After the Hossam Hassan crisis: Al-Ahly surprises El-Shenawy with an official decision
A restoration of the captain's honour
Al Ahly of Egypt confirmed on Monday evening that goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy has extended his contract until the 2027-2028 season. The captain of the Red Castle continues his journey with the club just days after the controversy sparked by Egypt national team head coach Hossam Hassan's comments about the veteran.
The timing could hardly have been more striking. It followed a few days that had witnessed a crisis between Al Ahly and Hossam Hassan in the wake of the coach's remarks about the goalkeeper. Al Ahly responded with an official statement defending its captain and rejecting what it described as an overstepping against one of its players, before Hassan returned on Monday to clarify his position and insist his previous words had been misunderstood.
According to the club's official statement, El Shenawy signed his extension until the 2027-2028 season during a meeting with Dr Essam Sarag El Din, head of the contracts sector, and Captain Wael Gomaa, the football director. The move secures the goalkeeper's place in the team's ranks for the period ahead.
El Shenawy expressed his great pride in the appreciation shown by the club and its management. He also sent a message to the Al Ahly supporters, affirming his deep gratitude for their backing and describing them as "the backbone and the support" for the club and its players. The team's players, he added, are fortunate to have these supporters who always push them to double their efforts and to achieve more victories and titles.
The renewal comes only a few days after Hassan's statements sparked wide controversy. Explaining why he had left the goalkeeper out of the September camp, the head coach said El Shenawy had at one point been "finished" with his club and was not playing, before regaining his level through his participation with the national team and then his return to action with Al Ahly.
Those words angered Al Ahly. The club issued an official statement rejecting the remarks of the Pharaohs' head coach and affirming that undermining the technical and moral value of any player who represents the club is unacceptable, especially when it concerns Mohamed El Shenawy, the captain of Al Ahly and the Egypt national team.
Al Ahly stressed in its statement that it constantly supports the national teams, and that it had preferred to remain silent at first out of concern for the national team's interest. It considered Hassan's statements an unacceptable overstepping while accepting that the head coach has every right to choose the players he deems suitable according to his technical vision, provided mutual respect is maintained between all the elements of the footballing system.
The crisis did not stop at Al Ahly's statement. Hassan returned on Monday to clarify his previous comments about El Shenawy, affirming that his words had been misunderstood and that he had been referring to a period during which the goalkeeper suffered from injury. He had not meant to belittle him or to cast doubt on his abilities.
El Shenawy, Hassan said, is among the players loyal to the Egypt national team. He affirmed his respect for all the players and his confidence in the Pharaohs' goalkeepers, an attempt to draw a line under the statements that had sparked controversy over the past few days.
Statements, response, clarification. And then, cutting through it all, the announcement of El Shenawy's renewal to confirm the veteran goalkeeper's continuation with the Red Castle.
