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Al-Rayyan SC

Full name	Al-Rayyan Sports Club
Nickname(s)	The Lions
Founded	1967; 57 years ago (1967)
Ground	Ahmad bin Ali Stadium
Capacity	40,032
Chairman	Al Qaqa bin Hamad Al Thani
Head coach	Younes Ali
League	Qatar Stars League
2023–24	Qatar Stars League, 2nd of 12
Website	https://alrayyansc.com
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Al Rayyan's active sections
Football	Basketball	Handball
Volleyball	Futsal	Athletics

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.

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.

History

1967–1973: Founding

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.

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.

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.

1973–1988: Early history

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.

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.

1988–2000: Relegation and return to glory

In the 1987–88 season, much to the surprise of critics and fans, they got relegated for the first time in league history. 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. They won back promotion to the premier league in their first season in the second division.

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.

2000–2013: League title drought

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.

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.

2014–: Return to success

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.

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.

Supporters

Al-Rayyan is one of the most popular clubs in Qatar and is supported throughout the Gulf region, as well as other parts of the world due to their high-profile signings. In 2010, they had the highest attendance in the Qatar Stars League. 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.

Rivalries

Al Arabi

Head-to-head

Since 1994 Updated 26 September 2023

Al Sadd

Head-to-head

Since 1995 Updated 22 September 2023

Al Gharafa

Head-to-head

Since 1995 Updated 21 September 2023

Al Duhail

Head-to-head

Updated 21 September 2023

Honours

As of 9 May 2023

League

• Qatar Stars League
  • Champions (8): 1975–76, 1977–78, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1989–90, 1994–95, 2015–16

Cup

• Emir of Qatar Cup
  • Champions (6): 1998–99, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2010, 2011, 2013
• Qatar Cup
  • Champions (4): 1995, 1996, 2001, 2012
• Sheikh Jassim Cup
  • Champions (5): 1992, 2000, 2012, 2013, 2018

Continental record

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
		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

Stadium

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 was used as a venue for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Asian competitions goals

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

As of Qatar Stars League:

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  QAT Fahad Younes 2 DF  QAT Murad Naji 3 DF  QAT Hazem Shehata 4 MF  BEL Julien De Sart 5 DF  ESP David García 6 MF  QAT Abdulaziz Hatem 7 MF  QAT Rodrigo Tabata 8 FW  EGY Trézéguet (on loan from Trabzonspor) 9 FW  QAT Ahmed Al-Rawi 10 FW  BRA Róger Guedes 11 FW  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 MF  URU Francisco Ginella 20 MF  QAT Khalid Ali Sabah

No. Pos. Nation Player 21 DF  QAT Hussain Bahzad 22 GK  QAT Sami Habib Beldi 23 MF  BRA Thiago Mendes 24 DF  QAT Khalid Muftah 25 MF  QAT Mostafa Essam 26 MF  QAT Osama Al-Tairi 27 MF  QAT Ali Qadry (at Al-Ahli) 29 DF  QAT Hassan Al-Ghareeb 30 GK  QAT Fahad Al-Qasaimi 31 GK  QAT Sami Mazen 33 DF  PLE Ameed Mahajna 34 MF  QAT Abdulla Anad 37 MF  QAT Wassim Matar 48 GK  BRA Paulo Victor 55 DF  PLE Mohammed Saleh 62 DF  CUW Joshua Brenet 77 MF  MAR Achraf Bencharki 99 MF  BRA Davi Cruz

Unregistered players

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 — DF  QAT Yousif Umar — DF  QAT Mubarak Al-Nasser

No. Pos. Nation Player — DF  QAT Ali Jasimi

Out on loan

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 19 FW  ESP Rodrigo (on loan to Al-Gharafa) 88 MF  QAT Moameen Mutasem (on loan to Al-Khor) — DF  QAT Mouaz Abdalla (on loan to Al-Sailiya) — DF  QAT Abdullah Al-Ali (on loan to Al-Khor)

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  QAT Ibrahim Al-Hassan (on loan to Calahorra B) — MF  QAT Naif Al-Hadhrami (on loan to Al-Shahania) — FW  QAT Jaime Rubio (on loan to Al-Shahania)

Technical staff

Last update: August 2023.

First team

Position	Staff
Head coach	Younes Ali
Assistant coach	Nercy Tourang Sergi Angulo Lerín Juan Ochoa
Goalkeeping coach	Welesley
Fitness coach	Andrea Azzalin
Club analyst	Yuri de Souza
Sports scientist	Gavin Donoghue

Notable players

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.

Managerial history

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

• Salem Ashour (1967–??), (1973–??)
• Saleh Youssef (ca. 1976)
• Powell (1976–??)
• Abdul Moneim Al Haj (1981–83)
• Vavá (1984–85)
• Wayne Jones (1985)
• Alan Dicks (1985)
• Colin Dobson (1985–87)
• Vavá (ca. 1989)
• Alan Dicks (1989–90)
• Abdul Moneim Al Haj (1990)
• René Simões (1 July 1990–91)
• Luis Alberto (1991–92)
• René Simões (1992 – 30 June 1993)
• Cabralzinho (1993–94)
• Jørgen E. Larsen (1 July 1994 – 30 June 1995)
• Evaristo de Macedo (1995)
• Benny Johansen (1 July 1995–96)
• Eid Mubarak (1996–97)
• Antoni Piechniczek (1997)
• Zdzisław Podedworny (1997–98)
• Allan Jones (1998)
• Roald Poulsen (1998–99)
• Jørgen E. Larsen (1 July 1999 – 30 June 2000)
• Dutra (2000)
• Paulo Campos (2000)
• Santos (2000–01)
• Paulo Henrique (2001–02)
• Amarildo (2002)
• Jean Castaneda (2002–04)
• Bosse Nilsson (2004)
• Jørgen E. Larsen (1 July 2004 – 30 June 2005)
• Ron van den Berg (2005)
• Luis Fernández (26 June 2005 – 15 Nov 2005)
• Hassan Hormatallah (Nov 2005–05)
• Ladislas Lozano (2005–06)
• Rabah Madjer (2006 – 30 June 2006)
• Pierre Lechantre (2006–07)
• Paulo Autuori (2 May 2007 – 17 May 2009)
• Marcos Paquetá (1 July 2009 – 30 June 2010)
• Paulo Autuori (21 Nov 2009 – 30 June 2011)
• Diego Aguirre (Sept 6, 2011 – 3 Nov 2013)
• Rastko Stojkovic (2013)
• Manuel Jiménez (4 Nov 2013 – 20 May 2015)
• Jorge Fossati (20 May 2015 – 3 October 2016)
• Michael Laudrup (26 September 2016 – 30 June 2018)
• Rodolfo Arruabarrena (5 July 2018 – 8 October 2018)
• Bülent Uygun (10 October 2018 – 5 March 2019 )
• Gilson (6 March 2019 – 30 June 2019)
• Diego Aguirre (28 May 2019 – 11 December 2020)
• Fábio César (10 December 2020 – 18 December 2020)
• Laurent Blanc (19 December 2020 – 13 February 2022)
• Nicolás Córdova (13 February 2022 – Present)

Administrative managers

• Ashraf Mehdi (1984–85)
• Saad Abu El Dahab (1985–)

Notes

• 1. Non-professional coach; worked as local physical education teacher.
• 2. First professional coach.
• 3. First non-Arab coach.

References

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2. ^ الاحتفالات تجتاح الدوحة بعد تتويج الريان بكأس الأمير (in Arabic). al-sharq.com. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.
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17. زامل الكواري (in Arabic). alrayyan-sc.net. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
18. "المدرب – عيد مبارك (Coach – Eid Mubarak)". mundial11.com (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
19. 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.
20. 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.
21. الريان القطري يستغني عن الهويدي (in Arabic). alazraq.com. 18 March 2002. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
22. ^ "Al Rayyan Manager history". Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
23. "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.

External links

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

• Al-Rayyan SC
• Football clubs in Qatar
• Association football clubs established in 1967
• Multi-sport clubs in Qatar
• Sport in Al Rayyan
• 1967 establishments in Qatar