📢 Emara Compares Football Salaries Then and Now
Former Al Ahly and Egypt international Mohamed Emara has spoken about the dramatic rise in football salaries in Egypt, highlighting the huge financial gap between his generation and the current era.
Speaking to presenter Seham Saleh on the “El Clasico” program on ON E, Emara explained that he had previously discussed the size of modern player salaries with Mokhtar Mokhtar, chairman of Al Ahly’s planning committee.
According to Emara, Mokhtar Mokhtar told him that these were simply the figures currently used in football and that clubs had to deal with the new financial reality.
⭐ Hossam Hassan Was the Highest-Paid
Emara revealed that Hossam Hassan was the highest-paid player among the stars of his generation, earning around EGP 75,000.
The figure also matches previous comments made by Emara, who recalled that Hassan earned this amount while playing for Al Ahly, at a time when football contracts and financial regulations were very different from those of today.
Emara believes the figure, which represented a significant amount during that period, looks relatively small when compared with the massive salaries and contracts seen in modern Egyptian football.
🔥 “The Numbers Are Completely Different Now”
The former Al Ahly star also pointed to the significant rise in salaries at Egypt’s two biggest clubs, Al Ahly and Zamalek.
From his perspective, the current figures have become excessive compared with the amounts paid during his playing days, highlighting just how dramatically the financial side of the sport has changed.
💰 How Much Did Players Earn in Emara’s Era?
According to previous comments from Emara, he signed for Al Ahly in 1996 after joining from Baladeyet El Mahalla on a five-year contract worth EGP 50,000 per season.
He also recalled that Hossam Hassan was earning approximately EGP 75,000 at the time. Emara explained that players during that era also relied heavily on bonuses in addition to their contractual salaries.
Those figures offer an interesting comparison with the modern Egyptian football market, where salaries and transfer fees have become major components of clubs’ budgets.
📢 Mokhtar Mokhtar: “These Are the Numbers Now”
Emara also recalled his conversation with Mokhtar Mokhtar, who explained that the sharp increase in player wages had become a reality created by the development of the football market.
The former Al Ahly star’s comments therefore provide a clear comparison between two very different eras of Egyptian football, with the financial value of contracts changing dramatically over time.
🏆 Two Different Eras of Egyptian Football
Emara’s comments highlight the huge financial transformation experienced by Egyptian football.
While the highest salary in his generation was, according to his account, around EGP 75,000, modern players can command significantly higher salaries as clubs compete to sign and retain top talent.
The comparison reflects not only changes in football itself, but also the evolution of the wider financial market surrounding the sport.
Do you think player salaries at Al Ahly and Zamalek have become excessive, or are these figures simply part of modern football? ⚽🔥
