Ahmed ‘Kouka’ Hassan: Salah is a Brother. He is a Role Model for Me and All Egyptians

Ahmed ‘Kouka’ Hassan. (Getty Images)
Ahmed ‘Kouka’ Hassan. (Getty Images)
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Ahmed ‘Kouka’ Hassan: Salah is a Brother. He is a Role Model for Me and All Egyptians

Ahmed ‘Kouka’ Hassan. (Getty Images)
Ahmed ‘Kouka’ Hassan. (Getty Images)

Ahmed Hassan has made a career out of bouncing back from disappointment and this summer he hopes to use those negative experiences to inspire Egypt – the hosts and favorites – to Africa Cup of Nations glory.

The Braga striker, affectionately known as Kouka due to a childhood love of Coca-Cola, was in a very different position last summer when he was surprisingly cut from Egypt’s World Cup squad by then manager, Héctor Cúper, despite being part of the group throughout qualification and his close friend Mohamed Salah struggling with the shoulder injury the Liverpool man had sustained in the Champions League final.

“I felt injustice because I was with them and the coach from the first camp and I was always fighting for my country, if I was put in I always fought to do my best,” Kouka says now. “I felt it was unfair because of all this. I was not expecting it but it’s the coach’s choice and I could do nothing about it.

“It didn’t take me down. It gives me motivation to work harder and to improve and thankfully I got the move to Olympiakos and had a good season. This tournament is very important for me and my country and it’s important I do well for myself and Egypt.”

Kouka had to watch from afar as his compatriots were dumped out in Russia without earning a point and scoring only twice in three group games. The 26-year‑old will operate as his country’s central striker ahead of the wingers Salah and Trézéguet, as Egypt’s expectations increase daily going into Afcon, which began on Friday with Egypt defeating Zimbabwe 1-0. He is coming off the back of an impressive season on loan at Olympiakos, where he scored 13 goals in 26 appearances.

“We know that it’s a big tournament for Egypt and all African national teams. For us it is special as we are playing at home in front of our people. We know that it is going to be very tough but we will prepare and try to work very hard to make good things and hopefully win it for our people.

“In Egypt we take football very seriously. We don’t have many rich people; our people are simple. Football is what they live for in a crazy way. I think they love it more than any other country. I was in Greece last year and I know they are crazy, too, but in Egypt they take it very seriously. They wait for any win, so they can go into the streets to celebrate and be happy.”

Missing out on Russia 2018 was comparatively minor to when a move to Benfica fell through in 2015 after a heart condition was detected in Kouka’s medical. The death of the striker Miklos Feher, who had a cardiac arrest during a match in 2004, was still at the forefront of the Portuguese club’s mind and they did not want to proceed.

“I got diagnosed with a really small thing which I had from birth,” Kouka says, playing it down, “so I had to have an operation at the time and Benfica had had a problem with a player who died on the pitch. So that is why they were concerned and we did not go forward with it but it was nothing serious. It was a small surgery and everything was normal and after that I signed with Braga and everything is fine in my life.”

The reason Benfica had sought to sign the striker was his form for Rio Ave, where he netted 24 goals in 66 league games after arriving in Portugal as a teenager from Egypt. “It is a different feeling when you get an offer from a big team and it’s always been a dream of mine to play for one of the big teams in Europe and shows you’ve done something good. But I am never satisfied and this is something normal in a footballer who wants to reach the top. I always want more. I want to reach higher.”

If advice is ever needed on a move to a big club, he can turn to a close friend. “Salah for me is a brother, because I’ve known him since we were kids as we were always together in the national teams under-16, 17 until the first team, so I know him very well. He is a very humble guy, a role model for me and all Egyptians. It is a great feeling to play with one of the best players in the world right now.”

The impact of Salah on Egyptian and African football is evident. When the Liverpool forward was recently holidaying in his homeland he was forced to complain about the large press presence outside his home, meaning he could not leave. Kouka says: “Who doesn’t support Liverpool in Egypt? I do not know. Whoever Liverpool are playing, whether it’s Manchester United or Barcelona, everyone is supporting Liverpool for Salah. He is one of us.”

Kouka would not mind joining Salah in the Premier League and a strong showing in Afcon could help him achieve his ambition. “It has always been my dream to play at the top level and the Premier League is the top. It’s the best league in the world for me, as well as Spain. It’s always a dream for me to play in one of those leagues. Who knows what will happen tomorrow? Maybe I will get to live that dream.”

The Guardian Sport



Jeddah Circuit Sparks Cross-Cultural Love Story Between Saudi Architect, Spanish Engineer

Lamia and Abdulrahman show their rings while standing next to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Trophy. Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat
Lamia and Abdulrahman show their rings while standing next to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Trophy. Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat
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Jeddah Circuit Sparks Cross-Cultural Love Story Between Saudi Architect, Spanish Engineer

Lamia and Abdulrahman show their rings while standing next to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Trophy. Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat
Lamia and Abdulrahman show their rings while standing next to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Trophy. Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat

A wedding ring inspired by the design of the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix trophy has brought together a Spanish groom and a Saudi bride in matrimony. The Spanish national, Calderon Mari - who converted to Islam and changed his name to Abdulrahman - presented the custom-made ring to his Saudi wife, Lamia Al-Husail, as a symbol of their shared love for motorsports and their unique journey.

The couple spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat during their visit to the Formula 1 paddock area in Jeddah. "We met, by the grace of Allah, through Formula 1. Our professional paths crossed during the Kingdom’s early years of hosting the championship and throughout several races in recent seasons," said Abdulrahman.

He explained that he works as a mechanical engineer for a Formula 1 team, while Lamia is an architect who was involved from the very beginning in constructing the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

When they decided to get married, Abdulrahman knew he didn’t want to offer a conventional wedding ring. Instead, he wanted a ring that represented both their shared passion for motorsports and the unique story that brought them together.

While visiting the Red Bull Racing headquarters in the UK - by coincidence - he found himself in a room displaying the team's trophies. One in particular caught his eye: The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix trophy won by Max Verstappen in 2023. The intricate beauty of the trophy’s design inspired him.

Abdulrahman already had a vision for the ring: he and his bride wanted it to incorporate materials like carbon fiber, gold, and silver. He took a video of the trophy and shared it with Lamia, explaining his dream of turning its design into their wedding ring.

To his surprise, Lamia responded with exciting news - she personally knew the trophy’s designer. "I know the artist behind this piece," she told him. That designer was none other than Richard Fox.

Lamia contacted Fox, who met Abdulrahman in the UK and listened to their story from the beginning - the story of how they met, how motorsport brought them together, and how they wanted their ring to symbolize that very connection.

After several months of design sketches, materials discussions, and collaborative ideas, the couple and Fox finally arrived at the perfect design: Lamia’s ring features a sapphire, Abdulrahman’s favorite stone, while his ring is adorned with a ruby, her favorite.

Lamia shared her side of the story, saying: “I was working on the circuit as an architect, passionate about cars, and I always made it a point to showcase our culture and historical heritage to the Formula 1 community through the renowned Saudi hospitality.”

She noted that Abdulrahman, even before converting to Islam, had shown a deep interest in Islamic culture and architecture. During his time in Saudi Arabia, he was struck by the architectural similarities between traditional houses in Jeddah’s historic district and Andalusian design.

“He saw something of Andalusia in Jeddah’s old homes, in their mashrabiyas and warm spirit, despite the difference in language,” Lamia said. With her background in architecture, she helped him appreciate the details of Islamic design and its aesthetic depth.

Lamia also described her own experience visiting Spain, her husband’s homeland: “I felt at home, among my own people - only the language was different.”

As for the man behind the ring’s inspiration, renowned British designer Richard Fox revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat the philosophy behind his trophy designs. Fox has been crafting the Formula 1 World Championship trophies for nearly four decades and has designed all Saudi Arabian Grand Prix trophies since the inaugural race in 2021.

Fox explained that his designs aim to reflect Saudi Arabia’s rich cultural identity. The top of the Saudi Grand Prix trophy features a pink-gold palm tree, symbolizing the Kingdom. Below it are six columns plated inside and out, representing a dialogue between the past and the future, and vice versa.

The upper section of the trophy features design elements inspired by traditional Jeddah mashrabiyas. The trophy’s silhouette draws from a mosque in Riyadh designed by the late Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, while its base includes a silver dome engraved with the golden palm-and-crossed-swords emblem of Saudi Arabia.

Around the dome are intricate traditional patterns from various regions of the Kingdom, modeled after the royal carpet. The base of the trophy represents the championship platform, and the trophy itself stands nearly three-quarters of a meter tall.

Through a blend of heritage, symbolism, and personal meaning, the ring designed for Abdulrahman and Lamia stands as a testament to how love, motorsport, and culture can intertwine in the most unexpected ways, ultimately forming a bond that transcends borders.