At night, the stars come out: The Footballing Extravaganza of Ramadan

 Popyrus | Sports 

A distinct kind of hunger takes over during Ramadan as the sun sets, creating deep shadows on the busy streets of Egypt. For football, not for food.  In the renowned Ramadan competitions, the spirit of the game burns from backyard fields to floodlit stadiums, igniting the fervor of both players and spectators. Ramadan tournaments in Egyptian governorates showcase popular football, showcasing the people's enthusiasm for the game through excellent organization, fierce competition, and rich rewards.

"Mit Roumi" Football Tournament for Ramadan Held in the city of Mit Roumi in the Nile Delta since 1972, it is said to be Egypt's oldest Ramadan competition, demonstrating the tradition's ongoing appeal.

However, the fact that some of these tournaments are held in Alexandria, a city steeped in history and home to the legendary Pharos, lends a certain charm and mystique to these events; it serves as a reminder that Egypt has a long and rich history and that even modern-day traditions are woven with echoes of the past. One of the most well-known Ramadan tournaments, such as the "Dawry El Falaky", is held in Alexandria, which was, of course, the home of the Pharos.

The Ramadan tournaments started from the heart of the streets and neighborhoods of Cairo and were played without specific rules, as the rules are determined by each region as it sees fit, and without a particular time, but it is usually during the hours of fasting; These competitions extend until the end of Ramadan, and the way the competition proceeds is determined according to what the participating teams agree upon, and in the end, there will inevitably be a winner, who will receive a symbolic gift. Still, it had a value and magic for them that was equivalent to the World Cup. These courses end with the end of Ramadan, leaving stories and tales on the tongues of the participants and followers, which will occupy their conversation until the holy month returns again next year.

Opinions of generations differ on football tournaments from past to present. The new generation, such as 18-year-old Farouk Mohamed, nicknamed "Egypt's Cristiano," and 21-year-old Hady Hesham, a player for El Mokawloon SC, agreed that many things have changed, such as the introduction of VAR, which reduces refereeing errors and increases fairness in the game. The game is now more organized and connected to business, and there are referees in matches.

However, the older generation had a different opinion, such as 42-year-old Ibrahim El Gamal, 43-year-old Ali Ghoneim, and 61-year-old Mohamed Abdel Samie, who still play football. They indicated that the tournaments of the past were much better because they were held among friends and acquaintances who shared a love of football.

 The Ramadan courses lived their golden period and became a valuable opportunity for the general public to shine and appear before the eyes of the club scouts, who traveled the country east and west in search of these hidden talents that crowd the streets of Egypt. Among the most prominent of them was the star Ahmed Al-Kass, a former player for Zamalek, Al-Olympi, and the Egyptian national team.

For more than five decades, these tournaments have been one of the most important features of the holy month, and the whole story begins with a group of young people who wanted to create something to express themselves and entertain themselves during the hours of fasting, so football was their first and last refuge, as it always has been, and the street from which we all originate was the most appropriate place to host these competitions.