Jurcic hails Egyptian fans after historic TotalEnergies CAF Champions League triumph
Pyramids FC head coach Krunoslav Jurčić has expressed heartfelt gratitude to Egyptian fans after guiding the club to their first-ever TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title.
The Egyptian side sealed a 2-1 victory over South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns in Cairo on Sunday night, clinching the final 3-2 on aggregate and completing a remarkable journey under the Croatian tactician.
'I don't know what to say,' Jurcic said who looked stunned after the final whistle following the heroics of his team.
'We succeeded in winning the CAF Champions League, and we deserved it. I consider winning the title a reward for the work we put in throughout the season.'
The 54-year-old coach, who previously led clubs in Croatia and the Gulf, became the first Croatian to lift Africa's most prestigious club trophy.
Pyramids' triumph makes them the fourth Egyptian club to win the competition after Al Ahly, Zamalek, and Ismaily — and the fifth Egyptian side overall to win a continental title following Arab Contractors in the CAF Cup Winners' Cup.
In a tightly contested match at the 30 June Air Defence Stadium, Congolese striker Fiston Mayele scored the opener before Ahmed Samy doubled the lead for the hosts.
Despite a second-half strike from Sundowns' Iqraam Rayners, Pyramids held firm to lift the new-look silver and gold CAF Champions League trophy.
Jurčić singled out the Egyptian supporters for their role in the final. 'I thank the Egyptian fans for supporting Pyramids in the CAF Champions League final.
"The fans flocked here to cheer us on. I asked them to do so, and I thank them for fulfilling my request,' he said.
He added: 'The Egyptian fans gave us special energy and helped Pyramids beat Sundowns. We were all together.'
The victory ensures Pyramids a place in multiple prestigious competitions: they will face Moroccan side RS Berkane in the 2025 CAF Super Cup, compete in the 2025 Intercontinental Cup against the winner of Auckland City and Al-Ahly Jeddah, and represent Africa at the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
The Cairo-based side's dramatic rise under Jurčić marks a new era in Egyptian football, as Pyramids join the elite of African club football — both on the pitch and on the international stage.
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