The Fifth Settlement Misdemeanor Court in New Cairo, today, Thursday, brought to a close one of the cases that has recently occupied the sports public opinion in Egypt, as it sentenced Ali Ghazal , the former Egyptian national team player who plays professionally in several European leagues, to imprisonment for 3 years with labor, and a financial bail of 20,000 pounds to temporarily suspend the execution.
The grounds for the verdict and details of the charges
The verdict came after the former player was accused of fraud and misappropriating funds through deceptive means, in addition to issuing checks without sufficient funds. The case stemmed from a series of complaints filed by several victims, including businessmen and former teammates, accusing him of embezzling substantial sums of money.
Public prosecution investigations revealed that Ghazal, in collusion with others (including a fugitive), established a fictitious company claiming to specialize in importing mobile phones from Europe. He deceived his victims by promising them attractive monthly profits and financial returns on their investments. Case files indicate that the total amount involved in one instance exceeded 7 million Egyptian pounds. Ghazal then ceased paying the agreed-upon profits, and it was later discovered that the guarantee checks he had issued were worthless, prompting the victims to seek legal recourse.
Accumulated criminal record
This is not the first ruling of its kind against the former Pharaohs defender; it confirms a series of in absentia judgments previously issued against him. Security forces had arrested him to enforce 26 court rulings in cases of embezzlement and bounced checks, and the New Cairo Misdemeanor Appeals Court upheld these rulings after rejecting his appeals.
From football glory to financial crises
Ali Ghazal's (33 years old) sporting history adds a tragic dimension to this incident. The player now behind bars was once one of the most prominent Egyptian professionals playing abroad. Ghazal began his professional career strongly, making his mark in European leagues, most notably with the Portuguese club Nacional Madeira , where he became the first Egyptian player to captain a Portuguese team.
He also had various professional stints with Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande, American club Vancouver Whitecaps, and Greek club Larissa, before returning to Egypt to play for Smouha, Misr El-Makasa, and Wadi Degla. Internationally, he earned 11 caps for the Egyptian national team and was a regular starter for the Pharaohs' coaching staff in previous years.
The phenomenon of post-retirement crises
The case of Ali Ghazal opens the door to a discussion about the challenges facing footballers after they hang up their boots and retire from playing. After Ghazal officially announced his retirement in 2023 and moved into coaching as an assistant coach, he quickly found himself beset by financial crises and legal issues as a result of entering the business world without sufficient preparation. This is a trap that many athletes fall into when they seek to invest their savings in quick-profit but legally risky commercial projects.
