Al-Jaish SC (Syria)

Al-Jaish Sports Club (Arabic: نادي الجيش الرياضي) is a professional football club based in Damascus, Syria that competes in the Syrian Premier League. It was founded in 1947.^[1] The club plays at the Al-Fayhaa Stadium in Damascus. The team colors are red and white.^[2] Al-Jaish have won 17 official league titles, 9 Syrian Cups and 3 Syrian Super Cups. Between 2015 and 2019, it won five consecutive league titles. Al-Jaish have won the domestic double four times.

Al-Jaish

Full name	Al-Jaish Sports Club
Nickname(s)	The Leader (Arabic: الزعيم, romanized: Al-Zaim)
Founded	1947; 78 years ago (1947) as Al-Jaish SC
Ground	Al-Fayhaa Stadium
Capacity	12,000
Manager	Maher Bahri
League	Syrian Premier League
2023–24	Syrian Premier League, 8th
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Al-Jaish active sections
Football	Basketball

In 2004, Al-Jaish became the first Syrian club to ever win the AFC Cup, defeating Al-Wahda SC in the final. Al-Jaish have participated in the group stage of the AFC Champions League and have previously reached the finals of the Arab Club Champions Cup, Arab Cup Winners' Cup twice and Arab Super Cup once.^[3][4]

Al-Jaish Sports Club also takes part in other sports like basketball, handball, volleyball and rugby sevens.^{[citation needed]}

History

The club was founded in 1947. In its history, the club was the champion of Syria seventeen times.^[5] They also won nine Syrian Cups in 1967, 1986, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2014 and 2018, and three Syrian Super Cups in 2013, 2018 and 2019.^[6]

In 2004, the club also achieved international success. In the AFC Cup finals they defeated on aggregate Al-Wahda Damascus (3:2, 0:1).^[7]

Honours

Domestic

• Syrian League: 17
  • Champion: 1972–73, 1975–76, 1978–79, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
• Syrian Cup: 9
  • Champion: 1967, 1986, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2014, 2018
• Syrian Super Cup: 3
  • Champion: 2013, 2018, 2019

Continental

• AFC Cup: 1
  • Champion: 2004

Regional

• Arab Club Champions Cup
  • Runner-up: 1999, 2000
• Arab Cup Winners' Cup
  • Runner-up: 1998, 1999
• Arab Super Cup
  • Runner-up: 1999

Stadiums

Al-Fayhaa Stadium

Main article: Al-Fayhaa Stadium (Damascus)

Al-Fayhaa Stadium as seen from Mount Qasioun in 2007

Al-Fayhaa Stadium is located in the city center of Damascus, Syria. In April 2020, it was converted into an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 12,000 seats.^{[citation needed]}

Abbasiyyin Stadium

Main article: Abbasiyyin Stadium

Abbasiyyin stadium in 2007

Abbasiyyin Stadium is located in the centre of Damascus, directly behind the district Al-Sufanyya. After the most recent renovation in March 2011, Abbasiyyin Stadium was turned into an all-seater stadium and the capacity was reduced to 30,000 seats.^[8]

Colours and kits

Shirt sponsor & kit manufacturer

Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor
2012–2016	Adidas	Syriatel
2016–2018	Adidas	Cham Wings Airlines
2018–2019	MBB Apparel	None
2019–2020	Nike	Sinalco
2020–2021	Adidas
2021–	Diadora

Performance in AFC competitions

See also: Syrian football clubs in the AFC Cup

• AFC Champions League: 3 appearances

2002–03: Qualifying West – 4th Round

2005: Group Stage

2022: Qualifying Stage

• AFC Cup: 10 appearances

2004: Champion

2010: Group Stage

2011: Group Stage

2012: Group Stage

2014: Group Stage

2015: Quarterfinals

2016: Quarterfinals

2017: Group Stage

2018: Group Stage

2019: West Asian Zonal semifinals

2020: Cancelled

• Asian Cup Winners Cup: 1 appearance

1999–00: Second Round

Current squad

As of 6 June 2024^[9]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  SYR Abdul Latif Nassan 2 DF  SYR Wessam Sallom 3 DF  SYR Moayad Ajan 4 DF  SYR Mustafa Safrani 5 MF  SYR Ahmed Khattab 6 MF  SYR Mohammad Adham Sharefa 7 MF  SYR Osama Omari 8 MF  SYR Ahmad Rajab 9 FW  SYR Basil Mustafa 10 MF  SYR Khaled Mobayed 11 FW  SYR Adnan Al-Taki 12 MF  SYR Ahad Almulahmar 13 GK  SYR Radwan Al Azhar 14 MF  SYR Muhammed Alqassem 17 FW  SYR Ali Said 19 DF  SYR Muhammad Rami Al-Turk

No. Pos. Nation Player 20 MF  SYR Nouri Khamis 21 MF  SYR Haidar Mohammed 22 MF  SYR Hamid Mido 24 DF  SYR Hadi Al Massri 25 FW  SYR Ismail Al Sebrani 26 MF  SYR Mohammad Fares 28 MF  SYR Abdul Razzak Al-Bostani 30 DF  SYR Jihad Al-Baour 55 GK  SYR Yamen Motlaq 66 DF  SYR Khattab Meshleb 77 MF  BRA Malcom 81 DF  SYR Hamza Suleiman 90 DF  SYR Muayad Al-Khouli 93 MF  SYR Omar Al-Turk 95 GK  SYR Khaled Ibrahim 99 FW  SYR Mohammed Al Wakid

Notable former players

Further information: Category:Al-Jaish SC (Syria) players

• Hassouneh Al-Sheikh
• Ahmed Hayel
• Tudor Mihail
• Yasser Akra
• Jehad Al Baour
• Majed Al Haj
• Mohamad Afa Al Rifai
• Ahmad Al Salih
• Mohamed Bairouti
• Raghdan Shehadeh
• Said Bayazid
• Ahmad Azzam
• Nihad Haj Moustafa
• Maher Al Sayed
• Feras Esmaeel
• Kawa Hesso
• Mutaz Kailouni
• Burhan Sahyouni
• Hazem Harba
• Phillimon Chepita
• Zachariah Simukonda
• Basel Abdoulfattakh

Top scorer

Jacob Mattheus
Detail	Syria League	AFC	Total
Goals	114	5	119

References

1. "Al-Jaish SC". Eurosport. Archived from the original on 10 February 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
2. "Three AFC Asian Cup matches to be played in Saudi Arabia". Arab News. 28 April 2019. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
3. "Arab Clubs Super Cup 1999". goalzz.com. Archived from the original on 3 January 2019.
4. "goalzz.com: Live sports scores, news and more". www.goalzz.com. Archived from the original on 2 October 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
5. "Syria - List of Champions". Rsssf.com. Archived from the original on 30 July 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
6. "Syria - List of Cup Winners". Rsssf.com. Archived from the original on 24 July 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
7. "AFC Cup 2004". Rsssf.com. Archived from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
8. "جريدة البعث". Archived from the original on 15 March 2011. Retrieved 29 February 2012. Al-Baath newspaper 10 March 2011
9. "Al Taawoun FC (5-4 PSO) Al-Jaish SC". The-afc.com. Archived from the original on 1 June 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.

External links

• Official website (in Arabic) (archived 10 September 2011)