CAIRO: On Sunday evening Liverpool will make the short trip to Goodison Park for their Merseyside derby against rivals Everton, a match of immense importance as Liverpool’s fans watch the club edge closer to clinching the English Premier League title after a 30-year wait.
This is certainly true for members of the Liverpool Supporters’ Club in Cairo.
Ahmed Salah, one of the founders of the officially recognized club, told Arab News: “It all started back in 2010, in Maadi (a district of Cairo). We were only eight friends, and we enjoyed playing football and watching our beloved Liverpool play on TV.”
Salah, together with friends Ahmed Zidan, Mohammed Atef and other Egyptian fans, decided to form a supporters’ club recognized by Liverpool.
“We emailed the club back in 2012-2013, and the following season we received an email back advising that the supporters’ group will require a minimum of 50 Egyptian members to be granted official recognition. We managed to reach that figure and, as a result, became the official Liverpool supporters’ club in Egypt — four years before Mo Salah joined Liverpool.”
Asked about the impact Liverpool’s signing of Salah had on the growth of the Egyptian supporters’ club, Ahmed said: “It’s undeniable that the acquisition of Mo Salah gave us more media attention and our membership increased significantly. We used to book cafes to watch Liverpool and usually 100 or 200 avid fans would attend. But after Salah arrived, we reached figures up to 500 or even 1,000 fans.
“Salah is a national hero in Egypt and an icon for Egyptians, particularly Egyptian youth,” he said.
“A lot of new fans joined in, but we always focus on telling newcomers that the team comes first and foremost, with all due respect to Salah, of course.”
The acquisition of Mo Salah gave us more media attention and our membership increased significantly. We used to book cafes to watch Liverpool and usually 100 or 200 avid fans would attend. But after Salah arrived, we reached figures up to 500 or even 1,000 fans.
Ahmed Salah, One of the owners of Liverpool Supporters’ Club
Members enjoy many privileges. “We offer an international membership package for Egyptian fans wanting to go to Anfield and attend games, as the club allocates some tickets for the supporters’ club. We also offer a local membership package which allows members to be supplied with Liverpool shirts, scarves, hats, and other merchandise and memorabilia.” The supporters’ club now has membership around Egypt.
“We have an organizational structure and are spread throughout the 27 Egyptian governorates. Club representatives are responsible for organizing events and supplying Liverpool merchandise,” Ahmed said.
Karim Odin, a member of the supporters’ club for five years, said that he always watches games with his fellow Egyptian Liverpool fans.
“We have had ups and downs. Personally, my worst memory was the Chelsea premiership game of 2013-2014 when Steven Gerrard slipped, and we lost that match and eventually the title. On the other hand, my best memory was the comeback against Barcelona last season in the Champions League, and, of course, winning in the final against Tottenham.”
Odin also said that Mo Salah has had a huge impact on Egyptian fans.
“Now more people follow the club to the extent of Liverpool matches gaining priority in cafes over matches of the big Cairo teams Al Ahly and Zamalek. Everyone wants to watch Mo Salah running down the wing and scoring for Liverpool.”
He added: “I am glad football is coming back, I had almost forgotten the sport. My only regret is that the fans won’t be able to celebrate the title due to the coronavirus pandemic.”
Liverpool fans in Egypt and around the world will be hoping the English Premier League title drought ends soon, and it’s only a matter of time before Mo Salah and his fellow Reds celebrate title number 19, in the age of COVID-19.
