Zamalek SC (handball)

Coach Hanafi Nassar in the midst of young Zamalek players in 1960s

The handball journey in Zamalek SC started by 1958. At that time, handball was not a popular sport in Egypt as it is now. The credit for the popularity of handball in Egypt goes to Dr. Mohamed Fadali, one of the legends of Zamalek SC, who introduced the game of handball for the first time in the programs of the Higher Institute of Physical Education for Teachers in Cairo in 1938 and issued many publications explaining the basic principles of the game, its law and rules of practice. He is also the founder of the Egyptian, Arab and African handball federations and the first president of the Egyptian Handball Federation. Zamalek participated in the Giza region league and the first edition of the Republic Championship in 1958, which has now become the Egyptian Handball League. With coach Hanafi Nassar, who was the first coach of Zamalek handball in 1958, for the men's team, the women's team and the junior team at the same time, and a group of young players, Zamalek aspired to create a generation that would participate and dominate local and continental championships in the future, the building of a strong team began in the 1960s by buying players from other clubs and relying on the club's youth system.

Zamalek is the champion of the Giza region league for men, women and juniors in 1962–63

Hanafi Nassar had his beginnings in sports when he was a football player in the Khedive School as a goalkeeper. He was a personal friend of Alaa Al-Hamouli, one of the legends of Zamalek SC, who helped him play football at Zamalek in 1952, Hanafi Nassar played under-18s football in the juniors team and played many times in friendly matches, and was a reserve for Zamalek goalkeeper, at that time, Aldo Stella, but he did not continue the practice of football because of his love for handball and his attachment to it and his influence on it. The credit goes to the founder of handball in Egypt, Dr. Mohamed Fadali, who in 1957 played a handball game in Zamalek, but he did not continue to play handball. As he made his biggest achievements in what he did after that in the field of training and him building generations of handball players and spreading the game of handball in Egypt. Due to his love and passion for coaching in which he excelled, it made him the pioneer of this game in Egypt. He used to go to different places to discover talented players in order to form strong teams for Zamalek in handball. In the 1962–63 season, Zamalek won the first handball championship in the history of the club, Zamalek won the Giza region league for men, juniors and women in the same season with coach Hanafi Nassar, who became the first coach to win a title with Zamalek handball teams, the men first team, women first team and the junior team. The first generation of the men's first handball team at Zamalek SC: Farouk Abdel-Gawad, Talaat Farid, Muhammad Wafiq, Mahmoud Khairat, Ahmed Askar, Hamid Mujib Abu Hadid, Mohamed Seoudi, Namiq Jaafar, Abdo Farag, Hanafi Riyad, Medhat Al-Masry, Mohamed Afifi, Nabil Sobhi, Khaled Khattab, Saif Farajallah, Sayed Abdel-Aal, Mustafa Al-Duwaini, Hamdi Al-Sayed, Mounir Gerges, Abdel-Moati Youssef. The first generation of the women's handball team at Zamalek SC: Samira Burhan, Amal Al-Fayoumi, Mona Gabr, Hikmat Daoud, Magda Qassem, Azza Nassef, Khadija Nassir, Suhair Saleh, Hana Ibrahim, Tayseer Mustafa, Nadia Samir. Hanafi Nassar would also pay from his own money when needed to form strong teams for Zamalek.

Zamalek handball team during the participation in the first African Handball Champions League in 1979, which they won

Zamalek players who won the African Handball Champions League for the third time (in a row) in 1981

Zamalek won the 1st Egyptian Handball League title in the club's history in the 1976–77 season, Zamalek and 11 other clubs participated in the competition for the Egyptian Handball League title. Zamalek won the league and the 1st national handball championship in the history of the club, with coach Mohamed Tawfiq Al-Welily and the league's top scorer that season was Zamalek player Gamal Hussein, who scored 113 goals. The 1978–79 season was a historical season, in which Zamalek won 3 historical titles, the treble, that Zamalek achieved by winning the Egyptian Handball League, the Egypt Handball Cup in the 1st edition, and the African Handball Champions League in the 1st edition, after winning the final match against ASFOSA. Zamalek players and administrators who achieved the 1st continental championship and the triple, with Dr. Kamal Darwish as coach: Alaa Salah, Hassan Sakr, Saad Selim, Ismail Mohamed Ali, Mansour Sadek, Medhat El-Beltagy, Tarek Anis; the administrators: Saeed Abdel Razzaq, Dr. Abdullah George Saad, Dr. Jamal Hamadeh, Ayoub Debes, Ezz El Matarawy, Osama Gomaa, Tariq Jibril, Mamdouh Hashem, Hussein Labib. Zamalek under the technical leadership of coach Kamal Darwish became the 1st club ever to win the Egypt Handball Cup and the African Handball Champions League, and won the 2nd Egyptian Handball League title in the club's history, Kamal Darwish became the 1st Egyptian and African coach to win 3 titles in one season. From 1979 to the 1980s was the first golden era of Zamalek in handball, Kamal Darwish continued to lead Zamalek towards continental and local titles. In the 1979–80 season, Zamalek won the Egyptian Handball Cup title for the 2nd time in a row, and the African Handball Champions League for the 2nd time in a row, after winning the final match against Nadit Alger. In the 1980–81 season, Zamalek won the 3rd African Handball Champions League title in a row, after winning the final match against ASC Diaraf. After winning the African Handball Champions League in 1981, Zamalek retained the championship cup for life, after winning it three times in a row in 1979, 1980 and 1981, in that season, with coach Kamal Darwish as well, Zamalek repeated the feat of the 1978–79 season and for the 2nd time won three titles in one season, Egyptian Handball League for the 3rd time in the club's history, the Egypt Handball Cup for the 3rd time in the club's history, and the African Handball Champions League, to make Kamal Darwish to this day, the best coach in the history of Zamalek handball, after the historical and personal achievements he achieved with Zamalek, to be the 1st Egyptian, to win three titles in one season.

The African Handball Champions League cup in its new form with Abdulrahman El-Bohy in 1986

From the 1980s to 1990 the golden era of Zamalek in handball continued. Zamalek started to dominate the local championships, from the 1982–83 to the 1989–90 season, Zamalek won 8 championships, 6 local championships and 2 continental championship. In this period, Zamalek won 3 Egyptian Handball League titles in the 1982–83, 1984–85 and 1989–90, winning a total of 6 Egyptian Handball League titles in the history of the club, and 3 Egypt Handball Cup titles in 1982, 1983 and 1986, becoming the most successful club in the Egyptian Handball Cup with 6 titles. In 1985, Zamalek won the African Handball Cup Winners' Cup in the 1st edition after defeating Al Ahly in the final, raising the total number of continental championships to 4. In 1986, Zamalek won the African Handball Champions League for the 4th time, after winning the final match against Inter Club Brazzaville. Zamalek ended the 1980s era achieving a total of 12 titles in it, 3 Egyptian Handball League titles, 5 Egypt Handball Cup titles, 3 African Handball Champions League titles and 1 African Handball Cup Winners’ Cup title, this generation of players and this era is considered the golden era in the history of Zamalek handball and the history of Egyptian and African handball. From 1979 to 1986, Zamalek were African champions for 5 time out of 10 participation in the Confederation of African Handball (CAHB) championships, including the African Handball Cup Winners’ Cup in 1985. Zamalek handball players in the 1980s made history in African handball, and some of them were honored and awarded the Sports Order of the Republic by the President of Egypt, at the time Muhammad Anwar El-Sadat, alongside the other Zamalek SC players in other sports who preceded the Zamalek handball players by writing history, most notably in basketball, volleyball and football. Since that time, handball in Zamalek SC grew to become one of the favorite and most beloved sports to the fans. This helped Zamalek establish their own hall in 1986, So that the Fans can support and assist their team. To witness the Zamalek fans on the golden era of Zamalek handball.

Zamalek players after winning the league and cup in 1991

Zamalek won 10 titles From 1991 to 1999, 4 Egyptian Handball League titles, 4 Egypt Handball Cup title, 1 African Handball Champions League title, and 1 Arab Handball Championship of Champions title. In this era, Zamalek went through a change of players and some players retired, this went on until Zamalek passed the formation of a new team of young players such as. Hossam Gharib, Ayman Salah, Ahmed Debes, Ahmed Al-Attar, Mahmoud Hussein, Hamada Al-Rubi, Ahmed Ramadan, Hussein Zaky, Hassan Yousry. in the 1990–91 Zamalek succeeded in winning the African Handball Champions League in 1991 for the 5th time, and achieving the historic treble for the 3rd time, by winning the Egyptian Handball League for the 7th time and the Egypt Handball Cup for the 7th time. Zamalek defended their title to win the Egyptian Handball Cup in 1992 for the 8th time. Then Zamalek succeeded in winning the Egyptian Handball League twice in a row in the 1994–95 and 1995–96, as well as the Egypt Handball Cup in 1994. Zamalek would win their 1st title in Arab Handball Championship of Champions 1999, after winning the final match against Al-Ahly. In the same season, Zamalek succeeded in winning the Egyptian Handball League for the 10th time, and the Egyptian Handball Cup for the 10th time.

Zamalek won 12 titles From 2000 to 2004, 2 Egyptian Handball League titles, 3 Egypt Handball Cup title, 2 African Handball Champions League, 1 African Handball Super Cup, 3 Egyptian Excellence Cup, 1 National Local League, With the remnants of the previous generation of Zamalek players in the 1990s and the rising generation with strength, Zamalek dominated locally and continentally all titles. In addition to qualifying for the 1st time in the club's history to the IHF Men's Super Globe 2010, And winning the first African Super Cup 2002, Zamalek began the 21th century, by obtaining the historic triple titles by winning the Egyptian Handball League for the 11th time, Egypt Handball Cup for the 11th time, and the African Handball Champions League 2001 for the 6th time, after winning the final match against Niger United, in the same season Zamalek won the friendly Egyptian Excellence Cup for the 1st time, Zamalek succeeded in maintaining the Egyptian Handball Cup for the 12th time, and the African Handball Champions League in 2002 for the 7th time, after winning the final match against Sporting Clube de Luanda, In addition to winning the Friendly Egyptian Excellence Cup for the 2nd time in a row. Zamalek who had a date to win a new tittle and win it for the first time in the club's history and this time was with the African Handball Super Cup in 2002, when Zamalek succeeded in winning against Club Africain, Zamalek wins again for the 3rd time in a row the Friendly Egyptian Excellence Cup and the National Local League Championship in the 2002, Zamalek returns again in 2004 and won the Egyptian Handball League for the 12th time and the Egypt Handball Cup for the 13th time.

Zamalek players celebrate after achieving third place and bronze medal in IHF Super Globe 2010.

Zamalek won 10 titles From 2005 to 2010, two Egyptian Handball League, two Egypt Handball Cup, two African Handball Cup Winners' Cup, one African Handball Super Cup, three Egyptian Handball Super Cup. From here, the black decade begins in the history of the Zamalek club, which affected all sports in the club due to the many administrative problems and the dissolution of the Zamalek club's board of directors more than once and the appointment of temporary committees to manage the club, Zamalek wins over the administrative conditions and wins the Egyptian Super Cup for handball for the first time in 2005. In 2006 Zamalek won the Egyptian Handball Cup for the 14th time and the Egyptian Super Cup for handball for the second time in a row. In 2007 Zamalek won the Egyptian Super Cup for handball for the third time in a row, Zamalek winning the Egyptian Handball League for the 13th time in 2008 and the Egypt Handball Cup for the 15th time. In 2009 Zamalek succeeded in returning and winning the continental titles after an absence of seven years, and this time winning the African Handball Cup Winners' Cup for the 2nd time, after winning the final match against Minuh Yaoundé. In the 2010 season, Zamalek won the Egyptian Handball League for the 14th time and African Handball Cup Winners' Cup for the 3rd time, after winning the final match against G.D. Interclube, and the African Super Cup for handball for the second time, after winning against GS Pétroliers. and qualify for the IHF Super Globe for the 1st time. and achieved the 3rd place and a bronze medal, in a historic achievement for the club so far.

Zamalek won 4 titles From 2011 to 2014, Zamalek club went through a difficult stage for the club in all games due to administrative problems and others, and this led to the decline and poor results in all games except for handball, which dominated the African championships and won the three titles organized by the Confederation of African Handball, Zamalek succeeded in winning the African Handball Champions League for the 8th times in the club’s history after an absence of 9 years, the African Handball Cup Winners’ Cup for the 4th times, And the African Handball Super Cup for the 3rd times, The team also succeeded in winning the African Handball Super Cup in 2012 for the 4th times in the club history. The team succeeded in achieving 4th place twice in the IHF Super Globe 2011 and 2012.

Yehia El-Deraa and the goal of crowning the African Handball Super cup 2021

Zamalek won 16 different championships From 2015 Until Now, 4 African Handball Champions Leagues, 4 Egyptian Handball League titles, 1 Egypt Handball Cup, 1 African Handball Cup Winners’ Cup, and 3 African Handball Super Cups. And 3 titles in friendly tournaments, including 2 titles in the Sharjah International Handball Friendly Championship and 1 title in the Luxembourg International Handball Friendly Championship. Since the dismantling of the Zamalek handball team in 2012, everyone thought that the team was finished, but it returned with a strong season 2015/2016 until 2021, so that Zamalek achieved 16 different championships, including 8 continental championships. Zamalek Handball Club won the 5th place twice in IHF Super Globe 2019 and 2021. And win the award for the most scoring team in IHF Super Globe 2021, Zamalek succeeded in winning the last three titles of the Egyptian Handball League from 2019 to 2021, winning the last three titles of the African Handball Champions League from 2017 to 2019, and winning the last three titles of the African Super Handball from 2018 to 2021 to be this golden generation for the Zamalek Handball Club. And the most successful Egyptian, Arab and African teams.

Hussein Zaki

Hussein Zaky: Top Scorer in 1997 IHF Junior World Handball Championship. Best Player in 1999 IHF Junior World Handball Championship. Best Centre Back and All-Star team in 2001 World Handball Championship. 2nd Top Scorer in 2003 World Handball Championship. 10th Top Scorer in 2009 World Handball Championship. 8th Top Scorer in 2000 Handball Summer Olympics. Best Player in 2002 IHF Super Globe. 2nd All-Time Top Scorer for the Egyptian National Handball team in World Handball Championship. 2nd All-Time Top Scorer for the Egyptian National Handball team in Summer Olympics. Top Scorer in 2004 Copa ASOBAL. 3rd Top Scorer in 2005 Liga ASOBAL. Top 10 players in Liga ASOBAL. 2nd Best African Scorer in the History of IHF World Cups. 2nd Best Handball Scorer of the Egyptian National Team Throughout History. 2nd Best African Handball Scorer throughout History. Top Scorer in Liga ASOBAL 2004. 11th in the IHF World Player of the Year Awards. 7th in the IHF World Player of the Year Awards. Best Egyptian Scorer in the EHF Champions League. Best Egyptian Scorer in the European Cup. European Record in one Match at the IHF Supercup.

Ahmed El-Ahmar

Ahmed El Ahmar: All-Time Top Scorer of the African Handball Nations Championship. Best Player in 2004 African Handball Championship, 2008 African Handball Championship, 2010 African Handball Championship, 2016 African Handball Championship. Top Scorer in 2008 African Handball Championship, 2016 African Handball Championship. 6th Scorer in 2013 World Handball Championship. 8th Scorer in 2020 Handball Summer Olympics. 1st All-Time Top Scorer for the Egyptian National Handball team in World Handball Championship. 1st Best African Handball Scorer throughout History. 1st All-Time Top Scorer for the Egyptian National Handball team in Summer Olympics. 1st All-Time Top Scorer for the IHF Super Globe. Top Scorer in 2010 IHF Super Globe, 2011 IHF Super Globe. 5th All-Time Top Scorer in World Handball Championship. Best player in 2013 Asian Club League Handball Championship, 2014 Asian Club League Handball Championship. Top Scorer in 2014 Qatar Handball League. Best Player in 2011 Arab Championship. Most Player in the world to win continental championships, 21 championships. Most Player in the world to win continental championships with one team, 16 championships with Zamalek. The historical Top Scorer for Zamalek handball club and the Egyptian National team at all the time.

Kamal Darwish: 4 Egyptian Handball League (1978–79, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1984–85). 6 Egyptian Handball Cup (1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986). 4 African Handball Champions League (1979, 1980, 1981, 1986). 1 African Handball Cup Winners' Cup (1985).

Ayman Abdel Hamid Soliman: 1 Egyptian Handball League (2015–16). 1 Egyptian Handball Cup (2016). 2 African Handball Champions League (2011, 2015). 2 African Handball Cup Winners' Cup (2011, 2016). 2 African Handball Super Cup (2011, 2012).

• Egyptian Handball League 18

Champions: 1976–77, 1978–79, 1980–81, 1982–83[7] [8], 1984–85[9], 1989–90, 1990–91, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2008–09[10] ,2009–10[11] ,2015–16[12] ,2018–19[13] ,2019–20[14][15] ,2020–21[16][17].

• Egyptian Handball Cup 16 (Record):

Champions: 1979, 1980[18], 1981[19], 1982[20], 1983, 1986[21], 1991, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001، 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2016[22]

• Egyptian Handball Super Cup 3 (Record):

Champions: 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08.

• Egyptian Excellence Cup 3 (Record):

Champions: 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002.

• National Local League 1

Champions: 2002.

• African Handball Champions League 12 (Record):

Champions: 1979[23], 1980[24], 1981, 1986, 1991, 2001, 2002, 2011[25] ,2015[26] ,2017[27] ,2018[28] ,2019[29]

Runners-up: 2012

Third-place: 1984, 1992, 2016

• African Handball Cup Winners' Cup: 5

Champions: 1985 [30] ,2009 ,2010[31] ,2011[32] ,2016[33][34]

Runners-up: 1987, 2012

Third-place: 1986, 1990, 1993, 2007

• African Handball Super Cup: 7

Champions: 2002 ,2010[35] ,2011[36] ,2012[37] ,2018[38] ,2019[39] ,2021[40]

Runners-up: 2016, 2017

• IHF Super Globe:

Third-Place: 2010.

• Arab Handball Championship of Champions: 1

Champions: 1999.

Runners-up: 1997, 2000.

• Luxembourg International Handball Championship (1): 2015[41]
• Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Qasimi International Handball Championship (2): February 2015[42] ,December 2015[43]

Final Round Matches Round Team Home  Away  1 & 8 El Zohour Sporting Club 34-26 32-35 2 & 9 Olympic 30-21 31-39 3 & 10 Sporting 24-30 26-28 4 & 11 Al Ahly 28-28 27-28 5 & 12 Aviation Club 34-24 23-32 6 & 13 Heliopolis 41-34 26-36 7 & 14 Tala'ea El Gaish SC 28-26 25-29

Final League Ranking RNK Team PLD W-L-D (GF) (GA) (C) (FRP) (PRP) (Tpts) 1st Zamalek[55] 22 20-1-1 735 571 +164 39 24 63 2nd Al Ahly 22 20-1-1 725 555 +170 39 24 63 3rd Sporting 22 14-5-3 602 540 +62 31 22 53 (PRP) Preliminary Round Points. (FRP) Final Round Points.

• Zamalek SC And Al Ahly SC Qualified for a play-off match to determine the League champion, According to the regulations, after equal points. Zamalek SC won 18-17, and were then announced as the Champion of Egyptian Handball league[56]

Staff for the 2020–21 season.

Pos.	Name
Head Coach	Olivier Roy
Assistant Coach	Mohamed Sharaf El-Din
Team Manager	Hamada Abdelbary

Squad for the 2021–22 season.[61]