On the anniversary of "Heima," discover the story of Ibrahim Said's transfer from Al Ahly to Zamalek.
Ibrahim Said, the former star of Al Ahly, Zamalek, and the Egyptian national team, celebrates his 46th birthday today, October 16. Born on October 16, 1979, he has had a football career filled with significant milestones, moving between several clubs in Egypt, the Arab world, and Europe, leaving a notable impact with the giants of Egyptian football and the national team.
Ibrahim Said began his career with Al Ahly, where he rose to prominence at a young age. During his years with the Red Devils, he achieved numerous titles before leaving the club in the 2003-2004 season to join Zamalek, where he embarked on a new chapter with the traditional rival.
From Al Ahly to Zamalek: Key Stages in His Career
After leaving Al Ahly, Ibrahim Said donned the Zamalek jersey for two seasons, from 2004 to 2006, before pursuing a professional stint in Turkey. He then returned to the Egyptian league with Ismaily in the 2008-2009 season.
The former defender continued his career by moving to Al Ahli Tripoli in Libya, then to Ittihad Alexandria in the 2010-2011 season, before taking on a professional opportunity in Sweden in 2013.
Ibrahim Said is considered one of the players who wore the jerseys of the three major clubs in Egyptian football: Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Ismaily, in addition to other names such as Magdy Talab, Islam Shater, Mohamed Abdullah, Ahmed Hassan, and Ahmed Samir Farag.
Debut with Al Ahly in the 1997-1998 Season
Ibrahim Said made his first appearance with Al Ahly under German coach Rainer Zobel during the last five matches of the Premier League in the 1997-1998 season, after the Red team secured the title with a victory over Zamalek.
The player made his debut in the competition against Suez Canal in Cairo, in a match that ended with Al Ahly winning 2-0, with goals from Ghanaian Ahmed Felix and Hossam Hassan.
His first appearance in African competitions came against Ethiopian side Bunna in the first round of the CAF Champions League on April 5, 1998, during a match where Al Ahly relied on several substitutes and young players under the late Ahmed Maher, due to the first team's participation in the Arab Champions Cup.
141 Matches for Al Ahly and 46 Encounters with Zamalek
During his seven-year stint with Al Ahly, Ibrahim Said participated in 141 matches across various competitions, scoring 24 goals, including 18 goals in the Premier League over 97 matches.
The player won three Premier League titles, two Egypt Cups, as well as the CAF Champions League and the African Super Cup with the Red team.
With Zamalek, he played 46 matches over two seasons, scoring four goals, bringing his total appearances with the two giants of Egyptian football to 187 matches over nine seasons, during which he netted 28 goals, including 22 goals in the league across 124 matches.
Ibrahim Said with the Egyptian National Team: Two African Titles
On the international level, Ibrahim Said joined the Egyptian national team in 2000 and remained part of it until 2008, participating in 53 international matches and scoring two goals.
The player was part of the generation that achieved significant successes with the national team under Hassan Shehata, contributing to winning the Africa Cup of Nations titles in 2006 and 2008, thus concluding an important chapter of his career that combines local, continental, and international achievements.
