Al-Najaf Sports Club (Arabic: نادي النجف الرياضي) is an Iraqi professional football club based in Najaf. They are members of the Iraq Stars League. Al-Najaf has competed in the 2007 AFC Champions League.
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| Full name | Al-Najaf Sports Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Ghizlan Al-Badiah (Desert Gazelles) | ||
| Founded | 1961 | ||
| Ground | Al-Najaf International Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 30,000 | ||
| Chairman | Ali Nayef Al-Ghazali | ||
| Manager | Abdul-Ghani Shahad | ||
| League | Iraq Stars League | ||
| 2023–24 | Iraq Stars League, 4th of 20 | ||
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History
In 1960, the city of Najaf began an active movement to establish a sports club after the athletes then felt the need of the city to a sports club that absorbed the energies of young people and their creations which are almost lost in the amateur leagues. Some of the dignitaries of the city were contacted for this purpose.[1] The request was submitted to the Ministry of the Interior, which was responsible for the authorisation of sports clubs in Iraq at that time. The name of Al Ghiri Sports Club was proposed for this institution. In 1961, the Ministry of the Interior approved their request to establish the club and thus wrote the birth certificate of the first sports club in the city of Najaf and consisted of the first administrative body of Messrs. Naji Hassan Hasswa as president and Maki Hadi Maala Vice-President and Alwan Elsafer as secretary.[2] At the beginning of the establishment of the club, the Ministry of the Interior allocated an annual grant of 60 dinars divided into two instalments, and the club relied on this grant and monthly subscriptions from its members.
Stadiums
New Najaf Stadium is a purpose built football stadium that is the current home stadium of Al-Najaf. It opened in 2018, with a capacity of 30,000 people. Until 2018, the club played its home matches at An-Najaf Stadium (Arabic: ستاد النجف).
Current squad
First-team squad
- As of 20 September 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Current technical staff
| Position | Name | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Coach: | Abdul-Ghani Shahad |  |
| Assistant coach: | Dhiyya Falih | |
| Goalkeeping coach: | Mohammed Abdul-Zahra | |
| Fitness coach: | Salah Hashim | |
| Team supervisor: | Fadhel Mohammed | |
| Team manager: | Mohammed Abdul Hussein | |
| Team Doctor: | Haitham Abdul Amir | |
| U-19 Coach: | Haider Lafta | |
Updated to match played 25 September 2020
Source: Alsabaah.iq
Managerial history
Since the club's promotion to the Iraqi Premier League in the 1987–88 season so far, twenty-six coaches have led the team:[3][4]
Mohammed Hussein Ismail (1974–1976)- Alwan Mena (1976–1977)
- Nasrat Nasser (1977–1978)
- Mohammed Hussein Ismail (1978–1982)
- Alwan Mena (1982–1985)
- Hatif Shamran (1985–1986)
- Alwan Mena (1986–1988)
Najeh Humoud (1988–1991)- Wathiq Naji (1991–1992)
- Hatif Shamran (1992)
- Noman Kadhim & Raheem Jassim (1992–1993)
- Najeh Humoud (1993–1998)
- Hadi Mutanish (1998–1999)
- Ali Kadhim (1999)
- Abdul Ghani Shahad (1999)
- Najeh Humoud (1999–2002)
Abdul Ghani Shahad (2002–2008)- Hatif Shamran (2008–2009)
- Majed Najem (2009–2010)
- Abdul Ghani Shahad (2010–2012)
- Hatif Shamran (2012)
- Abdul Ghani Shahad (2012–2013)
- Yahya Alwan (2013)
- Hassan Ahmed (2013)
- Qahtan Chathir (2013–2014)
- Salman Hussein (2014)
- Haider Yahya (2014)
- Hatif Shamran (2014)
- Haider Yahya (2014)
- Hameed Salman (2014–2015)
- Ali Wahab (2015)
- Emad Mohammed (2015–2016)
- Hatif Shamran (2016)
- Emad Mohammed (2016–2017)
- Nadhim Shaker (2017–2018)
- Ali Hashim (2018)
- Ahmed Khalef (2018)
- Mudhafar Jabbar (2018)
- Thair Jassam (2018–2019)
- Chasib Sultan (2019)
- Hassan Ahmad (2019–2021)
- Haidar Aboodi (2021)
- Hatif Shamran (2021)
- Haidar Aboodi (2021–present)
Honours
Domestic
- Iraq Stars League
- Umm al-Ma'arik Championship
- Winners (1): 1997–98
Friendly
- Victory and Peace Championship
- Winners (1): 1992
- Love Championship
- Winners (1): 2003
Performance in AFC Competitions
- AFC Champions League: 1 appearance
- 2007: Group stage
Statistics
In domestic competitions
| Year | Stars League | Iraq Cup | Super Cup | Umm al-Ma'arik |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987–88 | 16 | - | not held | Started in 1991 |
| 1988–89 | 6 | Round of 32 | not held | |
| 1989–90 | 8 | Quarter-final | not held | |
| 1990–91 | 7 | Quarter-final | not held | |
| 1991–92 | 6 | Round of 16 | not held | Group stage |
| 1992–93 | 15 | Second round | not held | Group stage |
| 1993–94 | 4 | - | not held | did not qualify |
| 1994–95 | 3 | - | not held | 4 |
| 1995–96 | Runner-up | - | not held | Group stage |
| 1996–97 | 4 | Quarter-final | did not qualify | 3 |
| 1997–98 | 4 | Round of 16 | did not qualify | Winner |
| 1998–99 | 8 | Round of 32 | not held | Group stage |
| 1999–2000 | 9 | Round of 16 | did not qualify | Group stage |
| 2000–01 | 6 | not held | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2001–02 | 5 | Semi-final | did not qualify | Group stage |
| 2002–03 | not finished | Quarter-final | did not qualify | Group stage |
| 2003–04 | not finished | not held | not held | Group stage |
| 2004–05 | 6 | not held | not held | Abolished in 2004 |
| 2005–06 | Runner-up | not held | not held | |
| 2006–07 | 3 | not held | not held | |
| 2007–08 | 5 | not held | not held | |
| 2008–09 | Runner-up | not held | not held | |
| 2009–10 | 11 | not held | not held | |
| 2010–11 | 11 | not held | not held | |
| 2011–12 | 9 | not held | not held | |
| 2012–13 | 11 | not finished | not held | |
| 2013–14 | 15 | not held | not held | |
| 2014–15 | 17 | not held | not held | |
| 2015–16 | 13 | did not enter | not held | |
| 2016–17 | 9 | Round of 16 | not held | |
| 2017–18 | 6 | not held | did not qualify | |
| 2018–19 | 12 | Round of 16 | not held | |
| 2019–20 | not finished | not finished | did not qualify | |
| 2020–21 | 3 | Round of 16 | not held | |
| 2021–22 | 7 | Round of 16 | did not qualify | |
| 2022–23 | 7 | Round of 32 | ||
| 2023–24 | 4 | Round of 16 |
See also
References
External links
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