For a club that was founded less than a decade ago, it is a remarkable situation for Pyramids FC to be standing one game away from the final of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™.
The reigning African champions are set to clash with CR Flamengo in the FIFA Challenger Cup on 13 December for a spot in the decider. On the eve of that match, head coach Krunoslav Jurcic tells FIFA that the rise of the club has been a dramatic and in some ways unexpected one.
“For us to win the continental title it was a surprise, actually I should say a miracle for people in Africa because we are such a young team.
“The club has existed for only eight years and have never been the champions of Egypt. Last year was just the second time that we played the African Champions League and we won it.
“Despite being such a young club anybody who watched those matches couldn’t say that we didn’t deserve it as we played at a very high level.
“We have shown that with good players, hard work and quality football such success is possible, even though it was a surprise for sure for the people of Africa.”
It was perhaps also a surprise for those in Asia as Pyramids built on a win over Auckland City FC to then topple Saudi giants Al Ahli 3-1 to claim the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup in late September.
They did so away from home, in the cauldron of Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in front of 50,000 fans and on the back of a star turn from Fiston Mayele, who scored all three goals. The Congo DR forward is part of a 26-strong squad in Qatar, a group that includes Pharoahs stars Ahmed El Shenawy, Mohamed Hamdy, Mohanad Lasheen and Mostafa Fathi.
With quality across the squad, as well as form, fitness and belief, Jurcic is confident that Pyramids can more than hold their own against Flamengo.
“We watched Flamengo against Cruz Azul and I follow world football so I know a lot about the club which is maybe one of, if not the, biggest team in Brazil with a lot of very high quality players.
“They showed they can change the game and have options on their bench and while we respect them, at the same time I know the quality of my team and I expect a very tough game.”
It’s also a clash that the experienced Croatian mentor knows will present different challenges to those which they face on the domestic front.
Currently sitting second, with just one defeat, in the Egyptian Premier League, the rhythm of international football is sure to provide unique problems that his players must find solutions to, as he explains to FIFA.
“It’s very difficult because the Egyptian league is a tough league with a lot of defensive football and we are attacking maybe 80 per cent of the matches. Then we come here to Qatar to play the Intercontinental Cup with stronger opposition, against the biggest clubs in the world and you have to change strategy.
“In this case maybe we will play 30 per cent in the offensive phase and 70 per cent in the defensive phase and this is a big challenge for all coaches. But we have been working hard to adapt and make a good reaction.”
After such a dramatic rise, from the emergence of the Pyramids FC identity in 2018, to continental glory and now a fine run on the global stage, Jurcic knows that, in a sense they can compete free of the burden of external expectation.
It’s a different situation internally though as the former Dinamo Zagreb coach is determined to keep defying the odds, as they stand just two matches away from completing what would be a truly remarkable story.
“When I first came to Pyramids, in seven seasons they hadn’t won any major trophies and now in this last season we have won four trophies and changed the club night and day, with a group of players that are confident and with the support of the board.
“I’m so proud now to be part of such a big competition as this, an elite competition with the biggest clubs in the world. We had an excellent season in Africa, winning the Champions League and now we came to Qatar to play the semi-final and hopefully the final.
“It’s a big reward for us and I want to enjoy it and for the players to enjoy all the moments of the competition because this is top level of football. I want us to represent our club, our country and our continent with pride.”
