Ahmed Fathi, the former Al Ahly and Pyramids star, spoke in a television interview about the behind-the-scenes details of his departure from the Red Castle and the national team armband issue.

Fathi said on Al-Nahar channel: "I didn't earn large sums with Al Ahly over 12 years. The value of my last contract with the club was 3 million pounds, with an endorsement worth slightly more than a million pounds."

He added, "But Al Ahly is the club I love to play for, regardless of the financial offer. I received a much bigger offer from Zamalek, but it was impossible for me to end my career with them. I have been an Al Ahly fan since I was a child and I still support them."

He also said: "I prayed Istikhara 300 times in one year and eventually made the difficult decision to leave after having won all possible titles with Al Ahly. My departure came after I realized that Al Ahly no longer wanted me to stay."

Regarding the national team captaincy issue, he said: "The team officials spoke to me about relinquishing the captaincy, and I refused because it was an unnatural request. After being absent from the team for several camps, I was called back. My wife advised me to agree, especially since I was 37 years old at the time."

He concluded: "When I returned to the national team, I left the captain's armband. I love Mohamed Salah, and I spoke with him before his move to Liverpool. If he had asked for the armband, I would have given it up willingly. I asked him, 'Do you want it?' but he told me that the officials were the ones who offered it to him."