Football is an international sport that transcends all geographic, ethnic, and religious boundaries.
As a sport, football is known by almost everybody. None on this planet has not played or watched others play football.
Apart from the goals scored and long-standing team rivalries, the most important aspect of football lies in its ability to effect positive social change and bring peoples together.
Football has succeeded in carving a niche for itself in the Islamic month of Ramadan as the month winds down.
Football leagues have become an essential feature of this holy month.
The leagues have been growing in popularity across Egypt year after year. They are organised on streets and lanes. They are also moving to green and dirt courts and covered halls.
Regardless of where one is, in a city, a village, or a popular neighbourhood, or how much money one has, one can always participate in one of the thousands of Ramadan leagues held across this country every year.
There has been great interest in Ramadan leagues in recent years, which made a number of unions, various government institutions and clubs organise special leagues for their members, in addition to allocating huge financial prizes for the winners.
Youth centers and private clubs make major financial gains from the leagues.
They get a fortune for renting out their football pitches, playgrounds and stadiums to league players and organisers throughout the whole month.
Ramadan leagues are also important events that help coaches and trainers discover great football talents.
The teams participating in such tournaments are usually made up of professional players in Egyptian clubs, which adds more strength and excitement to their matches.
“Ramadan leagues are among the most important events in the holy month of Ramadan,” said Mohamed Gamal, former football player and member of the Technical Committee for Juniors at Zamalek Club.
“There is no place in Egypt that does not have a Ramadan league,” he told the Egyptian Mail.
Zamalek, one of the nation’s top sports clubs, has joined a large number of other local clubs in organising its own Ramadan league, for the first time.
The opening match of the league pitted Zamalek against al-Ahly, another top sports club.
Gamal won the league’s top scorer medal and the best player award.
He said he felt so happy to be recognised as the best player and becomes the top scorer of the competition.
“It was a great experience,” Gamal said. “Zamalek will organise it every year.”
Surprisingly enough, Gamal was a teammate of none other than Liverpool forward Mo Salah when both played for the Arab Contractors Club.
Gamal played side by side with Mo Salah, even as the latter was 16 only at the time and Gamal was 28.
“Mo Salah was very committed, humble and respected by everyone,” Gamal said. “I enjoyed playing with him.”s
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