Al-Karamah SC

Al-Karamah active sections
; Football	; Basketball

Al Karamah SC
Full name	Al-Karamah SC
Nickname(s)	Blue Eagles ; Eagles of Asia
Founded	1928; 96 years ago as Khalid ibn al-Walid Club
Ground	Khalid ibn al-Walid Stadium; Bassel al-Assad Stadium
Capacity	32,000; 25,000
Chairman	Samer al-Shaar; Mohammed Rahif Hakmi (Honor)
Manager	Fawaz Mando
League	Syrian Premier League
2023–24	6th
Website	https://www.facebook.com/AlKarama.SC1928/
Home colours	Away colours

Al-Karamah SC (Arabic: نادي الكرامة الرياضي) is a Syrian professional football club based in the city of Homs. Founded in 1928, it is considered to be one of Asia's oldest sporting clubs.^{[citation needed]} The club has won eight Syrian League titles and eight Syrian Cup titles. It also was the first Syrian club to win both the league and cup titles in the same year. The club is based at the Khaled Ibn Al Walid Stadium. In 2008, the club formed Board of Honor comprising businessmen^[1] of the city of Homs to support the club activities and Dr Mohammed Rahif Hakmi^[2] was elected as the board chairman.

The club covers other sports such as basketball, handball, table tennis, tennis and athletics for both, males and females. In addition to boxing, freestyle wrestling, judo, karate, weightlifting and cycling.^{[citation needed]}

History

Early period (1928–1972)

Khaled bin Al-Walid Club was established in 1928 at the time of French mandate through the city's youth who thought of establishing a sports club that would include them and allow them to practice sports officially.^{[citation needed]}

After they founded the club, their first championship was in the game on April 25, 1948, where they won the Qatar championship as representatives of the national team Homs, and Khaled Club maintained its title the following year and then returned to win the Syria championship in 1952.^{[citation needed]}

On February 18, 1971, Syrian President Hafez al-Assad issued Legislative Decree No. /38/ regulating the sports movement in the Syrian Arab Republic and the sports clubs were merged by a decision of the Executive Office of the General Sports Federation No. /59 The date of August 18, 1972, and Al-Karama Club is the outcome of the merger of several civil clubs in the city of Homs.^{[citation needed]}

First league and cup titles (1972–2005)

In the 1974–75 season, Al-Karama won the first league championship. Then he took the lead by collecting the League and the Cup for the first time in the season 1982–83, and then, during the 1983–84 season, he wanted to repeat the achievement, so he held the league championship and was not allowed to hold the cup when he was considered a legal loser against Al-Ittihad despite his progress with the match result due to the rioting of his fans. That meeting was in the semi-finals of the competition, but they returned to carry the Cup of the Republic in the year 1987, and then to repeat their achievement in the 1995–96 season, in which they won the League Championship and then the Republic Cup led, and competed with Al-Jaish in the seasons 1998–99 and 2000–01 and finished as runners-up led by Muhammad Quwaid, as well as in the 2003–04 and 2004–05 seasons.^{[citation needed]}

Domestic doubles and continental success (2005–2010)

In 2006, the club led by Muhammad Quwid participated in the AFC Champions League as the league's runners-up of the previous season, in which they reached the finals, winning most of the major Asian football teams. In the group stage, they had to compete against Al Wahda from the UAE, Saba Battery from Iran with the team was led by the international goal scorer Ali Daei and Al-Gharafa from Qatar. They finished at the top of their group and qualified for the Asian CL quarter-finals with 4 wins and 2 losses.^[3] In the quarter-finals, the club caused a tie with an overall aggregate score of 4–2 .^[4] The club moved on to play Al-Qadisya of Kuwait in the semi-final. The first leg was in Homs, Syria, resulting in a 0–0 draw. The return leg was in Kuwait. Al-Karamah won the game.^{[citation needed]}

On 1 November 2006, the club played Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (South Korea) where Al-Karamah lost the first leg 2–0 in South Korea. In the second leg, the final aggregate score was 2–3, making Jeonbuk the 2006 AFC Champion League Winner.^[5]

However, the club won the league championship in the 2005–06 season, followed by the 2006–07 season, in addition to winning the Republic Cup for the fifth time in their history; hence, collecting the double for the third time.^{[citation needed]}

In the 2008–09 season, Al-Karamah started their season faltering. However, the club managed to tie with Al-Ittihad at top spot, so that a play-off match was resorted to in Al-Assad Stadium in Latakia and Al-Karama won 2–1 to be their 8th title in competition, followed by the title of Cup of the Republic in the same season.^{[citation needed]}

Grounds

Khalid ibn al-Walid Stadium

Khalid ibn al-Walid Stadium is located in the city center of Homs, Syria. In 2004, the stadium was renovated and expanded to its current capacity of 32,000 spectators.^[6] In the same year, the venue was renamed after the sahabi Khalid ibn al-Walid.^{[citation needed]}

Bassel al-Assad Stadium

Bassel al-Assad Stadium is located in the centre of Homs, behind the district Baba Amr. The stadium was renovated during 2016 and a new turf was installed.^[7]

Supporters and rivalries

The Al-Karamah Fans Association was formed in 1975.^{[citation needed]}

Colours and kits

Shirt sponsor & kit manufacturer

Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor
2012–2016	Adidas	MTN Syria
2016–2017	Adidas	Cham Wings Airlines
2017–2021	Nike	None
2022–	Adidas	None

Honours

Domestic

Syrian Premier League: 8
- Champions: 1974–75, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1995–96, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09
Syrian Cup: 8
- Champions: 1982–83, 1986–87, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10
Syrian Super Cup: 2
- Champions: 1985, 2008

Continental

AFC Champions League:
- Runners-up: 2006^[8]
AFC Cup:
- Runners-up: 2009

Performance in AFC competitions

AFC Champions League: 4 appearances

2006: Runners-up

2007: Quarter-finals

2008: Quarter-finals

2010: Qualifying play-off – West semi-finals

Asian Club Championship: 1 appearance

2001: First round

AFC Cup: 3 appearances

2009: Runners-up

2010: Quarter-finals

2011: Group Stage

Al-Karamah in Asia

Accurate as of 1 October 2022

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away
2000–01	Asian Club Championship	1R	Al-Hilal	0–0	1–2
2006	AFC Champions League	Group	Al-Wahda	2–1	2–4
		Group	Saba Battery	1–0	2–1
		Group	Al-Gharafa	3–1	0–4
		QF	Al-Ittihad	4–0 (aet)	0–2
		SF	Al Qadsia	0–0	1–0
		Final	Jeonbuk Motors	2–1	0–2
2007	AFC Champions League	Group	Al Sadd	2–1	1–1
		Group	Neftchi Farg'ona	2–0	1–2
		Group	Najaf	1–1	4–2
		QF	Seongnam Ilhwa	0–2	1–2
2008	AFC Champions League	Group	Al-Wahda	4–1	0–1
		Group	Al-Ahli	0–0	1–1
		Group	Al-Sadd	1–0	2–0
		QF	Gamba Osaka	1–2	0–2
2009	AFC Cup	Group	Mohun Bagan	1–0	4–0
		Group	Al-Kuwait	2–1	1–2
		Group	Al-Wahdat	3–1	1–3
		Round of 16	Busaiteen	2–1 (aet)
		QF	Al-Arabi	0–0	0–0 (5–4 pen.)
		SF	Bình Dương	3–0	1–2
		Final	Al-Kuwait	1–2
2010	AFC Champions League	Play-off SF	Al-Wahda	0–1
2010	AFC Cup	Group	Saham	2–0	4–1
		Group	Shabab Al-Ordon	1–1	2–2
		Group	Al-Ahli	2–0	1–0
		Round of 16	Nasaf Qarshi	1–0
		QF	Muangthong United	1–0	0–2
2011	AFC Cup	Group	Al-Oruba	2–2	1–1
		Group	Arbil	0–3	1–1
		Group	Al-Ahed	3–2	1–4

Performance in UAFA competitions

Arab Club Champions Cup: 1 appearance

2005: 1st Round

Records

Accurate as of 1 October 2022

Season	Competition	Round	Nat.	Club	Home	Away
2004–05	Arab Club Champions Cup	1R		Zamalek	0–0	0–1

Current squad

As of 14 June 2024

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
3	DF	SYR	Abdul-Malik al-Houthi
4	MF	SYR	Tamer Haj Mohamad
5	MF	SYR	Blind Ramadan
6	DF	SYR	Jehad Busmar
7	MF	SYR	Alaa Hammadi
8	MF	SYR	Mahmoud Halwani
9	MF	SYR	Bahooz Mohammad
10	DF	SYR	Abdul Malek Al Anezan
12	GK	SYR	Mahmoud Khalaf
13	GK	SYR	Zakaria Dehneh
14	MF	SYR	Mahmoud Al Aswad
15	DF	SYR	Mohamed Tadmory
16	DF	SYR	Ahmad Berish
17	MF	SYR	Mazen Amara
18	DF	SYR	Anas Bathous
19	FW	BFA	Abdoul Latif Naon
20	FW	NGA	Joseph Obidiaso


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
21	DF	SYR	Mohammed Saraqbi
22	MF	SYR	Mohanad Fadel
23	DF	SYR	Ibrahim Al Abdullah
24	MF	SYR	Abdullah Zakreet
25	MF	SYR	Hosam Eiddin Haddad
26	MF	SYR	Abdul Kader Al Jashi
27	MF	NGA	Babatunde Kuti Issa
28	FW	SYR	Ahmed Al Munajed
34	GK	SYR	Sharaf Qasmari
44	DF	SYR	Haitham Al Looz
47	MF	SYR	Ghasan Haddid
66	DF	SYR	Mohammed Jihad Halwani
69	MF	SYR	Zain Jenyat
70	MF	SYR	Houman Abo Samra
77	MF	SYR	Abdel Nafi Shribati
99	MF	SYR	Amro Al Hamwi

Notable former players

References

^ "حفل تكريم لداعمي نادي الكرامة وتشكيل مجلس شرف للنادي". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
^ "Mohammed Rahif Hakmi". Archived from the original on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
^ "ACL Final Flashback: Al Karamah – 'The Pride of Syria'". AFC Champions League. 21 November 2019. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
^ 2006 ACL Finals
^ "Hope is all that's left for professional Syrian footballer living in refugee camp". The Guardian. 6 January 2015. Archived from the original on 6 January 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
^ "World Stadiums - Stadiums in Syria". Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
^ Renovation works completed in the Bassel al-Assad Stadium in Baba Amr
^ Rizvi, Ahmed (20 July 2015). "Football in times of crisis: Syrian game continues on as inspiration, propaganda, shadow". thenationalnews.com. The National News Sport. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2022.

External links

Al-Karamah Fans society website
sda al-karameh (in Arabic) (archived)
al-karameh online (in Arabic) (archived)
al-karameh NEWS (in Arabic) (archived)

[board-1] "حفل تكريم لداعمي نادي الكرامة وتشكيل مجلس شرف للنادي". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2016.

[MRH-2] "Mohammed Rahif Hakmi". Archived from the original on 13 February 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2016.

[3] "ACL Final Flashback: Al Karamah – 'The Pride of Syria'". AFC Champions League. 21 November 2019. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2022.

[4] 2006 ACL Finals

[5] "Hope is all that's left for professional Syrian footballer living in refugee camp". The Guardian. 6 January 2015. Archived from the original on 6 January 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2022.

[6] "World Stadiums - Stadiums in Syria". Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2023.

[7] Renovation works completed in the Bassel al-Assad Stadium in Baba Amr

[8] Rizvi, Ahmed (20 July 2015). "Football in times of crisis: Syrian game continues on as inspiration, propaganda, shadow". thenationalnews.com. The National News Sport. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2022.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

v t e Syrian Premier League
2023–24 clubs	Al-Futowa Al-Hurriya Al-Ittihad Al-Jaish Al-Karamah Al-Sahel Al-Taliya Al-Wahda Al-Wathba Hutteen Jableh Tishreen
Former clubs	Afrin Al-Herafyeen Al-Horgelah Al-Jazeera Al-Jihad Al-Majd Al-Muhafaza Al-Nawair Al-Shorta Al-Shouleh Al-Yaqdhah Al-Yarmouk Baniyas Refinery Barada Mayadin Omayya Qardaha Shorta Aleppo
Seasons	1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 ~~1970–71~~ ~~1971–72~~ 1972–73 ~~1973–74~~ 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 ~~1977–78~~ 1978–79 1979–80 ~~1980–81~~ 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 ~~2010–11~~ 2011–12 2013 2014 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24
Statistics and awards	Top scorers