Vice President of Zamalek: Our club founded sports in the Gulf... and Farag corrects

Hisham Nasr, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Egyptian Zamalek, said that his club has wide fan popularity in the Gulf, adding that the sons of the White Castle have “founded sports” in the Gulf region. On the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Zamalek Club academies in the Saudi city of Riyadh, Hisham Nasr said: “First, to spread throughout the Arab world in general, increases the fan base, whether from Egyptian expatriates abroad or from our Gulf brothers.” He added: “I think the Zamalek Club is very popular in the Gulf, for a main reason that I know is that the one who founded the sport or the first people to play sports in the Gulf were all sons of the Zamalek Club.” Regarding the opening of Zamalek club academies in the Kingdom, he said: “From an economic standpoint, there will be a benefit for the club, and from a technical standpoint, it will instill affiliation in the children of expatriates to the club, and the distinguished players among them will be brought to the first team or juniors. Spreading is very beneficial.” Saudi journalist Walid Al-Farraj responded to Hisham Nasr’s statement, while directing his sports program broadcast on the “Rotana Gulf” screen, saying: “Regarding the story that the Zamalek were the first to come to the Gulf, in Kuwait there was Captain Hassan Shehata, and in Abu Dhabi and Dubai there were Egyptian players, and in Qatar (also).” He continued: "But in Saudi Arabia, no. The first people who came to play in Saudi Arabia were not the Egyptians or the Zamalek, but rather the Indonesians and then the Sudanese. To be correct, you must think that the Gulf is one need, and Saudi Arabia, in the matter of football, is another need." Zamalek Club is considered one of the largest Arab clubs, and has won several local titles, including the Egyptian League 15 times, in addition to foreign titles, most notably the African Champions League.