Gamil Osman came from a notable Egyptian political family, but one that was also involved in the pioneering of organized football in the country. Gamil and his brother Zaki played for several teams, but were most notable for their stints with Al-Ahly and both represented their country at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics, where Egypt was eliminated in round one by Italy. Gamil was also selected as a reserve for the 1924 Olympic tournament, but did not see any playing time. While Zaki went on to be an administrator and international referee, Gamil made his mark as Al-Ahly’s first Egyptian head coach and manager, a position to which he was appointed in 1926, albeit in a joint-role as player for the first few years. He held this position until the 1940s, when he was succeeded by Mokhtar El-Tetsh, but remained active as the head of Al-Ahly’s successful junior team through the 1950s.
Egypt