Al-Ahly Football Formation

Starting Lineup

EL SHENAWY · HANY · DARI · IBRAHIM · KOKA · FATHY · ATTIA · ROMDHANE (EL SHAHAT) · ASHOUR (ZIZO) ((MAGDY.A)) · ALI (GRADISAR) · TRÉZÉGUET (T. MOHAMED)

Al-Ahly aims to play a direct and defensively solid style of football using a 5-3-2 formation. This lineup focuses on being hard to break down while staying ready to strike when the opposition leaves gaps. The team looks to control the central areas before launching quick movements into the final third.

In front of the goal stands EL SHENAWY, who acts as the last line of defense. The defensive unit operates in a back five, utilizing attacking wing backs to provide width. KOKA operates as the left wing back while HANY pushes forward from the right wing back position to support the attack. In the center, ATTIA sits deep to anchor the line, flanked by IBRAHIM and DARI. IBRAHIM and DARI act as central defenders who need to win the second ball and cover the space left behind when the wing backs push up. This defensive unit works to maintain a narrow defensive block to deny space in the middle.

The midfield functions as a three-man midfield with a carrier and a creative hub. ROMDHANE and FATHY occupy the central roles to shield the defense and win possession. ROMDHANE works to connect the defensive and attacking lines by recycling possession. ASHOUR operates as an attacking ten behind the striker, looking to play through the lines and find pockets of space. ASHOUR can drive forward with the ball to link the midfield to the front two. This group must press in a mid-block to force a long ball from the opponent.

The attacking structure relies on two forwards in a partnership to stretch the opposition. TRÉZÉGUET and ALI lead the line, often looking to exploit space behind the defenders. TRÉZÉGUET often uses his pace to run in behind, while ALI works to hold up the ball and bring others into play. The team builds the attack through the wide areas when HANY or KOKA overlap the winger or provide width. These forwards also press from the front to trigger a press when the ball is played to the opposition defenders.

Al-Ahly gains a major advantage through the ability to shift between shapes, moving from a back five to a back three during attacking phases. The presence of ASHOUR in the hole creates numerical superiority in midfield when the wing backs push up. This setup also allows the team to remain compact when defending, making it very difficult for opponents to find passing lanes through the center.

This 5-3-2 formation is built to absorb pressure and hit teams on the transition. It is best suited for matches against heavy possession sides where the team can sit deep and counter at pace.