Al-Talaba SC facts for kids
 |
|||
| Full name | Al-Talaba Sports Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Al-Aneeq (The Elegant) | ||
| Founded | 17 December 1969 (as Jami'at Baghdad) | ||
| Ground | Al-Madina Stadium (league) Al-Talaba Stadium (cup) |
||
| Capacity | 32,000 (league) 10,000 (cup) |
||
| President | Salah Hadi Al-Fatlawi | ||
| Coach | Basim Qasim | ||
| League | Iraq Stars League | ||
| 2024–25 | Iraq Stars League, 4th of 20 | ||
|
|
|||
Al-Talaba Sports Club (which means 'Students Sports Club' in Arabic) is a professional sports club from Baghdad, Iraq. Their main team plays football in the Iraq Stars League, which is the top football league in Iraq.
The club started in 1969 as Al-Jamiea. Later, in the 1978–79 season, it merged with another club and became known as Al-Talaba. Their home stadium is Al-Talaba Stadium.
Al-Talaba is one of Iraq's most successful football teams. They have won the league title five times, with their most recent win in the 2001–02 season. They have also won two FA Cups, one Super Cup, and three Baghdad Championships. In international competitions, they finished fourth in the 1986 Asian Club Championship and were runners-up in the 1995 Asian Cup Winners' Cup.
Until 1993, the National Union of Iraqi Students owned the club. After that, it became part of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The minister became the club's honorary president.
Contents
Club History
Early Days (1961–1969)
In 1961, the University of Baghdad created a football team. It was called Montakhab Jami'at Baghdad, meaning 'University of Baghdad Select XI'. This team played in the second-tier league in Baghdad. They lost their first game 2-1 in February 1961.
The team also played in the 1964 Republic Championship and the Universities of Iraq League. Hassan Kanah was the first president. Ghani Askar was the first manager, with Moayad Al-Badri and Sami Al-Saffar as his assistants.
Becoming Al-Jamiea (1969–1978)
On December 17, 1969, the Jami'at Baghdad team officially joined the Iraq Football Association (IFA) league. They started directly in the regional second tier. In their first season (1970–71), managed by Thamir Muhsin, they won the second-tier league. This promoted them to the Iraq Central FA First Division.
However, in the 1971–72 season, they finished last and were sent back to the second tier. In 1974, the team was banned from the Iraq FA Baghdad Cup. This happened because they withdrew from a league game.
After three seasons, Muhsin left. Jamal Salih became the new manager. The team then became known as Al-Jamiea Sports Club. This was when Iraq introduced its national club system. Jamal Salih led the team to the top division in the 1974–75 season. The club then got its own headquarters and elected a board.
In their first top-flight season (1975–76), Al-Jamiea finished eighth. In the 1976–77 season, they were runners-up. They finished five points behind Al-Zawra'a, who won the league.
Merging to Al-Talaba (1978–1980)
On December 27, 1977, a new club called Al-Talaba Sports Club was formed. It also belonged to the same institution as Al-Jamiea. Less than a year later, before the 1978–79 season, the Ministry of Youth and Sports decided to merge the two clubs. The new club was named Al-Talaba. It kept Al-Jamiea's spot in the top division.
The club's new headquarters was the Volleyball Training Centre in Baghdad. Mohammed Debdeb became the club president. Hadib Majhoul was named vice-president. The board replaced manager Jamal Salih with Abdul Wahab Abdul Qadir.
In the 1978–79 season, Al-Talaba finished third in the league. This was better than Al-Jamiea's eighth-place finish the year before. For the first time, an Al-Talaba player was among the top goalscorers. Hussein Saeed scored six goals, and Haris Mohammed scored five. Al-Talaba was disqualified from the 1978–79 Iraq FA Cup. This was because they played in an Arab University tournament without permission. In 1979, Al-Talaba represented Iraq at the 1979 Summer Universiade in Mexico. They finished 17th out of 26 teams.
In the 1979–80 Iraqi National League, Al-Talaba finished third again. Khalaf Hassan was the manager. They had important wins against Al-Shorta (2-0) and Al-Tayaran (1-0). In the 1979–80 Iraq FA Cup, Al-Talaba reached the final for the first time. They lost to Al-Jaish 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Golden Years (1980–1986)
Under manager Ammo Baba, known as the "Sheikh of Coaches," Al-Talaba won their first league title in the 1980–81 season. They tied on points and goal difference with Al-Shorta. Al-Talaba won the title because they had more wins (eight compared to six). Hussein Saeed was the league's top goalscorer with eleven goals.
Al-Talaba won the league again in the 1981–82 season. Jamal Salih was the manager. They finished with 34 points, two points ahead of Al-Tayaran. Hussein Saeed was the second top goalscorer with eleven goals.
In the 1982–83 season, Akram Salman became the new manager. Al-Talaba finished second, just one point behind Salahaddin. Salahaddin won the championship for the first time. Hussein Saeed was the top goalscorer with 17 goals. Another Al-Talaba player, Rahim Hameed, scored eight goals.
Al-Talaba finished second again in the 1983–84 season. They were three points behind Al-Jaish. In 1984, Al-Talaba won their first international club competition, the 1984 Stafford Challenge Cup in India. They won four games and drew one.
The 1984–85 Iraqi National League was stopped halfway through. This was due to a lack of public interest. Al-Talaba was in third place when the league stopped. They then played in the Al-Rasheed Cup. Al-Talaba reached the quarterfinals but lost to Al-Rasheed.
After Al-Rasheed was promoted, many national team players joined them. This made it hard for other teams to compete. Still, in the 1985–86 Iraqi National League, Al-Talaba won their third league title. Yahya Alwan was the manager. They finished with 25 points, two points ahead of Al-Rasheed. On December 27, 1985, Al-Talaba beat Al-Rasheed 1-0 in a key match. Hussein Saeed scored the winning goal from a penalty. Saeed was also a joint top goalscorer that season.
Al-Talaba played in the 1986 Asian Club Championship. They reached the final round but finished last. They also played in the Saddam International Tournament in 1986. They finished third in their group. By winning the league, Al-Talaba qualified for the 1986 Iraqi Perseverance Cup. They lost 2-1 to Al-Rasheed.
Ups and Downs (1986–1992)
Due to many manager changes, Al-Talaba finished sixth in the 1986–87 Iraqi National League. The next season, they finished eighth. They also played in the Saddam Qadisiya Championship but did not win.
Al-Talaba improved under Jamal Ali in the 1988–89 season. They reached the semi-finals and beat Al-Tayaran on penalties. In the final, they faced their rivals, Al-Rasheed. The match ended 1-1, but Al-Rasheed won 5-4 on penalties. Al-Talaba also finished second in the Al-Intisar Cup.
In the 1989–90 Iraqi National League, Al-Talaba finished sixth. This was Hussein Saeed's last season before he retired. The next season, under their first foreign coach, Eddie Firmani, and Yahya Alwan, they finished second.
In the 1991–92 season, Al-Talaba finished fourth. The club's vice-president, Salim Rasheed, organized the Umm al-Ma'arik Championship. Only the top six teams played in it. Al-Talaba won their first match but lost their second. They reached the semi-finals but lost to Al-Zawra'a. In the third-place match, Al-Talaba beat Al-Karkh on penalties. Al-Zawra'a won the championship.
Steady Performance and Asian Success (1992–2001)
The 1992–93 season was the longest in Iraqi football history, with 69 matches for each club. Al-Talaba had Yahya Alwan as manager for the first part. Then, Ayoub Odisho took over. They finished first in the league with 110 points. They scored 130 goals and let in 34.
In the 2nd Umm al-Ma'arik Championship, Al-Talaba won their group. They beat Al-Zawra'a 3-2 in the semi-finals. In the final against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Alaa Kadhim scored the winning goal in extra time. In the 1992–93 Iraq FA Cup, Al-Talaba reached the final but lost 2-1 to Al-Zawra'a.
After almost winning three trophies in 1992–93, Al-Talaba finished third in the 1993–94 season. They won their second straight Umm al-Ma'arik Championship. They beat Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 2-1 in the final. In the 1993–94 Iraq FA Cup, they lost to Al-Zawra'a in the final again.
In the 1994–95 Iraqi National League, Al-Talaba finished fourth. In the fourth edition of the Umm al-Ma'arik Championship, they lost to Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in the final on penalties.
In the 1995–96 season, Al-Talaba finished sixth. They won their third Umm al-Ma'arik Championship by beating Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 1-0.
Because Al-Zawra'a won both the league and cup in 1993–94, Al-Talaba represented Iraq in the 1995 Asian Cup Winners' Cup. Under Ayoub Odisho, they reached the final. They beat teams like Al-Gharafa and Yangiyer. In the quarter-finals, they beat Bahman. They were supposed to play Kazma SC and Al-Riyadh SC, but both teams withdrew due to political tensions. This meant Al-Talaba got a free pass to the final. In the final, they lost 2-1 to Bellmare Hiratsuka in Japan.
In 1996, the league was renamed the Iraqi Premier League. Al-Talaba finished third in the 1996–97 Iraqi Premier League. They reached the round of 16 in the 1996–97 Iraq FA Cup. In the 1997–98 season, Al-Talaba finished fifth. In the 7th Umm al-Ma'arik Championship, they lost 7-0 to Al-Zawra'a in the third-place match. This was their biggest loss ever.
In the 1998–99 season, under Akram Salman, Al-Talaba finished second. They were just one point behind Al-Zawra'a. They reached the final of the 1998–99 Iraq FA Cup but lost to Al-Zawra'a. They also lost to Al-Zawra'a in the 1999 Perseverance Cup. In the 1998–99 Asian Cup Winners' Cup, they reached the semi-finals but finished fourth.
Al-Talaba finished fourth in the 1999–2000 and 2000–01 seasons. They were knocked out early in the 2000–01 Asian Cup Winners' Cup. They also lost the 2000 Baghdad Day Cup and the 2000 Al-Quds International Championship final.
Thair Ahmed's Time (2001–2007)
Before the 2001–02 season, Al-Talaba played in the 2001 Al-Wehdat Arabian Championship, finishing third. After eight years without a league title, Thair Ahmed led Al-Talaba to win the 2001–02 championship. They had 91 points from 29 wins, four draws, and five losses. They started the season with a huge 8-0 win and ended it with a 6-0 win.
They reached the final of the 11th Umm al-Ma'arik Championship but lost to Al-Shorta. Younis Mahmoud was the top goalscorer in that tournament. Al-Talaba also won their first-ever Iraq FA Cup that season, beating Al-Shorta 1-0. They also won the 2001 Baghdad Day Cup and the 2002 Perseverance Cup.
Al-Talaba was competing for the 2002–03 title, but the league was canceled due to war. They reached the final of the 12th Umm al-Ma'arik Championship but lost to Al-Shorta. Ahmad Salah was named the best player. They won the Iraq FA Cup again, beating Al-Mina'a and then Al-Shorta 1-0 in the final.
Due to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, most of Al-Talaba's matches in the 2003–04 season were canceled. They were runners-up in the 1st Baghdad Championship (the new name for the Umm al-Ma'arik Championship). They lost to Al-Zawra'a in the final on penalties. In the 2002–03 AFC Champions League, Al-Talaba finished third in their group.
Al-Talaba played in the 2003–04 Arab Champions League, reaching the group stage. They also participated in the 2004 Damascus International Championship and the 2004 Tishreen Cup. In the 2004–05 Iraqi Premier League, Al-Talaba finished third.
Al-Talaba continued strong in the 2005–06 Iraqi Premier League, leading their group in the first phase. They reached the final of the 2005 Damascus International Championship and won on penalties against Al-Zawra'a. In the 2005–06 Arab Champions League, they were eliminated in the second round.
In November 2006, the club's president, Hadeeb Majhoul, was kidnapped and later found dead. The team's striker, Alaa Kadhim, became the new interim president. He later won the club elections in March 2007. Alaa Khadim was a player-president until he retired from playing at the end of the 2006–07 season to focus on leading the club.
Before the 2006–07 season, Al-Talaba played in the 2006 Shabab Al-Ordon Arab Championship, drawing all three matches. In the 2006–07 Iraqi Premier League, Al-Talaba finished second in their group and then second in the elite stage. They lost in the semi-finals and then in the third-place play-off.
Difficult Times (2007–2013)
Before the 2007–08 season, Al-Talaba played in the 2007 Press Club Championship in Syria. They were knocked out in the semi-finals. Al-Talaba almost withdrew from the 2007–08 Iraqi Premier League due to money problems. They finished fifth in the first phase of the league. They were knocked out early in the 2007–08 Arab Champions League. In the 2008–09 Iraqi Premier League, Al-Talaba finished third in their group.
In the 2009–10 Iraqi Premier League, under Radhi Shenaishil, Al-Talaba led their group in the first stage. They reached the semi-finals and beat Erbil. They lost in the final to Duhok SC with a late goal.
The 2010–11 Iraqi Elite League was one of Al-Talaba's worst seasons. They finished eighth in their group, just one point from being relegated. In the 2011 AFC Cup, they finished third in their group and were knocked out. In the 2011–12 Iraqi Elite League, Al-Talaba finished fourth.
In the 2012–13 Iraqi Elite League, Al-Talaba struggled again. They finished 14th, only one point away from relegation. They saved themselves in the second-to-last round by winning against Al-Naft. They also advanced in the 2012–13 Iraq FA Cup before it was stopped.
Recent Years (2013–Present)
Al-Talaba finished eighth in the 2013–14 Iraqi Premier League. The next season, they finished fifth in their group. They also played in a friendly cup, the Tournament for the Armed Forces, but were knocked out in the semi-finals.
In June 2015, Ayoub Odisho returned as manager. The team also signed Younis Mahmoud, the captain of the Iraq national team. Al-Talaba finished third in the 2015–16 season. The following season, they finished seventh. In the 2016–17 Iraq FA Cup, Al-Talaba reached the quarter-finals but had to withdraw. Their players went on strike because they had not been paid.
Stadiums
Al-Talaba Stadium In the 1980s, a stadium for 8,000 people was built in Baghdad for Al-Talaba's home games. Al-Talaba now trains at the University of Baghdad Stadium.
In early 2014, the club's owner, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, planned a new sports city. A Spanish company, TriArena, was building a main football stadium for 16,000 people. The project also included tennis, basketball, volleyball, futsal, and handball courts. There was also a hotel, restaurants, and a swimming pool planned. The cost was estimated at $84 million. Construction was expected to take 30 months, finishing by 2017. However, due to financial problems in Iraq, the project was stopped after $4 million was spent on designs.
Rivalries
Baghdad derbies Al-Talaba is one of the four "Popular Teams" in Baghdad. The others are Al-Zawra'a, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, and Al-Shorta. These four teams have strong rivalries. Al-Talaba's biggest rivals are Al-Zawra'a and Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya. This is because they have often competed for the Iraqi Premier League title over the years.
Statistics
Recent Seasons
List of Al-Talaba SC seasons Here is how the club has performed in recent years:
| Season | League | Rank | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000–01 | Iraqi Elite League | 4 | 30 | 17 | 9 | 4 | 43 | 22 | 21 | 60 | — |
| 2001–02 | Iraqi Elite League | 1 | 38 | 29 | 4 | 5 | 89 | 18 | 71 | 91 | Won |
| 2002–03(1) | Iraqi First Division League | — | 24 | 19 | 2 | 3 | 56 | 15 | 41 | 59 | Won |
| 2003–04(1) | Iraqi Premier League | — | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 6 | — |
| 2004–05 | Iraqi Premier League | Third place | 23 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 32 | 17 | 15 | 40 | — |
| 2005–06 | Iraqi Premier League | 2 – Group 4 | 16 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 29 | 11 | 18 | 31 | — |
| 2006–07 | Iraqi Premier League | Fourth place | 15 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 21 | — |
| 2007–08 | Iraqi Premier League | 3 – Group 2 | 30 | 10 | 13 | 7 | 29 | 24 | 5 | 43 | — |
| 2008–09 | Iraqi Premier League | 3 – Group 2 | 24 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 32 | 15 | 17 | 47 | — |
| 2009–10 | Iraqi Premier League | Runners-up | 43 | 23 | 13 | 7 | 53 | 25 | 28 | 82 | — |
| 2010–11 | Iraqi Elite League | 8 – Group B | 26 | 9 | 11 | 6 | 33 | 25 | 8 | 38 | — |
| 2011–12 | Iraqi Elite League | 4 | 38 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 45 | 29 | 16 | 68 | — |
| 2012–13 | Iraqi Elite League | 14 | 34 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 35 | 47 | −12 | 35 | R16(2) |
| 2013–14 | Iraqi Premier League | 8 | 22 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 28 | 30 | −2 | 31 | — |
| 2014–15 | Iraqi Premier League | 5 – Group 2 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 17 | — |
| 2015–16 | Iraqi Premier League | 3 | 24 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 28 | 20 | 8 | 39 | — |
| 2016–17 | Iraqi Premier League | 7 | 36 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 51 | 38 | 13 | 54 | QF |
| 2017–18 | Iraqi Premier League | 14 | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 43 | 59 | –16 | 43 | — |
| 2018–19 | Iraqi Premier League | 13 | 38 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 47 | 52 | –5 | 44 | SF |
| 2019–20(1) | Iraqi Premier League | — | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 10 | — | — | R32(2) |
| 2020–21 | Iraqi Premier League | 17 | 38 | 8 | 15 | 15 | 36 | 47 | –11 | 39 | R32 |
| 2021–22 | Iraqi Premier League | 3 | 38 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 54 | 33 | +21 | 69 | R32 |
| 2022–23 | Iraqi Premier League | 4 | 38 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 52 | 39 | +13 | 66 | QF |
| 2023–24 | Iraq Stars League | 8 | 38 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 40 | 38 | +2 | 53 | R16 |
| 2024–25 | Iraq Stars League | 4 | 38 | 18 | 9 | 11 | 40 | 27 | +13 | 63 | QF |
Rank = Rank in the league; P = Played; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points; Cup = Iraq FA Cup.
in = Still in competition; — = Not attended; 1R = 1st round; 2R = 2nd round; 3R = 3rd round; R16 = Round of sixteen; QF = Quarterfinals; SF = Semifinals.
1 The league was not completed and was canceled.
2 Al-Talaba had not yet been eliminated from the cup but it was abandoned midway through.
In International Competitions
Here is Al-Talaba's record in international football competitions:
| Competition | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | |
| AFC Champions League | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 44.44 |
| Asian Cup Winners' Cup | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 44.44 |
| AFC Cup | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 16.67 |
| Arab Champions League | 18 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 38.89 |
| Total | 51 | 20 | 12 | 19 | 39.22 |
Current Team Squad
First-Team Players
|
|
Team Captains
| Years | Position | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| −1976 | Midfielder |  Abdul-Wahab Abdul-Qadir |
| 1976–1977 | Defender | Jalal Salih |
| 1977–1981 | Goalkeeper | Muthanna Hameed |
| 1981–1987 | Midfielder | Jamal Ali |
| 1987–1990 | Forward | Hussein Saeed |
| 1990–1995 | Midfielder |  Ali Hussein Shihab |
| 1995–1997 | Defender | Karim Salman |
| 1997–2000 | Forward | Alaa Kadhim |
| 2000–2003 | Midfielder | Habib Jafar |
| 2003–2007 | Forward |  Alaa Kadhim |
| 2007–2008 | Defender |  Ahmed Abdul-Majeed |
| 2008–2009 | Defender | Bassim Abbas |
| 2009–2010 | Midfielder | Gaith Abdul-Ghani |
| 2010–2011 | Midfielder | Abdul-Wahab Abu Al-Hail |
| 2011–2012 | Defender | Majeed Hameed |
| 2012–2014 | Goalkeeper | Ali Mutashar |
| 2014–2015 | Midfielder | Osama Ali |
| 2015 | Midfielder | Salih Sadir |
| 2015–2016 | Forward | Younis Mahmoud |
| 2016–2017 | Defender | Mahdi Kareem |
| 2017 | Forward | Yassir Abdul-Mohsen |
| 2017–2018 | Goalkeeper | Noor Sabri |
| 2018 | Goalkeeper | Ali Abdul-Hasan |
| 2018– | Defender | Salam Shaker |
Club Personnel
Current Coaching Staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Basim Qasim |
| Assistant coach | Haidar Mohammad |
| Assistant coach | Ahmed Basim Qasim |
| Goalkeeping coach | Hisham Khamis |
| Fitness coach | Nusair Abdul-Amir |
Manager History
|
|
|
Current Board Members
| Office | Name |
|---|---|
| President | Alaa Kadhim |
| Vice-president | Mohammed Al-Hashimi |
| Secretary | Khalid Hadi |
| Members of the administrative board | Mahdi Kadhim |
| Abdul Ghafour Abd al-Hafith | |
| Khuloud Abdul Wahab | |
| Abdul Jaleel Salih |
Recent Presidents
| Years | Name | Elections | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s–2000s | Omar Sabaawi | ||
| –2004 | Abdul-Salam Al-Guood | ||
| 2004–2006 | Hadeeb Majhoul | 2004 | |
| 2006–2008 | Alaa Kadhim | – | |
| 2008– | Alaa Kadhim | 2008, 2012, 2018 |
Honours and Trophies
National Titles
| Competition | Titles | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Iraq Stars League | 5 | 1980–81, 1981–82, 1985–86, 1992–93, 2001–02 |
| Iraq FA Cup | 2 | 2001–02, 2002–03 |
| Iraqi Super Cup | 1 | 2002 |
| Baghdad Championship | 3s | 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96 |
- record
- S shared record
Regional Titles
| Competition | Titles | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Iraq Central FA Second Division | 1 | 1970–71 |
Friendly Tournament Wins
| Competition | Titles | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Baghdad Day Cup | 2 | 2001, 2002 |
| Damascus International Championship | 1 | 2005 |
| Stafford Challenge Cup | 1 | 1984 |
See also
In Spanish: Al-Talaba Sport Club para niños
- List of football clubs in Iraq
