Racing Universitaire d'Alger
Racing Universitaire d'Alger (in Arabic: فريق جامعة الجزائر) is a former multi sports club formed in 1927 in Algiers, Algeria.
The Algiers invitational tournament
In 1936 R.U.A. were the home side in a four team invitational tournament. With Algeria then under French colonial rule the official programme listed the venue as "Stade-Velodrome Municipal d'Alger" and the participants as:[1]
Le Queen of the South - La Belle Equipe Ecossaise de Première Division
Racing-Club de Santander - Favori des Championnats d'Espagne
Floriana F. C. de Malte - Champion Officiel et Vainqueur de la Coupe
R.U.A. - Champion de l'Afrique du Nord 1935
The match days were 21 May and 24 May.
R.U.A. had already won both the North African Champions Cup and the North African Cup in the 1930s (R.U.A. would win each twice by the decade's end). Goals by Willie Thomson and Joe Tulip (the Northumbrian was one of the first Englishmen to play in the Scottish League) saw Queens book a place in the invitational tournament final with a 2–1 victory against them.[1]
In the final Queens faced a Racing de Santander side who had just finished 4th in Spain's La Liga notching home and away double victories against both Real Madrid and F.C. Barcelona. Norrie Haywood's goal and a 1–0 scoreline saw victory for Queen of the South. The trophy can still be seen in their club museum today.[1]
Former players & athletes
RUA's former players include Albert Camus who played for the junior football team as goalkeeper.[1]