• Defending champs Zahira shell-shocked!

Sri Lanka’s most sought after footballing rivalry in any form, whether it be the club arena or schools, the Zahira-Hameedia clash is a perennial rivalry that goes back many decades of sheer passion and sporting class. Zahira College Colombo- the former champions, took on Hameed Al Husseinie College Colombo- the former runner-up in the grand finale of the Renown President’s Cup Football Finals at the home of local football, the Sugathadasa Stadium. Ironically this match-up was a re-match of last year’s finals where the Zahirians triumphed in emphatic fashion in a historic 6-0 victory. However this time around the Hameedians proved to be the better side by playing as a formidable unit to oust the defending champs and clinched the title by scoring 4 goals against 2. 

This was Hameed Al Husseinie College’s second back to back major trophy win in just 2 days. Previously they clinched the championship of the Oxford Presidents Cup - 2024, beating S. Thomas’ College Mt. Lavinia 3-0 at Sugathadasa Stadium under lights. Mohamed Abdulla and Mohamed Umar's top performance gave them a 4-1 lead in the 1st half of the game. However, Zahira College fought hard, keeping possession and scored another goal. Both teams played some eye-catching football to the delight of the spectators.

The tournament is organised by the Renown Football Club, one of the premier football playing clubs and junior academies in Sri Lanka. The victorious Hameedians are coached under the guidance of former captain of Zahira College and coach/player of Ratnam SC, Fazul Rahuman. In 2023 Hameed Al Husseinie revolutionised their football setup to bring back their glory days and were crowned All Island Under-18 and Under-16 champions to set a benchmark for the future footballers of the school. The school also continued their dominance in the Colombo District and Western Province tournaments as champions.