Football fun

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ALTHOUGH there are at least four clubs nearby, the teenagers of Nasr City are not members. Consequently, they have resorted to playing futsal, or five-a-side football, on a side street or, when necessary, a car park. And they are doing so for the third successive Ramadan, a month in which entertainment is seriously sought after.

Futsal is extremely popular throughout Egypt in the holy month, especially among youths who have no direct access to clubs or youth centres. Sixteen teams, each consisting of five players, participate in Nasr City's mini-tournaments. Youths from the same neighbourhood pool the nominal fees they pay to organise the event. It's not unusual to find several professional football players among the amateurs. A premium is placed not on winning but sharing. Because they play in the street where there is often poor lighting, the footballers play in the afternoon up until dusk, when the Ramadan cannon is fired, signifying that the fast can be broken.

Mohamed El-Gazzar is one of the organisers and a player. "We organise the event every Ramadan to waste time before iftar. It's something healthy for us," El-Gazzar told Al-Ahram Weekly. "Our small private league has become one of the rituals of Ramadan. At the end, we give away prizes which we buy using the fees the players paid."

Despite the huge number of players who participate, there are those who prefer to watch. In either case, it's a good way to keep kids on the streets.

photo: Ahmed Morsi