INTERVIEW: Al Ahly’s Davis hails Club World Championship bronze as major achievement
Al Ahly senior men’s handball team head coach David Davis expressed his delight at winning the bronze medal at the IHF Men’s Club World Championship, describing the week of competition as a dream and saying he was proud of his players and their performances.
“This week was a dream for me, starting with our victory over a European team, Füchse Berlin, in the group stage, and then finishing the tournament in third place against our traditional rivals and winning the bronze medal,” Davis said.
“I think it was a perfect week in every sense of the word. There were truly overwhelming emotions, and it is something I will never forget. I am extremely proud of the players, of what they delivered, and of the work we have done together.”
Al Ahly secured a deserved victory over Zamalek to claim the bronze medal at the 2026 IHF Men’s Club World Championship, the “Super Globe,” in a match played at the New Administrative Capital Sports Hall on Thursday evening.
The Red Giants opened their campaign against Veszprém, suffering a 31-23 defeat to the Hungarian side.
They then bounced back with a 35-17 victory over Kuwait’s Burgan before closing out the group stage with a 30-27 win over German side Füchse Berlin.
Davis stressed the importance of gradually integrating younger players into the team.
“We always need to bring young players into the team gradually. It is not good to have a major gap between generations. We have to build those relationships and consistently involve players from the younger age groups so that we do not go through long periods without winning championships or lifting the most important titles.”
“What I am trying to do is continually introduce new players to achieve this goal, maintain the team’s continuity and prevent the gap between generations from becoming too wide,” he added.
Davis also highlighted the significance of having two Egyptian teams competing at the Club World Championship.
“Having two Egyptian teams at the World Championship is fantastic. There is nothing better than that. I think everyone should be proud of this wonderful scene here in Egypt, especially with Egyptian players making up the teams.” He also praised the support from Al Ahly’s supporters.
“I am extremely happy after the incredible support from the fans. When I saw that scene, I was amazed. It really touched my heart. It was unbelievable, and I simply said: ‘Thank you, thank you very much.’”
Looking ahead to the next stage of the season, Davis said the team must maintain its momentum.
“Of course, we have to keep going. This is only the beginning of the season, and we have to continue working, performing and improving our level.”
“I do not know yet which team we will face in Angola when Al Ahly take part in the African Champions League, but we are always in a difficult position, and we have to continue working in the same way.” Davis also pointed to the team’s development in recent months.
“This performance was exceptional, especially because it is also connected to the younger players in the Egyptian national team and their preparations for the upcoming commitments. So we still need to bring all the elements of the team together.”
“The team has improved a lot because we have been working together for some time. There is still a lot of room for development and plenty of work to do. Of course, the next step is to win another title.”
Speaking about Al Ahly’s supporters, Davis said: “This week was truly amazing. The fans were there every day to support the team. This is the first time I have seen such a huge number of fans come out and participate in this way. It was unbelievable.”
The head coach concluded: “I hope we see this more often. Most importantly, I want Al Ahly’s fans and everyone associated with the club to feel proud of this team today and of what we achieved this week.”
