Many football players become millionaires or even billionaires these days. Egyptian players have been following suit, by investing their money in business. It could be a restaurant here, a café there, a real estate office, etc. Players play business like they play football on the pitch, forming partnerships and alliances. Former Anderlecht of Belgium star and current Al-Ahly's midfielder Ahmed Hassan has opened a real estate office; he also established an agency for footballers when he was in Turkey, making a lot of money out of it. Hassan, who holds a record 173 caps for his country, is a very successful businessman. Egyptian and Zamalek's goalkeeper Abdel-Wahed el-Sayyed launched a car dealership. It wasn't very successful, so he switched to trading in land in Sinai and Qattamia, east of Cairo, making a lot of cash. Ahly's striker Ahmed Belal has founded a paper factory in addition to his glass factory. He also has interests in mangoes and fish. He loves business, not just football. The legendary Hossam Hassan, who played for Ahly, Zamalek, Tersana and El-Masri, is doing very well as Zamalek's coach. In the space of just a few months, under his expert guidance, they've moved up to the second place from 13th in the league. Ten years ago, he and his brother, Ibrahim, who is Zamalek's General Co-ordinator, launched a car fair in Helwan Governorate, south of Cairo. They trade in luxury cars like Cherokees and Mercedes. They also own another fair in Nasr City in Cairo. The twins have both done very well - on the pitch, as coaches and in business. Al-Geish's coach and former Zamalek's star Farouq Gaafar opened a café in el-Sayyeda Zeinab, inspiring another former Zamalek star, El-Gouna's coach Ismail Youssef, to launch a café in Mohandiseen. Meanwhile, Telecom Egypt's coach Taha Besri is doing very well out of his jewellery shop. Former Ahly's and Zamalek's star Reda Abdel-Aal has done something different again, establishing a butcher's shop in Faisal. Zamalek's Young Affairs Director Mahmoud Saad owns a clothes shop that caters for women who wear the niqab (full-face veil). He also owns a sports shop in Mohandiseen, appropriate considering his involvement in football. Egyptian and Ahly's footballer Samir Kamouna also has a boutique in downtown Cairo. Egypt's former goalkeeper Nader el-Sayyed did things in reverse. He opened a fuul and taamia restaurant in Shubra, and only became a brilliant soccer player later on. Africa's best goalie Essam el-Hadari has invested his money in furniture, as he is from Damietta, a North Coast city famous for its furniture-making and boat-building. The remarkable el-Hadari was named best keeper in the African Cup of Nations in Angola last January. Business is by no means limited to soccer players. Former boxer Mamdouh Farag has opened a café in Alexandria. I'm sure his coffee packs a punch!
