Nejmeh SC facts for kids
 |
||
| Full name | Nejmeh Sporting Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | القلعة النبيذية (The Burgundy Castle) | |
| Short name | Nejmeh | |
| Founded | 10 March 1945 | |
| Ground | Rafic Hariri Stadium | |
| Capacity | 5,000 | |
| Chairman | Mazen Al Zaani | |
| Manager | Mahmoud Fathalla | |
|
|
||
Nejmeh Sporting Club (Arabic: نادي النجمة الرياضي, lit. 'The Star Sporting Club') is a famous football club from Beirut, Lebanon. They play in the top football league in Lebanon.
The club started in Beirut in 1945 and got its official license in 1947. Nejmeh has won many important titles in Lebanon. They have won the Lebanese Premier League nine times and the Lebanese FA Cup eight times. They also won the Lebanese Elite Cup 12 times and the Lebanese Super Cup seven times.
In Asia, Nejmeh reached the final of the 2005 AFC Cup but lost to Al-Faisaly from Jordan. Nejmeh is mostly supported by people from the Sunni Muslim community in Beirut, along with some Shiites and Druzes. They have a big rivalry with another Beirut club, Ansar, and their matches are called the Beirut derby.
Contents
Club History
Nejmeh was started in 1945 by communities from Ras Beirut in Beirut, Lebanon. Anis Radwan was the first president. The club officially got its license on April 28, 1947.
The name "Nejmeh" means "The Star" in Arabic. It is said that the name was chosen on October 11, 1945, when Anis Radwan looked at the stars in the sky during a meeting. The five-pointed star is also a special symbol for the Druze community.
On July 25, 1950, Nejmeh won the Lebanese Second Division and moved up to the top league in 1951. They played their first season in the Lebanese Premier League in 1953–54. Nejmeh reached the final of the Lebanese FA Cup twice before winning it.
Nejmeh won their first trophy, the Lebanese FA Cup, on October 31, 1971. They beat Safa 3–1 in the final. Famous Brazilian football players like Pelé and Bebeto even played friendly matches with Nejmeh as special guests in the 1970s.
Team Colors and Badge
Since the club began, Nejmeh's main color has always been burgundy red. The club's badge used to have a star in the middle, which represented the club's name. It also had two cedar trees on the sides, which are a national symbol of Lebanon.
In 2019, the logo was updated. The star became gold, the cedar trees changed from green to burgundy, and the text changed from burgundy to black. There were also small changes like a wider white border and the "BEIRUT 1945" text moving below the star.
In 2023, the logo changed a lot again. It became a simpler design with a burgundy "N" (for Nejmeh) and a "C" (for Club) joined together. A gold star is in the center. The year "1945" is written above, and "BEIRUT" is below, both in burgundy.
Home Stadium
Nejmeh's home stadium is the Rafic Hariri Stadium. It is located in the Manara area of Beirut, Lebanon. The stadium has a football field and seats for about 5,000 fans. There is also a special VIP area for about 100 guests, a cafeteria, and a gym.
The stadium used to be a sand training field without many facilities. It was improved with grass, more seats for fans, and better facilities. The first part of these improvements started in June 2003 and finished in March 2004.
On February 21, 2005, the stadium was named "The Martyr Rafic Hariri Stadium" to honor the former Prime Minister.
Club Supporters
Nejmeh has a fan group called "Ultras Supernova," which started on February 9, 2018. This was the first "ultras" group in Lebanon. The name "Supernova" is a nod to the club's name, Nejmeh, which means "Star." A supernova is a very bright exploding star.
Before a game against Al-Ahly of Egypt in the 2018–19 Arab Club Champions Cup on August 13, 2018, some "Ultras Supernova" fans were stopped in Egypt. They were later sent back to Lebanon.
During the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, some Nejmeh fans helped cheer for the Qatar national team during their games. About 1,500 fans wore maroon shirts with "Qatar" on them, sang the Qatari national anthem, and played drums to support the team.
Club Rivalries
.png)
The Beirut derby is the most exciting football match in Lebanon. It is played between Nejmeh and Ansar, both from Beirut. These two clubs have won most of the titles in Lebanese football history. Nejmeh has done better in Asian competitions, while Ansar has won more league titles and FA Cups.
In recent years, Nejmeh has also developed a strong rivalry with Ahed, another club from Beirut. Ahed has won many league titles since the 2014–15 season. The matches between Nejmeh and Ahed can be very intense, and sometimes the football federation has to change where the games are played. For example, in the 2016–17 season, Nejmeh refused to play against Ahed in a game that would decide the league winner.
Another rivalry has grown with Salam Zgharta in recent years. Since the 2016–17 season, Nejmeh and Salam Zgharta have played many tough games, with strong chants from both sides of fans.
Nejmeh also has important matches against Safa and Racing, which are also clubs from Beirut.
Players
Current Team
|
|
Famous Players
Many talented players have played for Nejmeh and represented their countries in big tournaments. Here are some of them:
| Competition | Player | National Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 AFC Asian Cup | Abbas Chahrour |  Lebanon |
| Wahid El Fattal | Lebanon |
|
| Mohamed Halawi | Lebanon |
|
| Moussa Hojeij | Lebanon |
|
| 2007 AFC Asian Cup | Bassim Abbas |  Iraq |
| 2012 Africa Cup of Nations | Osama Chtiba |  Libya |
| 2017 Africa Cup of Nations | Hassan Wasswa |  Uganda |
| 2019 AFC Asian Cup | Kassem El Zein | Lebanon |
| Ali Hamam | Lebanon |
|
| Hassan Maatouk | Lebanon |
|
| Nader Matar | Lebanon |
|
| 2023 AFC Asian Cup | Ali Sabeh | Lebanon |
| Maher Sabra | Lebanon |
|
| Kassem El Zein | Lebanon |
Club Achievements
Nejmeh Sporting Club has won many trophies both in Lebanon and in Asia.
Lebanese Titles
League Championships
- Lebanese Premier League
- Winners (9 times): 1972–73, 1974–75, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2023–24
- Lebanese Second Division
- Winners (1 time): 1950–51
Cup Competitions
- Lebanese FA Cup
- Winners (8 times): 1970–71, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2015–16, 2021–22, 2022–23
- Runners-up (9 times): 1950–51, 1963–64, 1995–96, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2020–21
- Lebanese Elite Cup (This competition is no longer played)
- Winners (12 times; a record!): 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021
- Runners-up (2 times): 1997, 2013
- Lebanese Super Cup
- Winners (7 times): 2000, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2023
- Runners-up (5 times): 1996, 1997, 2005, 2018, 2021
Continental Achievements
- AFC Cup
- Runners-up (1 time): 2005
- Arab Club Champions Cup
- Runners-up (1 time): 1981–82
Special Awards
- Best Team in Asia
- Winners (1 time): March 2000
Nejmeh in Asian Competitions
In 1982, Nejmeh reached the final of the 1981–82 Arab Club Champions Cup but lost to Al-Shorta from Iraq. In 2005, Nejmeh made it to the final of the AFC Cup. They lost to Al-Faisaly of Jordan. This was a big moment because it was the first time a Lebanese football team reached the final of any Asian club competition.
- AFC Champions League: 2 times
-
- 1996–97: Reached the Second Round
- 2002–03: Played in the First Round
- AFC Cup: 11 times
-
- 2004: Reached the Quarter-finals
- 2005: Reached the Final
- 2006: Reached the Semi-finals
- 2007: Reached the Semi-finals
- 2010: Played in the Group Stage
- 2014: Reached the Round of 16
- 2015: Played in the Group Stage
- 2017: Played in the Group Stage
- 2019: Played in the Group Stage
- 2022: Played in the Group Stage
- 2023–24: Played in the Group Stage
- AFC Challenge League: 1 time
-
- 2024–25: To be determined
- Asian Cup Winners' Cup: 3 times
-
- 1990–91: Played in the First Round
- 1997–98: Played in the First Round
- 1998–99: Played in the First Round
See also
In Spanish: Nejmeh Sporting Club para niños
- List of football clubs in Lebanon
