Al-Rayyan SC

Summary

Al-Rayyan Sports Club (Arabic: نادي الريان الرياضي) is a Qatari multi-sports club fielding teams in a number of sports such as football, futsal, basketball, volleyball, handball, athletics, table tennis, and swimming. It is based at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Umm Al Afaei in the city of Al Rayyan. The club was founded in 1967 after merging the old Rayyan team with Nusoor Club. The official team colours are red and black.

Al-Rayyan SC
Full nameAl-Rayyan Sports Club
Nickname(s)The Lions
Founded1967; 57 years ago (1967)
GroundAhmad bin Ali Stadium
Capacity40,740
ChairmanAl Qaqa bin Hamad Al Thani
ManagerLeonardo Jardim
LeagueQatar Stars League
2022–23Qatar Stars League, 9th of 12
WebsiteClub website
Al Rayyan's active sections

Football

Basketball

Handball

Volleyball

Futsal

Athletics

They have won numerous titles in all sports, including two Asian championships in basketball, the Arab championship in handball, futsal domestic titles, table tennis, and volleyball, as well as numerous GCC basketball, handball, and volleyball championships. Both the basketball and handball teams have qualified for the world championships. However, the football team gets the most attention from the club officials, media, and fans.[1][2]

History edit

1967–1973: Founding edit

Al Rayyan's history goes back to the mid-1960s when it was known as Old Al Rayyan. Old Al Rayyan, though an amateur football team, competed in matches arranged throughout the whole country, not being limited to the city in which it was based. Their headquarters was in a two-bedroom house, and they played their matches on a football field in a school based in the New Rayyan area. The club relied on donations from the fans during this period.[3]

In 1967, Al Rayyan began as a combination of two groups called " new Al Rayyan’sons and old al-Rayyan’son". In 1967, Al-Rayyan started its factory. From 1967 until now, Al-Rayyan has won many trophies not only in soccer even in the rest of the games such as handball, basketball and volleyball. The people who contributed to build Al Rayyan knew that this team would not be a regular team, but it will also represent the culture of the city of Al Rayyan outside of Qatar. In 2008, the club established magazine called SOUT AL RAYYAN (The Voice of Al Rayyan) which is the first magazine that cares about Al Rayyan news, and it is the only team's magazine in Qatar.[4]

They applied to be a member club of the Qatar Football Association, but were rejected with the QFA proposing that they merge with Al Nusoor, a local sports club also based in Al Rayyan. In 1967, after an announcement by the Al Rayyan Sports Committee that Old Al Rayyan would merge with Al Nusoor, Al Rayyan SC was officially founded. A new headquarters was established to accommodate increased size demands as a result of the merger. The first head coach of Al Rayyan was Ashour Salem, a Sudanese national, who, besides working as a local physical education coach, trained the first team and youth team. In the early years, the club branched out to other sports, notably basketball and handball. As a result of donations from the club supporters, Al Rayyan was able to establish their home grounds in Doha Stadium, the largest stadium in Qatar at that time.[3]

1973–1988: Early history edit

The club had success in the Qatar Stars League within the first decade of its formation, with the club participating in their first official season in 1972–73. In the 1974–75, after a mass brawl between the fans and players of Al Rayyan and Al Sadd, the QFA relegated Al Rayyan, who were in 2nd place at the time, to the second division. They won back promotion the following season and achieved their first league title 1976. In the 1977 season, the QFA annulled the results of Al Rayyan due to actions which took place in a match against Al Arabi. The perpetrator, who was an Al Arabi player by the name of Yassin Mustafa, was banned permanently from all league matches whereas the two clubs were warned.[5]

In 1983, under the leadership of Mohammed Bin Hammam Al Abdulla, a new club headquarters and home stadium were constructed. They won the league with a negative goal difference in 1983–84, making them one of the only 6 teams in the world and the only Qatari team in history to achieve this feat.[6]

1988–2000: Relegation and return to glory edit

In the 1987–88 season, much to the surprise of critics and fans, they got relegated for the first time in league history.[7] The relegation was preceded by a 0–1 loss to Al Sadd, as Hassan Jowhar scored a header goal which would prove to be the final nail in the coffin of Al Rayyan.[5] They won back promotion to the premier league in their first season in the second division.[citation needed]

They would go on to win the league in 1990, the same season they were promoted back to the first division, beating out rivals Al Sadd. They won an additional league title in 1995.[citation needed]

2000–2013: League title drought edit

They inaugurated their home ground, Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, in 2003 during the reign of Sheikh Mishaal Al Thani. The first match held on the grounds was the 2003 Emir Cup finals.[citation needed]

The club has not experienced much league success as of late, with the last successful league campaign being in 1994–95; however they finished third in the 2010–11 season under Paulo Autuori. Nonetheless, they faced great success in the Emir's Cup and Heir Apparent Cup winning eight cups in total in 14 years.[citation needed]

2014–: Return to success edit

In 2014–15 the club won the Qatargas League and returned to Qatar Stars League. On 28 November 2015, Al-Rayyan Broke the record of most consecutive league matches won to 11.[citation needed]

On 5 March 2016, after 21 years Al-Rayyan won the league once again, and became the first ever team to win both leagues in two years.[8]

Supporters edit

 
Al Rayyan fans in an Emir Cup final.

Al-Rayyan is one of the most popular clubs in Qatar and is supported throughout the Gulf region,[9] as well as other parts of the world due to their high-profile signings.[2] In 2010, they had the highest attendance in the Qatar Stars League.[10] The fan club won the QFA-sanctioned award of "best fans" in the 2008–09 season, and shared the award with Al Sadd in the 2012–13 season.[11]

Rivalries edit

Al Arabi edit

Head-to-head edit

Since 1994 Updated 26 September 2023

Head-to-head
Competition P W D ND L GF GA GD CSF CSA Top Scorer For Top Scorer Against
Qatar Stars League 63 27 19 3 17 108 87 +21 17 8 Sonny Anderson (8) Waleed Hamzah (8)

Al Sadd edit

Head-to-head edit

Since 1995 Updated 22 September 2023

Head-to-head
Competition P W D ND L GF GA GD CSF CSA Top Scorer For Top Scorer Against
Qatar Stars League 61 20 13 5 28 79 104 -25 13 19 Rodrigo Tabata (4) Baghdad Bounedjah (14)

Al Gharafa edit

Head-to-head edit

Since 1995 Updated 21 September 2023

Head-to-head
Competition P W D ND L GF GA GD CSF CSA Top Scorer For Top Scorer Against
Qatar Stars League 59 15 18 3 26 87 109 -22 8 12 Rodrigo Tabata (10) Younis Mahmoud (9)

Al Duhail edit

Head-to-head edit

Updated 21 September 2023

Head-to-head
Competition P W D ND L GF GA GD CSF CSA Top Scorer For Top Scorer Against
Qatar Stars League 24 6 7 2 11 36 45 -9 4 7 Sebastián Soria (5) Youssef El-Arabi (6)

Honours edit

As of 9 May 2023[12][13]

League

Cup

Continental record edit

Season Competition Round Opponent Home Away Aggregate
1991 Asian Club Championship 1R   Al-Orouba 4–2 1−0 5–2
QF   Port Authority
3–1
1st
  Al Shabab
2–1
  Mohammedan
3–1
SF   Esteghlal
1–2
1–2
Third Place   Al Shabab
2–2
2–2 (5–4 p)
1996–97 Asian Club Championship 2R   Kazma 1–1 1−0 2–1
QF   Al-Nassr
2–1
4th
  Al-Zawraa
0–2
  Persepolis
1–2
1997–98 Asian Club Championship 1R   Al-Riffa w/o[A]
2R   Al-Hilal 0–0 2–3 2–3
2005 AFC Champions League Group A   PAS Tehran 1–2 1–2 3rd
  Al-Salmiya 2–1 0–2
  Al-Shorta 2–0 0–0
2007 AFC Champions League Group A   Al Wahda 0–1 0–3 4th
  Al-Zawraa 1–3 0–0
  Al-Arabi 1–3 1–1
2010 AFC Cup Group E   Al-Wehdat 3–0 4–2 1st
  Al-Nahda 3–2 2–0
  Al-Riffa 0–2 4–1
R16   Muangthong United 1–1 1–1 (2–4 p)
2011 AFC Champions League Group D   Al-Shabab 1–1 0–1 4th
  Emirates 2–0 0–2
  Zob Ahan 1–3 0–1
2012 AFC Champions League Group A   Esteghlal 0–1 0–3 3rd
  Al Jazira 3–4 2–3
  Nasaf Qarshi 3–1 1–0
2013 AFC Champions League Group D   Esteghlal 3–3 0–3 4th
  Al-Hilal 0–2 1–3
  Al Ain 2–1 1–2
2014 AFC Champions League Group A   Al Jazira 2–3 2–3 4th
  Esteghlal 1–0 1–3
  Al-Shabab 0–2 3–4
2017 AFC Champions League Group D   Al Wahda 2–1 1–5 3rd
  Al-Hilal 3–4 1–2
  Persepolis 3–1 0–0
2018 AFC Champions League Group D   Esteghlal 2–2 0–2 3rd
  Al Ain 1–4 1–1
  Al-Hilal 2–1 1–1
2019 AFC Champions League PO   Saipa 3–1 3–1
Group B   Al-Ittihad 0–2 1–5 4th
  Lokomotiv Tashkent 2–1 2–3
  Al Wahda 1–2 3–4
2020 AFC Champions League PO   Esteghlal 0–5 0–5
2021 AFC Champions League Group E   Goa 1–1 0–0 4th
  Persepolis 1–3 2–4
  Al Wahda 0–1 2–3
2022 AFC Champions League Group A   Istiklol 1–0 3–2 2nd
  Al-Hilal 0–3 2–0
  Sharjah 3–1 1–1
R16   Al-Duhail 1–1 1–1 (6–7 p)

Key: PO – Play-off round; 1R/2R – First/Second round; R16 – Round of 16; QF – Quarter-final; SF – Semi-final;

Notes
  • ^
    Al-Riffa withdrew.

  • Stadium edit

    Ahmad bin Ali Stadium (Al-Rayyan Stadium)
    Al-Rayyan Stadium
    Full nameAhmad bin Ali Stadium
    LocationUmm Al Afaei, Al Rayyan, Qatar
    Capacity44,740 (football)
    SurfaceGrass
    Construction
    Built2016
    Opened2020

    Ahmad bin Ali Stadium (Arabic: ملعب أحمد بن علي), popularly known as the Al-Rayyan Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Al-Rayyan, Qatar which serves as the home stadium for Al Rayyan's football section. It will be used as a venue for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[14]

    Asian competitions goals edit

    Statistics correct as March 7, 2023

    P Player Goals Games
    1   Rodrigo Tabata 11 32
    2   Gelmin Rivas 6 6
    =   Yohan Boli 6 13
    4   Mansour Muftah 4
    =   Sebastián Soria 4 17
    =   Kalu Uche 4 3
    7   Nilmar 3 6
    =   Steven Nzonzi 3 7
    =   Abdeslam Laghrissi 3
    =   Mohammed Salem Al-Enazi 3
    =   Gonzalo Viera 3 18
    =   Sergio García 3 6
    =   Abderrazak Hamdallah 3 5

    Players edit

    As of Qatar Stars League:

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

    No. Pos. Nation Player
    1 GK   QAT Fahad Younes
    2 DF   QAT Ali Jasimi
    3 DF   JPN Shogo Taniguchi
    4 DF   QAT Ahmed Yasser
    5 DF   QAT Bassam Al-Rawi (on loan from Al-Duhail)
    6 MF   QAT Abdulaziz Hatem
    7 MF   QAT Rodrigo Tabata
    8 MF   QAT Naif Al-Hadhrami
    9 FW   QAT Ahmed Al-Rawi
    11 MF   BRA Gabriel Pereira
    12 DF   QAT Ahmed Al-Minhali
    13 DF   POR André Amaro
    14 MF   QAT Adel Bader
    15 FW   QAT Tameem Al-Abdullah
    16 MF   QAT Abdurahman Al-Harazi
    17 MF   QAT Mohamed Surag
    18 DF   QAT Abdullah Al-Ali
    19 FW   ESP Rodrigo
    No. Pos. Nation Player
    20 MF   QAT Khalid Ali Sabah
    21 GK   QAT Saud Al Hajiri
    23 MF   BRA Thiago Mendes
    24 DF   QAT Khalid Muftah
    25 MF   QAT Mostafa Essam
    26 MF   QAT Osama Al-Tairi
    27 MF   QAT Ibrahim Al-Hassan
    28 MF   MAR Achraf Bencharki
    29 DF   QAT Hassan Al-Ghareeb
    30 GK   QAT Fahad Al-Qasaimi
    33 MF   QAT Davi Cruz
    37 MF   QAT Wassim Matar
    38 MF   QAT Abdulhadi Al-Oun
    42 MF   QAT Yousef Al-Alawi
    77 DF   QAT Mouz Abdalla
    88 MF   QAT Moameen Mutasem
    96 MF   BRA Róger Guedes
    DF   PLE Ameed Mahajna

    Unregistered players edit

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

    No. Pos. Nation Player
    10 MF   MAR Sofiane Boufal
    No. Pos. Nation Player
    DF   QAT Yousif Umar

    Out on loan edit

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

    No. Pos. Nation Player
    31 GK   QAT Sami Mazen (at Lusail)
    71 DF   QAT Moustafa Asar (at Lusail)
    No. Pos. Nation Player
    DF   QAT Mubarak Al-Nasser (at Muaither)
    FW   QAT Hadi Tabasideh (at Al-Sailiya)

    Technical staff edit

    Last update: August 2023.[15]

    First team edit

    Position Staff
    Head coach   Leonardo Jardim
    Assistant coaches   António Vieira
      José Araujo
    Goalkeeping coach   Carlos Pires
    Fitness coach   Miguel Moita
    Match analyst   Yuri de Souza
    Academy manager   Albert Valentín
    Sports scientist   Gavin Donoghue

    Notable players edit

    This list includes players whom have made significant contributions to their national team and to the club. At least 90 caps for the club or 100 caps for their national team is needed to be considered for inclusion.

    Local players

    Foreign players

    Managerial history edit

    Present and past managers of Al-Rayyan from 1967 (incomplete):

    Administrative managers edit

    •   Ashraf Mehdi (1984–85)
    •   Saad Abu El Dahab (1985–)[22]
    Notes
    • 1. Non-professional coach; worked as local physical education teacher.
    • 2. First professional coach.
    • 3. First non-Arab coach.

    Club rankings edit

    National ranking edit

    As of 9 May 2023.[23]
    Current Rank Country Team Points
    2   Al Sadd SC 1578
    3   El Jaish SC 1427
    4   Al-Rayyan SC 1390
    5   Al-Arabi SC 1363
    6   Al-Gharafa SC 1356

    Asian ranking edit

    As of 9 May 2023.[24]
    Current Rank Country Team Points
    60   Pune FC 1392
    61   Al Fateh FC 1392
    62   Al-Rayyan SC 950
    63   Nejmeh SC 1390
    64   Al Ansar SC 1387

    World ranking edit

    As of 9 May 2023.[25]
    Current Rank Country Team Points
    716   Heracles Almelo 1390
    717   Smouha SC 1390
    718   Al-Rayyan SC 1390
    719   FK Željezničar Sarajevo 1390
    720   Once Caldas 1390

    References edit

    1. ^ "الرئيسية / أخبار الرياضة / مفاجأه من العيار الثقيل لصاحب اكبر قاعده جماهيريه في قطر : الريان يهبط الى دوري الدرجه الثانيه القطري". chatal3nabi.com. 12 April 2014. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
    2. ^ a b الاحتفالات تجتاح الدوحة بعد تتويج الريان بكأس الأمير (in Arabic). al-sharq.com. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.[permanent dead link]
    3. ^ a b الريان "حكاية" قطرية ! (in Arabic). al-watan.com. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
    4. ^ "نبذة عن تاريخ نادي الريان القطري". iraqisworld.ahlamontada.com. Archived from the original on 9 May 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
    5. ^ a b الدوري القطري تاريخ و نجوم (in Arabic). aljazeerasport.net. Archived from the original on 29 September 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
    6. ^ "Trivia on Winning Domestic Championships". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 8 August 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
    7. ^ "1987 / 1988 هبط الريان وصعد الغرافة" (in Arabic). superkoora.com. Archived from the original on 30 June 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
    8. ^ "الريان بطلا للدوري القطري بعد انتظار دام 21 عاما | المصري اليوم". www.almasryalyoum.com (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 8 May 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
    9. ^ @alraya_n (19 June 2020). "Al-Rayyan one of the most popular clubs in Qatar" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
    10. ^ "Spectator report per match of QSL" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
    11. ^ "Sadd's Khalfan, Raul, Amotta shine at QFA awards gala". gulf-times.com. 20 May 2013. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
    12. ^ "Qatar » Qatar Stars League » Champions". Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
    13. ^ "Al Rayyan SC". Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
    14. ^ "2022 World Cup: Al Rayyan stadium to be inaugurated on Qatar National Day". 2 December 2020. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
    15. ^ "Administrative staff". Archived from the original on 19 February 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
    16. ^ a b "المدرب – عيد مبارك (Coach – Eid Mubarak)". mundial11.com (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
    17. ^ زامل الكواري (in Arabic). alrayyan-sc.net. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
    18. ^ كاظمة والنصر يتنافسان على لقب اندية الخليج (in Arabic). Ad Diyar. 31 December 1996. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
    19. ^ المدرب المتألق في الملاعب القطرية سعد حافظ قدت فريق التضامن لإحراز كأس قطر رفضت العقد اللبناني إكراماً لعيون النصر خرجت نجوم المنتخب القطري (in Arabic). almadapaper.net. Archived from the original on 30 May 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
    20. ^ الريان القطري يستغني عن الهويدي (in Arabic). alazraq.com. 18 March 2002. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
    21. ^ a b "Al Rayyan Manager history". Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
    22. ^ "ﺳﻌﺪ أﺑﻮاﻟﺪھﺐ ﯾﻔﺘﺢ ﻣﺨﺰن أﺳﺮار اﻟﺮﯾﺎن ﻃﻮال 28 ﻋﺎﻣﺎ". alarab.qa. 9 May 2012. Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
    23. ^ "Qatar Football / Soccer Clubs Ranking". Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
    24. ^ "Asia Football / Soccer Clubs Ranking". Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
    25. ^ "World Football / Soccer Clubs Ranking". Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2021.

    External links edit

    • Official website (in Arabic)
    • Al Rayyan Club at QFA