Mostafa Saad Messi: I did not receive the full opportunity at Al Ahly.
Mustafa Saad Messi, the current player for ZED and former Al Ahly star, stated that Al Ahly is a prestigious club with a rich history and boasts international players of high caliber. He emphasized that the issues faced last season were not due to a lack of talent among the players, but rather a lack of harmony and synergy between the coach and the players. He noted that a decline in performance can happen even at the biggest and strongest clubs.
In an interview with Ahmed El Masry on ON Sport FM, Messi explained, "The dressing room is the most important part of the team; it reflects everything that happens within it. All players are respectful and eager to perform at their best, regardless of their names or past achievements. Imam Ashour is an incredibly talented player with great abilities for both the club and the national team. Renewing his contract with Al Ahly is a significant gain for both the player and the club. Ben Sharqi is also an important player for Al Ahly, and we have seen his contributions and significant role with the team last season. Big clubs are not affected by the departure of any player thanks to their fans, and Zamalek is a prime example of this in the past two seasons. I did not get my chance at Al Ahly and did not play at all, perhaps due to my young age or certain circumstances, but what happened was God's plan, and it's for the best. Success or failure is in God's hands.
Mustafa Saad Messi added that this season will be different for ZED in terms of management, coaching staff, and players. He said, "We have delivered impressive performances and succeeded in reaching the final of the Egypt Cup for the second time in our history, and we have achieved other gains, the most notable being our participation in a major tournament like the CAF Confederation Cup, and our ambitions are to go as far as possible in it.
Messi continued in his remarks with Ahmed El Masry on ON Sport FM, "This season's Confederation Cup is much tougher, as we face competitors like Tunisian club Esperance, Moroccan club Wydad, and Al Ahly. But we are also a big team with great ambitions, and we have a competent coaching staff led by Mohamed Shawky and Khaled Bibo, who want to win every match regardless of the opponent's identity. Our goal is to reach the furthest point in every tournament. At ZED, we are 'one family'; there is no distinction between big and small players. Everyone respects each other, and each person strives to give their utmost for the team. Perhaps the senior players bear greater responsibility, but the most important thing is the team's interest. Winning against Al Qanah was important; the match was extremely difficult due to the circumstances of both teams beforehand, especially after our loss to Eastern Company, while Al Qanah had good results. So we thank God for the win, which gave us a strong morale boost and allowed us to enter the international break with comfort.
Mustafa Saad Messi: We approach each tournament differently
Mustafa Saad Messi confirmed that as a team, they approach each tournament separately, considering its circumstances, details, focus, and necessary preparations. He stressed, "We started the match against Eastern Company poorly, but we managed to come back with a goal. However, things did not go as we wished, and luck was not on our side due to some wrong decisions. Mohamed Shawky focuses on everything related to the team and has informed us that we will play more matches than usual this season due to our participation in the Confederation Cup. Mohamed Shawky asked us to gather as many points as possible at the start of the season so that we can stand on our feet and not miss the championship train. The head coach always demands that we win every match and assures us that being in a good position in the league leads to going far in the Confederation Cup, as everything is interconnected. His message to us is that we will be more comfortable and play better football if we can accumulate as many points as possible at the beginning of the season, especially since we missed the chance to qualify for the big teams last season by just one point. Therefore, he does not want to repeat such situations again.
The competition for the league will be only three-way
Mustafa Saad Messi also emphasized the difficulty of the Egyptian Premier League this season, with the number of teams in the champions' group reduced from seven to six. He confirmed, "The reduced number of teams makes the competition stronger, whether for qualifying for the champions' group or for relegation. We have seen this in the results of some recently promoted teams like Abu Qir Fertilizers and Al Qanah. I hope ZED will be among the top six this season, as this will give us greater motivation to compete in the remaining tournaments. I am not concerned with the names of the other five teams; my focus is solely on my team. The competition for the league title will be between Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Pyramids. The red and white clubs are large fan-based teams, and the presence of fans gives any team an advantage over its competitors, regardless of their circumstances. As for Pyramids, which has significant resources, they have become experienced and possess skills that will help them compete strongly, as seen in the past two seasons. The fans have a huge impact on any team, but we might see Pyramids crowned as league champions due to their vast capabilities and player experience. However, I will say again: the competition for the title is limited to these three teams as they are very close to each other. Anything is possible in this season's Egyptian Premier League; the tournament is extremely challenging, all teams have prepared strongly and reinforced their squads well, every match is tough, and all results are unpredictable. Nothing has been decided yet.
ZED management has a keen eye for player selections
Mustafa Saad Messi added that administrative, financial, and technical stability is the reason behind ZED's good results. He affirmed, "The ZED management provides us with everything we need, especially a suitable environment that helps us achieve something worthy of the club and the status they aspire to reach. All the coaches I have trained under at ZED are respectable. With Captain Magdy Abdel-Aty and Captain Walid Salah El-Din, we achieved good success by reaching the final of the Egypt Cup and delivering impressive results in the league, which placed us in a good position. With Mohamed Shawky and Captain Khaled Bibo, their impact on the team is evident, as they work in a systematic and organized manner, and the proof is that ZED is achieving good results. Everyone is working to place the club in the position it deserves. ZED is not only fortunate with its players, but the management also has a good vision in its selections, so the choices are always successful, whether for youth or experienced players. My presence at ZED or Al Ahly is fate, and my presence in both is not linked to the other. Each person gets their share and sustenance as it is destined for them. ZED is a respectable club, and its management has a good vision in player selections. Ziko is like a brother to me; he has been a great player since his early days with Haras El Hodood, and during his time with us at ZED, he has been a wonderful player with a remarkable personality and deserves all he has achieved. Personally, I am happy with all that he has accomplished.
Wearing the Egypt national team jersey is a "big dream"
Mustafa Saad Messi confirmed that the dream of wearing the Egypt national team jersey again is a "big dream." He stressed, "Representing the Egypt national team is a great honor, and Hossam Hassan has a significant history as a player and coach, providing good opportunities for everyone. We have all witnessed what he accomplished in the World Cup and the players he discovered, such as Ziko, Mahmoud Saber, Tarek Alaa, and others. Ali Maher, the coach of Ceramica Cleopatra, is considered the best coach in recent years, as he competes strongly and has achieved success with all the teams he has coached. Also, Captain Mohamed Shawky is a very strong coach and a significant addition to the team on all levels, achieving good successes with us, the most important being our participation in the Confederation Cup. I do not see a specific player as the best this season; everyone is still under evaluation, and let's leave this question to be answered after several more rounds of the tournament. Zamalek is the best team last season considering the circumstances they went through, as they achieved a significant accomplishment by winning the league and delivering distinguished football. I hope the club goes far with the team in all tournaments this season, as this will have a significant impact on me and the club. I hope to deliver an excellent performance with the team this season, achieve foreign professionalism, and reach the furthest point in my career.
