland, England, Wales, Canada and the USA) appeared for Ahly on his return from North America (he appeared in the 1929 and 1931 matches).Hussein Hegazi appeared for Ahly in the 1917 matches, he later switched allegiances between the 2 clubs and is credited with the revival of El Mokhtalat's fortunes.
Hussein Hegazi's associations with the 2 clubs were as follows:
1915–23 Al-Ahly
1923–28 El Mokhtalat
1928–29 Al-Ahly
1929–31 El Mokhtalat
*This blog covers the history of Association football up to July 1937.
