4) Al-Ahly vs Zamalek
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In Andy Mitten's book Mad for it, he says "Cairo boasts a footballing rivalry that can genuinely claim to dwarf Real v Barca and Boca v River Plate. Al-Ahly v Zamalek goes beyond fanatical. It is part football match, part political rally, part history lesson and generally a good excuse for the locals to hurl rocks at each other.”
The rivalry between Al-Ahly and Zamalek is something bigger than Egypt or even the entire Northern Africa. This is a match that is so intense that foreign referees are brought in to make the game look as unbiased as possible.
The Cairo derby was shaped by political factors that date back to the time of British rule in the country. Al-Ahly became a club associated with qualities of nationalism and pride and drew support from the working class.
Zamalek, in contrast, was backed by the elite, the intellectuals, the military and the administrative class. Simply put, it was Nationalists vs Royalists.
The very game that the British brought into the country eventually became the symbol of revolution. Under British rule, the local working class men were denied admission to societies. In 1905, an Egyptian lawyer founded the Students Club for people excluded from societies.
Within a couple of years, it became the Al-Ahly football club. The name translates to 'The National'. True to its name, the club was a platform for nationalist youth to revolt against the British. The patriotic working class gathered together in support of Al-Ahly.
In 1911 when Belgian lawyer George Marzbach founded Zamalek, the rivalry was born. Zamalek began as a sporting society and permitted entry to all nationalities, particularly the elite class. It was supported by the elite who started feeling insecure by the rising nationalism of Al-Ahly supporters.
The fact that Zamalek was the club of the widely hated King Farouk only intensified the rivalry with Al-Ahly.
The Cairo derby is fought on and off the pitch causing death and destruction. Even today, the Ahly supporters believe that the city belongs to them and that Zamalek supporters are half British. Today, fans of both sides have become more organised in the form of an 'Ultras' model, similar to that in Europe. Such is the extreme nature of this rivalry.
All that being said, Al-Ahly and Zamalek are blessings in disguise for Egypt. Both the clubs have heavily contributed to the success of the national team in African Cup of Nations.
When Egypt went onto to win a hattrick of titles from 2006 to 2010, majority of the best players of the country came from these two clubs. Maybe, this rivalry is perhaps the key to taking Egyptian football to big heights.
