Egyptian club Ceramica Cleopatra announced on Thursday the appointment of Saad Samir as director of football for the first team, one day after he announced his retirement from playing. The Egyptian club issued a press statement saying: 'Ceramica Cleopatra announces the appointment of Saad Samir as football director for the first team, as part of the club's strategy aimed at strengthening the administrative system and benefiting from national competencies that possess experience, vision, and the ability to make a difference.' The statement added: 'Samir is considered one of the most prominent defenders in Egyptian football, having carved his name in golden letters in...'

the stadiums, achieving an exceptional career full of domestic, continental, and international titles and achievements, and known over many years for his professionalism, discipline, and leadership personality, becoming one of the distinguished models inside and outside the pitch. His decision to retire from football was not the end of his career, but rather the beginning of a new phase of giving, as he prepared for this role by developing himself scientifically and practically. His selection as football director comes from the great confidence in his abilities, and the accumulated experience he gained over many years within the biggest clubs and tournaments, in addition to his leadership personality and his ability to manage the system with a team spirit, serving the club's goals and enhancing its ambitions in the coming period.'

Samir, 37, on Wednesday drew the curtain on a sporting career in which he won 28 titles, most of them with Al Ahly, before concluding his journey with Ceramica Cleopatra. Samir played for 14 years in the ranks of Al Ahly, winning 26 titles, and won two titles in the League Cup with Ceramica Cleopatra. Samir represented the Egyptian national team at all age levels, starting from the youth teams, U-20, Olympic team, up to the senior national team, and participated in the Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, and was among the 'Pharaohs' squad in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and also played for several other Egyptian clubs.