Al-Ahly's Defender Ali Maâloul in action during the match with Young Africans on 2 December, 2023. Photo courtesy of Al-Ahly.
The Egyptian giants, who have won the African Champions League a record 11 times, are participating in the global tournament for the ninth time and the fourth in a row.
Hussein El-Shahat, Ahly’s winger, said he was happy with his achievements but stressed that the team’s success was more important.
“Competing in the FIFA Club World Cup consistently is a testament to the club's success, particularly with our impressive four-year streak. We aim to build upon this achievement and deliver strong results for our loyal Ahly fans in this edition,” he told Ahly’s official website.
El-Shahat, who has appeared in the tournament more than any other player in its history with 12 matches in four editions, said he hoped to reach the final match and face the likes of Real Madrid, whom he played against twice before with Al-Ain Emirati and Ahly.
Mohamed 'Afsha' Magdy, Ahly’s midfielder, said he understood the fans’ aspirations to win the FIFA Club World Cup and said the players would do their best to achieve their dream.
“Ahly's past achievements in the tournament inspire our players. We cherish memories of early mornings spent watching their matches in Japan. This time, we aim to showcase our best performance,” he said.
Ahly, coached by Swiss Marcel Koller, will face the winner of the match between New Zealand’s Auckland City and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad Jeddah, which will take place on 12 December.
The tournament, which features seven continental champions, will run from 12 December to 22 December in the Saudi city.
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