Raja Casablanca
Raja Club Athletic (Raja CA or RCA) or simply as Raja (Arabic: نادي الرجاء الرياضي, romanized: Nādī ar-Rajāʾ ar-Riyāḍī) is a Moroccan sports club with sections in many different disciplines based in Casablanca City, Morocco. Founded in 1949, Raja CA is a club known for the success of its football section and is the finalists in the FIFA Club World Cup 2013[1] The club Greens played the finals against the Bavarians giant FC Bayern Munich and which is the most titled team in the history of African Football and the Moroccan Football History. The Greens Eagles plays its meetings at Stade Mohammed V since its inauguration in 1956.[2][3][4][5][6]
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| Full name | Raja Club Athletic نادي الرجاء الرياضي | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Raja Mondial (Raja of the world) Green Devils L'Khadra (The green) | |||
| Short name | Raja CA, RCA | |||
| Founded | 20 March 1949 | |||
| Ground | Stade Mohamed V Casablanca, Morocco | |||
| Capacity | 45,000 | |||
| President | Jaouad Ziyat | |||
| Head coach | Jamal Sellami | |||
| League | Botola | |||
| 2018–19 | 2nd | |||
| Website | Club website | |||
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Raja CA is the first and one of only two Arab clubs to reach the final of the FIFA Club World Cup along with Al Ain FC which achieved this feat in 2018.
Raja CA has longstanding rivalries with some clubs, including Wydad AC (the confrontation between the two clubs, the Casablanca derby, where the Green Eagle show a historical superiority over his rival in term of victories and goals.
The green club is chaired by Jaouad Ziyat since 13 September 2018, succeeding to the provisional committee of Mohamed Aouzal who led Raja for 5 months after the resignation of the controversial Said Hasbane. The Moroccan Jamal Sellami is the coach.
History
The Raja Club Athletic (abbreviated to Raja CA or RCA) was founded on 20 March 1949 by the Moroccan resistance and more particularly by the honorary president Moulay Sassi Ben Ahmed El Alaoui Aboudarka and the heads of the Moroccan unions, in particular the first head of the Moroccan Labor Union, Mahjoub Ben Seddik, as well as the former president of the Union of Arab Lawyers and ex-prime minister Mohamed Maâti Bouabid.
Boujemaa Kadri took care of the administrative organization necessary for the creation of the club. Other personalities are behind the club, such as Tibari, Salah Medkouri, Mustapha Chemseddine, Karim Hajjaj, Si Ahmed Skalli Haddaoui, Choukri, Daoudi, Hachmi Nejjar, Mohamed Charfaoui, Laachfoubi El Bouazzaoui, Abdelkader Jalal, Naoui, and some other Moroccan intellectuals and resistance fighters who met at Hmidou El Watani, owner of the Al Watan cafe, in Derb Sultan.
The ban on entrusting the presidency of the club to a Moroccan is circumvented by leaving the chair for six months to Ben Abadji Hejji, a Muslim of Algerian origin who thereby benefited from French nationality. The French authorities, caught off guard, are thus forced to accept the fact. After several attempts to find a name, a draw between the names Raja and Fath, allowed the name Raja, drawn three times in succession, to be chosen.
The beginnings after independence (1956-1973)
After the independence of Morocco in 1956, the royal Moroccan football federation is created and therefore replaces one of the twenty-two leagues of the French football federation during the time of the French Protectorate in Morocco which was called Ligue du Maroc de Football Association. For its first season, the FRMF receives the affiliations of 310 clubs grouping 6,087 licensees. The criterium replaced the championship and had to lead to play-offs, each team having to play three matches and gain as many victories to reach the elite. The Raja successively beats in its group the Sports Union of Ben Ahmed 4-1, Ennasr of Casablanca on the score of 2-0 (success of Moussa and Acila) and finally the Olympic of Ouezzane on a river score of 7-0 including 4 goals scored by Hamid Bahij. Raja was thus the first team to enter the first division because it had played this last match at 8:30 am, Kacem Kacemi who retired from his coaching position for personal reasons. The first match disputed by the Greens in the first division championship was lost to FUS (2-0), but they managed to beat SC Roches Noires in the second match with the score of 2-0. He ranks tenth this season by barely avoiding relegation. The following year, thanks to the arrival of Affani Mohamed Ben Lahcen known as "Père Jégo", the club finished fourth.
During the 1959-1960 season, a controversy broke out at the end of the season after the FRMF decided to play a triangular tournament between the first three teams of the tied championship in terms of points while Raja was in the lead with the best goal difference. The club refused to participate in protest and the tournament was transformed into a play-off between FAR Rabat and KAC Kénitra. The latter won this match and the title of champion of Morocco while Raja was ranked third. Green forward Moussa Hanoune finished top scorer in the championship with 22 goals, a record at the time.
In 1964-1965, if the club finished twelfth and barely touched relegation to the second division, it still qualified for the throne cup final for the first time in its history, where it faced the Kawkab of Marrakech on 13 June 1965 at Stade Mohammed V. Match refereed by Salih Boukkili, KACM won the match 3-1 and the only goal scored by Raja was scored by Bhaija. It was the third consecutive coronation of the Merrakchis in the competition, and the first defeat in the Raja final. During this season, the Greens defeated Wydad in the quarterfinals with a score of two to one.
Raja finished the 1966-1967 season in third place in the championship with 65 points, while striker Greens and the national team of the time Houmane Jarir finished top scorer with 18 goals.
On 14 July 1968 at the Stade d'honneur in Casablanca, the final of the Throne Cup took place, between Raja and RAC. The latter won the title for the first time in its history and the Rajaouis, still unable to claim their first title, lost on the score of 1-0.
Three cuts in a decade (1973-1982)
The 1974 Throne Cup final pitted the semi-final winners, Raja who beat Wydad AC on penalties, against the Maghreb of Fez who eliminated Mouloudia Oujda. During a match played in the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca on 28 July 1974, the Raja led by coach Mohammed Tibari, wins the cup against the MAS on the goal of El Arabi against Hamid Hazzaz (1-0 ). The Green Eagles thus won this competition for the first time and also won the first title in their history.
On 17 July 1977, Raja CA moved to the capital where it met the Difaâ of El Jadida at the Stade du FUS in Rabat on behalf of the Throne Cup final. The Greens won the match 1-0 on a penalty from Feu Abdellatif Beggar and therefore won the competition for the second time.
In 1980-1981, the Raja finished third in the championship, then fifth in 1981-1982, however, the Greens did not go out empty handed this season. On 14 March 1982 at the Stade Roches Noires in Casablanca, the final of the Throne Cup was played between Raja and the Renaissance of Kenitra. And as in 1977, it was the late Abdellatif Beggar who scored the only goal of the match, and offered Raja his third title in the competition.
This season will also witness the first appearance of Raja on the African scene, more precisely in the African Cup winners' cup, by opposing during the first round to the Senegalese of AS Police, the Greens bow to the Senegal (1-0), and do not manage to catch up with the return match in Casablanca which ends with a draw (0-0). Thus, the Raja CA, a team still inexperienced in continental competitions, was eliminated in the first round.
First coronations in Africa and Morocco (1982-1995)
In 1982-1983, the Raja again finished fifth in the championship, and reached the final of the throne cup for the second consecutive time, this time against the Casablanca Olympic. The final takes place on 21 August 1983 at the Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca, the Raja loses the title this time on penalties (4-5), after the match ended in a draw (1-1).
Raja finished vice-champion in the 1985-1986 championship, behind his rival Wydad, who edged him 2 points on the last day. However, he was eliminated in the cup by the future champion, AS Far in the round of 16 (2-0).
This year will also see the consecration of the national team in the 1986 World Cup. Led by captain rajaoui Abdelmajid Dolmy, the Moroccans manage to achieve an unprecedented feat for an African formation, and reach the knockout stages before losing to West Germany (1-0) on a goal by Lothar Matthäus in the 87th minute. From Dolmy, we will keep the image of this excellent No. 6 who, during the Morocco - England match, marked the spirits and was noted 9/10 by the newspaper L’Équipe.
In the 1987-1988 season, then coached by the Portuguese Fernando Cabrita, Raja defeated US Sidi Kacem (1-0) on the penultimate day thanks to the goal of Abderrahim Hamraoui. The Greens finally manage to win their first championship title after 39 years of waiting.
Following this, Raja participates in the cup of champion clubs, the Eagles of Rabah Saâdane win this edition by winning in the final against the Algerians of MC Oran on penalties after a cumulative score of 1-1. Raja therefore succeeds in winning this competition from its first participation, a feat unmatched until today.
In 1990-1991, the club finished ninth in the championship, and was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the throne cup by KAC Kénitra. The following season, Raja finished runner-up 8 points from Kawkab in Marrakech, and managed to climb to the throne cup final to oppose Casablanca Olympic again. The match took place on 11 January 1993 at the Stade El Harti in Marrakech and Olympique managed to beat the Greens another time in the final with a score of 1-0.
The Raja again finished second in 1992-1993 behind the Wydad. In the Throne Cup, the Raja finally beat Olympique de Casablanca before being eliminated in the semi-finals by the Kawkab of Marrakech.
The road roller (1995-2006)
Unlike its two most serious competitors, who won a lot of titles in the 1950s and 1970s and then at the beginning of 1990 for the Wydad and the 1960s and 1980s for the FAR, the Rajaouis have been revealing themselves since the end of the 1980s. Raja has won 3 titles since its creation, the public had to wait almost forty years, precisely the year 1988 to see their club crowned champion of Morocco.
In 1995, after a merger with Olympique de Casablanca, some of its players joined the Greens (Jrindou, Sellami ..). Between 1995 and 2002, the Raja became the team to beat which aligned a record of six championship titles. This auspicious period culminated in 1999 when Raja established itself as the best African team with victories in the CAF Champions League, African Super Cup and Afro-Asian Cup.
On 18 February 1996, in the quarterfinals of the throne cup, the Raja recorded the highest score in the history of Derby and swept the Wydad (5-1), success of Sellami and two doubles from Nazir and Khalif. He then eliminated Rachad Bernoussi in the semi-finals (3-0) before defeating the FAR in the final thanks to a goal by Abdellatif Jrindou in the 119th minute.
Two months later, and three days before the end of the championship, Guennadi Rogov's men won the title by 9 points before OC Khouribga. The Greens then double the championship cup.
On 16 September 1996, Raja lost the final of the Cup of Arab Champion Clubs, organized in Egypt, against Al Ahly SC at the Cairo International Stadium with the score of 3-1.
On 15 June 1997, and after a tough title race with the Wydad, the Greens led by the Romanian Alexandru Moldovan won their second championship in a row two days from the end, with 2 points ahead of their rival.
On 14 December 1997, and after losing the first leg against Goldfields SC (1-0), the Green Eagles won their second Champions League, first edition under this new name, on penalties after winning the match (1- 0) thanks to Nazir's goal in the 79th minute.
On 15 March 1998 at Stade Mohammed V, the Raja lost the African Super Cup to Étoile du Sahel on penalties after regulation time ended with a draw of 2-2.
On 3 May, Raja defeated HUSA in Agadir (1-0) and won the championship with a record 67 points and only one loss conceded against DH Jadida, a record also. On 8 November, despite their victory over Manning Rangers (2-1), the Greens were eliminated from the semi-finals of the Champions League, finishing 3rd in their group behind Manning Rangers and the future champion, ASEC Abidjan.
On 25 April 1999 at Stade Mohamed V, the Greens won the Afro-Asian Cup against the Koreans from Pohang Steelers following the goal by young Zakaria Aboub (1-0), after the draw (2-2, success for Moustawdaa and Khalif) in Pohang.
On 29 June 1999, under the direction of Oscar Fulloné, the Raja defeated the JS Massira (2-1) and won his 4th championship in a row with a total of 62 points, still closely followed by the KAC Marrakech.
Upon returning from the 1999 Champions League final, and after a draw at Stade Père Jégo (0-0), Fulloné's men face Esperance ST at Stade El Menzah in Tunis. From the first minutes of the match, the referee whistled for a penalty and gave a red card to captain Abdellatif Jrindou who then gave his armband to Moustaoudae. The penalty was finally stopped by Mustapha Chadli, and with 10 players on the pitch, the Raja ended the game with a goalless 0-0 score. Then came the penalty shootout, and the feat of Chadli who stopped the penalty from the Tunisian goalkeeper El Ouaer and therefore offered the title to the Greens and their ticket to the club world cup in Brazil.
Raja is the first Arab and African club to qualify for the Club World Championship, organized in Brazil. Raja is eliminated in the first round after three defeats against the Corinthians (0-2), Al Nasr (3-4, goals by Nejjary Moubarki and Karkouri) and Real Madrid (2-3, goals by Achami and Moustawdae) match in which, despite the defeat, Raja achieves a memorable performance against the best club of the twentieth century, but loses the match on a late goal from Geremi. The team is praised by the sports press and acclaimed by the public present at the Morumbi Stadium.
On 5 March 2000, in a packed Mohammed V stadium, the Raja beat the Ivorians of Africa Sports thanks to the goals of El Moubarki and Armoumen (2-0) and won its first Super Cup after the one lost in 1998 On 21 June, after their victory against JS Massira (4-1), the Eagles set a new record and won their 5th championship in a row with 59 points, ahead of the Wydad and the MAS of fez.
On 20 May 2001, the formation of Silvester Takač defeated the KACM 1-0, and aligned its 6th championship in a row with a total of 64 points. On 27 May, Raja is eliminated for the second consecutive time from the quarter-finals of the Champions League, despite his victory over TP Mazembe in Casablanca (2-1), after his defeat in Lumumbashi on the score of 2-0.
On 17 November 2002, and in a memorable match, the Greens eliminated ASEC Abidjan in the semi-finals when the Ivorian club won 2-0 in the first leg, thanks to a 4- 0 at the Mohammed V stadium. Raja thus enters its 4th Champions League final to face Zamalek SC. After a draw (0-0) in Casablanca, Walter Meeuws' men were defeated in Cairo (0-1). Raja lost for the first time a Champions League final, after their victories in 1989, 1997 and 1999.
At the end of the 2002-2003 championship, the team finished runner-up 2 points from the HUS in Agadir. Mustapha Bidoudane was crowned top scorer with a total of 14 goals, the last Rajaoui to win this trophy was Houmane Jarir in 1967.
On 9 November 2003 at Stade Roumdé Adjia, Henri Michel's men won the CAF Cup against the Cameroonian Cotonsport (0-0), after their 2-0 first leg victory thanks to the goal of Bidoudane and Ali Diallo. It is the last edition of this competition before it was merged with the Cup Winners' Cup to create the Confederation Cup, the Raja thus obtains the right to keep this trophy.
On 11 January 2004, Raja won the Throne Cup for the 5th time in its history by beating the MAS of Fez with the score of 2-0, following the successes of Soulaimane and Bidoudane. On 25 April, the Green Eagles are eliminated from the knockout stages of the Champions League. At the Moulay Abdellah stadium, the Raja defeated ASC Jeanne d'Arc on the score 2-0 (goals from Misbah and Bidoudane), but conceded a defeat in Dakar on the same result. The shots on goal then smile at the Senegalese (5-4) who qualify for the next round.
On 20 June, Raja was crowned champion of Morocco for the 8th time in its history after defeating the KAC in Kenitra with the score of 4-1.
On 16 July 2005 at the Moulay Abdallah stadium, the training of Alexandru Moldovan won the 5th throne cup of the club's prize list, beating OC Khouribga on penalties (5-4) in the final after the two teams did not were unable to decide in regular time (0-0).
In the round of 16 of the Arab Champions League, Zamalek SC beat Raja in Rabat 2-0, but the Greens manage to reverse the game in the return match, and win 3-0 in Cairo thanks to the goals of Maïga, Alloudi and Iajour. Raja won the competition by beating the ENPPI Club round trip in the final with respective scores of 2-1 and 1-0. In the league, the club finished in 4th position, its worst ranking since 1995.
Swinging results (2006-2012)
In the 2006 transfer window, the Raja experienced a wave of departure from its key players such as Marouane Zemmama, Modibo Maïga or the scorer of the previous season, Mustapha Bidoudane. There followed a catastrophic season which ended with an eleventh place in the championship standings and elimination in the quarterfinals of the throne cup.
En 2008-2009, le club se sépare de Jean-Yves Chay et le remplace par le technicien portugais José Romão. Renforçant son effectif par quelques anciens et nouveaux joueurs, le Raja renoue avec le sacre national après 5 ans d'attente.
The following season, and on the final day, the Greens needed a victory in Rabat against the FAR to be crowned champions, but Ouaddouch's goal in the 60th minute destroyed their dreams, and offered the title to Wydad. After an early elimination in the Champions League the same year, President Rhallam's policy is singled out and he resigns after a mediocre season.
In the summer of 2010, the return of ex-president Abdesalam Hanat was greeted by supporters, and, after a mass recruitment of new ones (Mahdoufi, Koné, Berrabeh ...) and old players ( El Moubarki, Erbate, Aboucherouane ...), the Raja is crowned champion of Morocco with 7 points ahead of his runner-up, wearing his jersey with the star of the 10 titles.
On 28 January 2011, the Raja scored the highest score of its participation in the Champions League by beating FC Tourbillon 10-1. He then qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League by defeating ASEC Mimosas, after the match was played in single phase in Casablanca because of the political instability which remains in Abidjan.
The Boudrika era (2012-2016)
After a large wave of protest, President Abdesalam Hanat resigns from his post and a general assembly is scheduled for June 2012. Mohamed Boudrika was then elected president, and ex-trainer Rajaoui, "general" M'hamed Fakhir returned to the controls, and promised a new lease of life both at the administrative and sporting levels with the recruitment of a record number of players.
The club begins its pre-season preparation in Tunisia and then returns to Morocco to face Athletic Bilbao where 60,000 supporters are eager to see the new face of their team. Raja defeats finalists in the Europa League and Copa del Rey 3-1 (Moutouali, Kerrouchi and Iajour), then loses in Tangier against FC Barcelona Messi with the highest score conceded in the history of the greens 8-0.
On 18 November at the Moulay Abdellah stadium, the Raja won its 7th Throne Cup against the FAR of Rabat following a penalty shootout after regulation time ended in a draw.
On 3 April 2013, the Greens were eliminated from the semi-finals of the Arab Cup against Al Arabi SC by conceding a draw at Stade Al Abdi 2-2 despite having led the score thanks to the double from Mitouali. The first leg in Kuwait ended in a 1-1 draw.
On 25 May, and after an epic match, Raja is "champion" of Morocco for the "11th" (10 are recognized in the local public opinion) time in its history, having bought many games (by corrumpting referees and some other players from their opponents. This title is, until nowadays, a source of polemics and lot of doubts in the Moroccan soccer history. Especially after the declarations of Amine Rbati, the ex-captain of RAJA in 12-13 season, as well as the vice-president of R.sportif.Berkane team and some other players of the Botola.
On 18 November, Raja rose to the throne cup final for the second year in a row, but bowed on penalties against DHJ El Jadida, despite having been a favorite, and for the supporters, c is the drop of water that makes the vase overflow. 4 days before the World Cup, the Raja decides to break M'hamed Fakhir's contract, and appoints the Tunisian Faouzi Benzarti in his place.
From 11 to 21 December 2013, Raja participated for the second time in its history in the FIFA Club World Cup. The Greens eliminated Auckland City 2-1), FC Monterrey (2-1) and then Atlético Mineiro 3-1) , consecutively.
She thus won her ticket to the final of the competition, a stage never before reached by an Arab or North African team. She lost in the final 2 to 0 against Bayern Munich but came out with her head held high by the applause of her audience and the international scene which praised this feat. The Raja is then greeted with great pomp upon his arrival in Casablanca and King Mohamed VI pays tribute to them during a ceremony at the royal palace where he will decorate the entire team. The epic of the club in this competition becomes one of the greatest exploits in the history of Moroccan, African and Arab football.
In 2013-2014, after a dismal first leg which ended with the departure of M'hamed Fakher, Faouzi Benzarti relaunched the green machine, result: Raja garnered 35 points out of 45 possible, scored 30 goals and only cashed 6 During the penultimate day, and in a packed Mohammed V stadium, the Greens played the title and confronted the leader, MAT. With a Mitouali at the top of his game which scored twice, the Raja won 5-0. Raja moves favorite on the final day to Safi to face the local team and must win to secure the title. But to everyone's surprise, the OCS scored a goal that would deprive the eagles of the title and offer it to MAT.
The 2014-2015 season is one of the most deplorable in the history of the club, the Raja finishes the championship in 8th place in the championship, is eliminated from the knockout stages of the Throne Cup, in the eighths of Champions League final against ES Setif on penalties after an epic return match in Algeria (cumulative score: 4-4)
Le Raja réussit néanmoins, dans cette période très critique, a remporter la coupe nord-africaine des clubs de 2015 après avoir battu le Club Africain sur le score de 2-0, les égyptiens de l'Ismaily SC , et un match nul contre Al Hilal Benghazi.
Raja in the midst of the financial crisis (2016-2018)
After the departure of Mohamed Boudrika at the end of the 2015-2016 season, the new president Said Hasbane declares that the Raja is in the middle of a financial crisis, so it must find solutions by bringing in new sponsors.
On 10 August, the Raja thanked Rachid Taoussi for his services and appointed M'hamed Fakhir as coach, the latter returning to command of the greens for the third time after 2010 and 2012. At the end of a difficult season, the men of Fakhir finish the championship in 3rd place knowing that they were close to winning it, but they finally yielded first and second place to Wydad and Difaâ of El Jadida.
Financial problems worsen and supporters demand the resignation of the president in a general assembly. The latter refuses to open the door to the media and to communicate with them. Fakhir resigned from his coaching position, this decision comes after he was fed up with the absence of the leaders and faced with the financial crisis the club has experienced since the start of the year.
On 20 June, Juan Carlos Garrido was appointed coach of the Greens for a remuneration of 300,000 dirhams per month . The Spaniard declares "very happy for the proposal and the confidence shown by the leaders in me".
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Despite the crisis, the Greens were able to clinch their eighth Throne Cup against El Jadida's Difaâ after shots on goal (3-1) and overtime, 1-1 after 120 minutes of the match. Therefore, they took their revenge after the 2013 edition which saw the victory of their opponents on penalties. Raja is, with 12 titles, the most successful Moroccan club of the 21st century, ahead of AS FAR which counts 8 titles.
On 6 April, and after a long standoff with club members, Said Hasbane gave in to popular pressure and resigned from his duties. Former Raja President Mohamed Aouzal is responsible for setting up a provisional committee to run the club until the end of the season.
Renewal (since 2018)
On 13 September 2018, Jaouad Ziyat was elected new president of Raja CA by the members during the extraordinary general assembly, held in a palace in Casablanca. After his election, the new president promises to continue the work of the provisional committee of Mohammed Aouzal, adding that he will do his best to get the club out of the financial crisis that has engulfed him for several months.
In December 2018, Raja CA won the 2018 Confederation Cup against the Congolese of the AS Vita Club, winning the first leg 3-0 at home and losing the 3-1 second leg in Kinshasa, thus winning its second title of competition.
On 28, 2 January days after the defeat against ES Sahel at Stade Moulay-Abdallah (0-2) in the quarter-finals of the Arab Championship, and following the poor performance of the team, the Raja decides to break the contract of Juan Carlos Garrido and appoint his assistant Youssef Safri as interim coach, with Bouchaïb El Moubarki as assistant coach until further notice. Safri won her first match in this position while traveling to El Jadida, thanks to a hat-trick from Mouhcine Iajour (4-2).
On 30 January, Raja announces the designation of French Patrice Carteron as new coach with a renewable contract of one year, he declares "An immense pride to join a club as emblematic as Raja, with the best public in Africa and one of the best in the world."
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On 29 March, Raja won their second African super cup against Esperance Sportif Tunis in front of 25,000 spectators at the Jassim-bin-Hamad Stadium in Doha, winning 2-1. Patrice Carteron managed to clinch his first title with the Greens 2 months after joining the club.
On 8 May, and following his satisfactory results with the team since his arrival, the club extended Carteron's contract until 2020. His salary went from 350,000 to 400,000 dirhams per month. He became the highest paid coach in the championship.
On 11 May, and after the victory against MC Oujda thanks to Mouhcine Iajour's double (2-1), Raja broke the national record for goals scored in one season, reaching 100 goals. The Greens finish the championship in 2nd position, after having played a total of 61 games (all competitions) this season, a record for a Moroccan team. While Iajour is crowned top scorer in the championship with 19 goals.
On 11 October, Raja announced the departure of its sports director Fathi Jamal, following its desire to end his function which he has occupied since April 2018.
On 11 November, two days after his defeat against Youssoufia de Berrechid in the Championship (2-3), Patrice Carteron is removed from his position and is replaced by Jamal Sellami, former player of Raja who has already held the position of coach. -Assistant in 2007, with Youssef Safri as deputy who resigned from this position in June 2019.
On 23 November, in the return match of the round of 16 of the Arab Club Championship against Wydad, the first of Jamal Sellami on the bench of Raja, the Greens are led 4-1. In fifteen minutes, Ahaddad scores the second goal, Moutouali scores a penalty by making a "Panenka" in the 88th minute, before Ben Malango completes this historic Remontada and scored the equalizing goal in the 94th minute (4- 4) synonymous with qualification. Raja thus eliminates its sworn enemy at the time of the first Derby disputed in an international competition. Author of a double and a decisive pass, all observers agree to elect Moutouali Man of the match of this 128th Derby.
Appearances on the international circuit
2000 FIFA Club World Cup
Raja Casablanca is the first African team to participate in the Club World Cup. They competed in the first edition that took place in 2000 in Brazil. The competition allowed them to confront some of the great football teams from around the world, such as Real Madrid.
2013 FIFA Club World Cup
Raja Casablanca became the second club to reach the FIFA Club World final as the host nation's national champions, after Brazilian club Corinthians, and the first under the current seven-club format since the 2007 edition, as they defeated Auckland City FC then C.F. Monterrey and Atlético Mineiro (3–1) at the semi-final of the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup.[7]
Style
Since its inception, Raja has always had a reputation of being a team of artists playing enjoyably and having fun. Pere Jego has installed a collective game, specific, based on short passes, the one-two, the offensive and individual achievement, hence the label "Raja lfraja" (Raja of the show).
With this system, Raja frightened their opponents and they were able to humiliate the biggest clubs with a spectacular game marked by small bridges as well as combinations of high level without worrying about the score. The team did not win a national title until 1974 with its first taste of the throne and in 1988 with its first victory in the championship followed by a Champions League in 1989, without counting the championship title refused to Raja in the 1959–60 season.
The appearance on the world circuit had attracted the attention of many football experts. Just after 1997 Champions League, the team received an invitation from Marcello Lippi's Juventus to play a preparation match at Palermo. Their style of play led to Raja gaining the support and encouragement of 40,000 Brazilians at the Morumbi stadium in São Paulo, during its historic performance in the Club World Cup in 2000 in its game against Vicente Del Bosque's Real Madrid.[8]
Mascot
The eagle, in a period marked by the colonization of the country and by the resistance, represented for the founders the strong, prestigious and combative raptor. The animal's charisma is very representative of the course of the club, the Raja was able to fly over its opponents despite the constraints. As Father Jégo, legendary personality in Raja history wanted, the eagle has been the club's emblem and mascot since its creation.
Honours
Raja is among the most successful internationally, and it is also among the most successful in Africa.
The Greens have played 25 finals in major competitions and won 29 trophies, including 19 national titles and 10 international titles. Raja was classified by FIFA in 10th place in the classification of the best clubs in the world after its performances at the World Cup in 2000.
In 2013, Raja CA, lost in the final of the Club World Cup, against the European champions, FC Bayern Munich, beating respectively Auckland City FC, CF Monterrey and the Brazilians of Atlético Mineiro in semifinals. Raja is the first Arab and North African club, and the second in Africa after TP Mazembe, to reach the final of the Club World Cup.
Domestic competitions
- Botola: 11
- Winners: 1987–88, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13
- Winners: 1974, 1977, 1982, 1996, 2002, 2005, 2012, 2017
Friendly competitions
- International Friendship Abha Cup: 1
- Winner: 2004[9]
- Runner-up: 2001
- Arab Summer Cup: 1
- Winner: 2007
- Ahmed Antifi Tournament: 2
- Winner: 2009, 2016
- Runner-up: 2010
Performance in CAF competitions
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Records
• Raja is the only Moroccan club to have occupied a place in the annual ranking of the best 10 clubs in the world [ref. required] established by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) in 2000.
• Following its excellent performances at the 2000 Club World Cup, Raja is in 10th place in the ranking, at the head of African clubs. He was also the African champion this year by winning his third Champions League.
• In 2004, Raja was included in an official ranking organized by FIFA, on the occasion of its hundred years of existence, and which brings together the best 100 football clubs in the world, while counting national and international titles.
• The green eagles were ranked 77 in the world, the Raja was also the only Maghrebian club to enter this top 100.
• In 2018, a ranking of the best African clubs of all time was established by the French website The 10 best, Raja CA is ranked in 4th place.
• First club to win the CAF Champions League from its first participation.
• Only Arab and North African club to reach the final of the Club World Cup and the second in Africa (in 2013). First African and Arab team to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup (2000).
• First team to win an African Supercup organized outside the African continent "Doha Edition 2019".
•In African competitions, Raja has conceded no home defeat at Stade Mohammed V since 2005.
•The highest African audience ratings record was reached in the 2013 Club World Cup semi-final between Raja and Atlético Mineiro, with some 650 million listeners and viewers worldwide whole.
•Most goals scored by a team in a single African competition: 34 Goals (Confederation Cup 2018). Biggest victory of a Moroccan team in African competitions: 10-1 against Tourbillon FC (CAF Champions League 2011).
Communication and partners
On 23 October 2009, the first issue of the new formula for its bi-monthly press support "Journal du Raja" was published. This launch takes place within the framework of a strategy of creation of a media pole offering a maximum of information on the club in order to offer a privileged channel of information and communication with its public.
The official Raja press release thus indicates that the magazine "will also allow information to be distilled from sources authorized to the public on the one hand and to sports journalists to bring a critical and objective eye to the life of the club and the matches of its teams, through reports, interviews, technical-tactical analyzes and exclusive images."
In 2012, the club launched its own Raja TV channel, which broadcasts exclusive team videos, matches and training sessions as well as press conferences and behind the scenes of players, today it is available on Youtube. In 2016 Raja Radio was launched but it will only be on the internet, its role is to provide the latest information from greens and whites. A program called Raja Café [258] was broadcast live every Monday on Radio Mars and another program is on Radio MFM called La Voix du Raja.
On 16 September 2019, Raja launched the Radio Raja project in order to bring the public closer to news, events and developments concerning their club. The radio has a list of four shows:
• Père Jégo: Discussion of club news and news throughout the week.
• L'oulad (youth in Arabic): Invitation of team players to bring them closer to the Rajaoui audience.
• La Grande Storia: Invitation of former players and managers to commemorate their journey within the club.
• Grandstand: a program that welcomes members of the club committee.
These shows were first broadcast live on Facebook, before being rebroadcast via the club's official channels on digital platforms YouTube, Spotify and iTunes.
On social networks, Rajaouis are very active, you can find hundreds of fan pages and channels on several social networks, reporting various photos, videos and news from their club.
Raja also has official accounts on several social networks, all of which are the most followed for a sports club on the national and Maghreb level:
• The Facebook page with +4.3 million likes.
• The Instagram account with +800,000 subscribers.
• The Youtube channel with +300,000 subscribers and +34,000,000 views.
These data therefore make Raja, the most followed team in Morocco and the Maghreb, the 65th in the world according to Digital Sports Media.
Presidents
| No | Period | Name | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1st |   |
1949 | 1956 |
| 2 | 1st |  |
1956 | 1958 |
| 3 | 1st | |
1958 | 1961 |
| 4 | 1st | |
1961 | 1968 |
| 5 | 1st | |
1968 | 1970 |
| 6 | 1st | |
1970 | 1972 |
| 7 | 1st | |
??? | 1974 |
| 8 | 1st | |
1974 | 1976 |
| 9 | 1st | |
1976 | 1981 |
| 10 | 1st | |
1981 | 1984 |
| 11 | 1st | |
1984 | 1985 |
| 12 | 1st | |
1985 | 1989 |
| 13 | 1st | |
1989 | 1990 |
| 14 | 1st | |
1990 | 1992 |
| 15 | 1st | |
1992 | 1998 |
| 16 | 1st | |
1998 | 2002 |
| 17 | 1st | |
2002 | 2004 |
| 18 | 2nd | |
2004 | 2007 |
| 19 | 2nd | |
2007 | 2010 |
| 20 | 2nd | |
2010 | 2012 |
| 21 | 1st | |
2012 | 2016 |
| 22 | 1st | |
2016 | 2018 |
| 23 | 2nd | |
2018 | 2018 |
| 24 | 1st | |
2018 | - |
Managers
- Pére Jègo : the manager, the men and the legend of Raja
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%3B_Flag_of_Serbia_and_Montenegro_(2003%E2%80%932006).svg.png){kind=small}
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Current squad
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 | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head coach | |
| Assistant coach | |
| Goalkeeping coach | |
| Fitness coach | |
| Doctor | |
| Match delegate | |
Notable players
Notable former players
Goalscorers by season
| Season | Players | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | Hicham Aboucherouane | – |
| 2002–03 | Mustapha Bidoudane | 17 |
| 2003–04 | Mustapha Bidoudane | 13 |
| 2004–05 | Hicham Aboucherouane | 20 |
| 2005–06 | Mustapha Bidoudane | 12 |
| 2006–07 | Soufiane Alloudi | 17 |
| 2007–08 | André Senghor | 9 |
| 2008–09 | Mohsine Moutouali | 10 |
| 2009–10 | Omar Najdi | 13 |
| 2010–11 | Hassan Taïr | 8 |
| 2011–12 | Yassine Salhi | 10 |
| 2012–13 | Mouhcine Iajour | 12 |
| 2013–14 | Mouhcine Iajour | 16 |
| 2014–15 | Abdelilah Hafidi | 9 |
| 2015–16 | Abdelilah Hafidi | 12 |
| 2016–17 | Issam Erraki | 10 |
| 2017–18 | Mouhcine Iajour | 25 |
| 2018–19 | Mouhcine Iajour | 26 |
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Transfers
| Ran | Players | Indemnity | Years | Transfer | References | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | |
1.80 M€ | 1998 | |
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| 2nd |  |
1.10 M€ | 2016 | |
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| 3rd | |
1.00 M€ | 2007 | |
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| 4th | |
1.00 M€ | 2008 | |
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| 5th | |
1.00 M€ | 2014 | |
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| 6th | |
0.80 M€ | 2018 | |
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Club Logos and identity
Colors and kits
The colors of the team are green and white. The green color was chosen by the club's founders because it symbolizes hope and growth. Green is also considered the traditional color of Islam. On top of that, green is one of the colors of the Moroccan flag. White is the color of the hometown of the club, Casablanca These colors were used since the team's first matches in 1949.
The jersey of the Greens was long made by the German Adidas, during a period from 1968 to 1980, where he was replaced by Puma until 1995. In 1990, Raja entered into his first sponsorship deal with Chimicolor, making him the first Moroccan club to display a sponsor on his jersey. Comes after that the Moroccan bank of Africa and the East (BMAO) and ODEP 'known today as MarsaMaroc'. From 1995 to 1999, the club is sponsored by Danone and Lavazza for a year, but the club changes equipment manufacturer each season, and sees succeed successively Adidas, Uhlsport, Umbro and Adidas another time. After his victory in the 1999 CAF Champions League, Raja a contract Hummel valid until 2002, the jersey will be sponsored during this period by Western Union, Fiat, Café ASTA and Coca-Cola, In 2001, Raja signed a contract with the French sports management company Transatlas Sports Management (TSM) which has made Raja one of the first clubs in Africa to have a commission for marketing and advertising. When the Hummel contract expires, the club gives his jersey to the Italian Kappa for a period of 6 years, and also signed with Siera who remains the main sponsor until now. Then, Lotto is the equipment supplier of the club from 2008 to 2013, then Adidas takes over again until 2017. Since 2017, it is the Italian Legea.
| Home kits | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mascot
The eagle meanwhile, in a period marked by the colonization of the country and the resistance, represented for the founders the strong, prestigious and combative bird. The charisma of the animal is very representative of the history of the club, Raja was able to fly over his opponents despite difficulties. He naturally stands out as one of the club's emblems and mascots for many years.
Stars
Many football clubs around the world sport stars on their jerseys, and Raja is no exception. The jerseys of Raja have four golden stars. Each of his stars represents one of his victories in African or national competition. The first three (at the bottom of the logo) symbolize his three cups in the CAF Champions League of 1989, 1997 and 1999; the fourth (the biggest at the top of the logo) was added in 2011 following the tenth win in Botola Pro.
Infrastructure
Mohamed V Stadium (D'honor)
Mohamed V Stadium was called the Marcel Cerdan stadium in 1955–56 and the Honnor stadium in 1956–81. It was inaugurated on 6 March 1955 and it knew two renovations in 1981 and 2000. It is the official stadium for the Raja Club Athletic and also for Wydad Club Athletic.
Mohamed V Stadium is part of a large sports complex in the heart of the city of Casablanca, specifically in the upscale neighbourhood of Maârif. It has today a capacity of 67,000 spectators (more than 80,000 in 2000), not counting the North and South turns that have no seats, but where environments are warmer, and in 1997 it beat a record of 110,000 spectators in a match of Morocco against Ghana. The south turn or "Magana" (the clock in Moroccan dialect) ended up with the main groups of Raja Casablanca fans. In 2007, the stadium was equipped with a semi-artificial turf which is acceptable under international standards. As well, the seats in the stands, the sanitary facilities and athletics track were all replaced.
| Former names | Stade Marcel Cerdan (1955–56) Stade d'Honneur (1956–1981) |
|---|---|
| Location | Rue al-Azrak Ahmed, Maârif, Casablanca, Morocco |
| Owner | City of Casablanca |
| Capacity | 45,000 |
| Record attendance | 100,000 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 6 March 1955 |
| Renovated | July 2015 |
| Tenants | |
| Morocco national football team Wydad Casablanca Raja Casablanca | |
Sport facilities
Sports facilities available to Raja Casablanca:
- Raja Oasis Sports Complex: Raja Oasis ports Centre is where Raja Casablanca trains. It houses the club's training facility which includes three football fields, a gym, a boarding school for the training center, a restaurant group ...[10]
- Raja Academy
- Complex Tessema
- Roches Noires Stadium
- Kahrama Stadium
Supporters
The southern part of Complexe Mohamed V is fully occupied by supporters (ultras) of the club; it is the famous area called LMAGANA. Four sectors of this area of the stadium can be distinguished:
- The official gallery devoted in part to the leaders and members of the club.
- The Tribune side, covered with green seats and a rostrum.
- The Virage Sud, blank marked by the presence of a mythical scoreboard.
- The Bleachers, covered with green seats and free forum.
In 2013, according to a ranking that was done by a football website, the supporters of Raja Casablanca are among the world's 10 best football supporters, reaching fourth place. In 2014, after the amazing show of ultras of the club in the FIFA Club World Cup when Raja Casablanca had reached the final, they occupied first place in Africa and third in the whole world according to an annual ranking by Ultras World.
The supporters of Raja Casablanca are distributed in 2 ultras:
- Ultras Green-Boys 05 (First Ultras In Morocco)
- Ultras Eagles 06
Foundation
Through its foundation created in 2013, Raja carries out actions of general interest dedicated to children and young people to support them towards success, make them discover sport and its values and finally participate in the realization of their dreams by supporting d 'other associations. To better promote this foundation, Raja decided to display the Raja Foundation logo on the official jersey of its professional team from 20 February 2013 when it met against Raja Beni Mellal at the Mohamed V Complex.
In this same perspective, in 2007 Raja became the sponsor of the association of SOS Children's Villages (founded in 1949) in Morocco. By this agreement, the club opens the doors of its structures by authorizing the enrollment of a significant number of children and adolescents in its various sports disciplines and by providing them with the uniform and equipment necessary for the practice of their favorite sport.
Rivalries
Casablanca Derby
The Casablanca derby (Arabic: الدربي البيضاوي) is a derby between the Moroccan football clubs Raja and Wydad. Matches are played in the Stade Mohamed V, often containing a fierce and vibrant crowd.
The Casablanca derby has extensive national media coverage and is a topic of debate for several days before and after the match between the fans of both clubs, whether in the streets, schools or workplace.
The first match between the two rivals was in 1956 in which Raja won 1–0.
In 1978, Raja players withdrew from the match against Wydad during the second half after their goalkeeper received a red card and a penalty was awarded.[12]
In 1996, Raja won 5–1 in the quarter-finals of the 1995–96 Coupe du Trône; this score is the highest between the two rivals.
- As of 15 April 2018[13]
| Matches | Wins | Draws | Goals | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | W | R | W | |||
| Botola | 125 | 36 | 30 | 59 | 107 | 97 |
| Throne Cup | 13 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 19 | 15 |
| All competitions | 137 | 43 | 33 | 61 | 126 | 112 |
| Independence Cup | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| All matches | 138 | 41 | 36 | 61 | 126 | 113 |
The Classico
Classic match between Raja CA and ASFAR. It is considered one of the greatest games of Botola after the derby, some times he even managed to overtake him. The rivalry between the two clubs does not lack history, there was a rivalry in the 1960s, after the Botola controversy of 1959-1960, where the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (Frmf) decided to take the title away from Raja, which was tied with ASFAR and KAC in points, but which exceeded them in terms of difference in goals. the rivalry continues with spectacular matches whether in Rabat or Casablanca in the coming years
In the 1980s, both teams were at their peak where ASFAR were crowned champions of Africa in 1985 and Raja in 1989, and they could be entertained by Moroccans with high level matches.
In the 1990s, this rivalry experienced a big decline because of the crushing superiority of Raja, which widely dominated all his rivals during this period, it is in the 2000s, exactly in 2005 that the Raja-ASFAR rivalry took a new breath and regained a lot of intensity, when the ASFAR have gained the title after beating Raja at Mohammed V stadium in the last day of the Botola. This match is a turning point in the history of the rivalry where it will take on a more intense dimension, where the hooligans of both teams will also increase the aggravation of tensions between the two big clubs.
In 2013, a season similar to that of 2005, but this time it is the consecration of Raja as champion of Morocco and the cup of the throne, and ASFAR, vice champion of the two competitions, the club more dream did not win the Moroccan classic
Sponsors
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt partner |
|---|---|---|
| 1949–1968 | none | none |
| 1968–1980 | Adidas | |
| 1980–1987 | Puma | |
| 1987–1988 | Chimicolor | |
| 1988–1989 | BMAO ODEP | |
| 1989–1990 | Uhlsport | |
| 1990–1995 | Puma | |
| 1995–1996 | Adidas | Danone |
| 1996–1997 | Uhlsport | |
| 1997–1998 | Umbro | |
| 1998–1999 | Adidas | Lavazza |
| 1999–2000 | Hummel | Western Union Fiat et Coca-Cola |
| 2000–2001 | Coca-Cola | |
| 2001–2002 | Café ASTA Tube et Profil | |
| 2002–2003 | Kappa | Siera Tube et Profil |
| 2003–2008 | Siera | |
| 2008–2013 | Lotto | |
| 2013–2017 | Adidas | |
| 2017– | Legea |
Actual sponsors
References
- "Raja Casablanca 3 Atletico Mineiro 1". BBC Sport. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- Hughes, Ian (19 December 2013). "Raja revel in historic victory". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 20 December 2013.
- Matchett, Karl (18 December 2013). "Raja Casablanca vs. Atletico Mineiro: Score, Grades and Post-Match Reaction". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
- McCauley, Kevin (16 December 2013). "Raja Casablanca vs. Atletico Mineiro: Final score 3-1, Moroccan champions will face Bayern Munich". SBNation.com (Vox Media). Retrieved 20 December 2013.
- "Raja shock Atletico to reach final". cafonline.com (Confederation of African Football). 19 December 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
- "Raja Casablanca 3 Atletico Mineiro 1". BBC Sport. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- "Raja Casablanca 3 Atletico Mineiro 1". BBC Sport. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- Youtube Video: Raja vs Real Madrid Cup Club World Cup in 2000
- "International Friendship Cup 8 2004". Goalzz.com. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
- Training Center Raja Casablanca Archived 15 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- http://moroccantimes.com/2016/03/18719/18719
- "الرجاء والوداد: تاريخ وأبرز 4 أحداث الديربي البيضاوي المغربي الشهير". Sport360 (in Arabic). 26 November 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- Derby Casablanca: Les résultats. wydad-raja.com. Retrieved 27 August 2017
- Raja Casablanca relishing underdog run to Club World Cup final – Sports Illustrated, 20 December 2013
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Raja CA. |
African Cup and CAF Champions League winners | |||||||||||
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CAF Cup and CAF Confederation Cup winners | |
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CAF Super Cup winners | |
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| CAF Super Cup |
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