Flamengo’s rival in the dispute for 3rd place, Al Ahly is the 2nd largest holder of international titles

As expected, Flamengo will face Al Ahly in the dispute for third place in the Club World Cup, held in Morocco. The definition came after the Egyptian club’s 4-1 defeat by Real Madrid, this Wednesday, in Rabat. Despite being much less known to Brazilians than the current European champion, he deserves all the care of the red-blacks. It is the second largest collector of international titles in the entire planet.

Altogether, Al Ahly has 24 continental and intercontinental tournament cups. It is just behind Real Madrid, which has two more conquests – and which can add one more to this collection on Saturday, as it will make the final of the Club World Cup against Al-Hilal, from Saudi Arabia.

Al Ahly is the most champion of the CAF Champions League, with 10 titles. The most recent of these was in the 2020/21 season. Last year, he finished runner-up after being defeated by Wydad, from Morocco, in the final. Even so, it qualified for the Club World Cup because the Moroccan team entered the vacancy of representative of the host country.

In addition to the ten Champions League titles, eight were won in the CAF Super Cup, four in the extinct African Cup Winners’ Cup and one each in the also extinct CAF Confederations Cup and the Afro-Asiatic Club Championship.

If you take into account the tournaments between Arab nations, the number goes beyond 24. There are four more conquests: two from the Arab Super Cup, one from the Arab Champions League and one from the Arab Cup Winners’ Cup.

As the greatest African champion, it is natural that Al Ahly is also the greatest power in its own country. Founded in 1907, the club has 42 Egyptian Championship titles. To get an idea of ​​its sovereignty, the second with more cups is Zamalek, with 14.

The club has eight participations in the FIFA Club World Cup. And if there’s a club that learned that you can’t underestimate them, it’s Palmeiras. In the 2020 edition, the team led by Abel Ferreira was overcome by the Egyptians, on penalties, during the dispute for third place. The following year, however, he again met alviverde, in the semifinals, and was defeated.

The retrospect of the Egyptians against Brazilians in the FIFA tournament is encouraging for Flamengo. They never managed to win a match. In addition to the draw and defeat against Palmeiras, he lost to Corinthians, in 2012, and to Internacional, in 2006.