During the trophy presentation ceremony for the Egyptian Premier League, a video captured the league shield breaking into two pieces in the hands of Al Ahly captain, Mohamed El-Shenawy, sparking widespread reactions on social media.
As El-Shenawy lifted the trophy, it split in half, leaving players and fans in surprise. Despite attempts by the Al Ahly team to put the shield back together, they were unsuccessful. The team decided to continue celebrating with the two broken parts.
The newly designed league shield was crafted in England and handed over to Al Ahly for the first time. However, the incident has raised questions, with many calling for an investigation into how such a mistake occurred during a prestigious moment at Cairo International Stadium.
Social media users, including Egyptian actor Mohamed Henedy, shared the video and reacted with humor. Henedy posted a photo of the broken shield on Facebook, sarcastically congratulating Al Ahly. Meanwhile, former Egyptian footballer Ahmed Hossam Mido called on the Ministry of Sports to investigate the incident. Mido expressed his frustration on social media, questioning how a trophy that cost millions could fall apart so easily.
Tharwat Swelim, a member of the Professional Clubs Association, later explained in a TV interview that the league shield consists of two parts – the base and the outer layer. He suggested that the separation was due to a fault in the assembly but assured it was a minor issue that would be quickly fixed.
This celebration followed Al Ahly’s 3-0 victory over Gor Mahia in the CAF Champions League, securing their spot in the group stage. The ceremony also marked Al Ahly’s 44th Egyptian league title, extending their record as the most successful club in Egyptian football history.