CS Constantine

Club Sportif Constantinois ( ar, النادي الرياضي القسنطيني), also known as CS Constantine or simply CSC for short, is an Algerian football club based in Constantine, Algeria. The club was founded in 1898, and its colours are green and black. The footballing club is believed to be the first team founded in Africa by French people.

CSC are known as The Smurfs ( ar, السنافر), and nicknamed as The Dean ( ar, العميد .)

Their home stadium, Stade Mohamed Hamlaoui, has a capacity of 40,000 spectators. The club is currently playing in the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1.

History

CS Constantine was officially founded under the name of Iqbal Association in 1898. It was also named Chabab Mécanique de Constantine from 1977 to 1987.

Tassili Airlines the airlines firm of the petroleum company Sonatrach sponsored the club from 2012 to 2016. And since 2016, the club was sponsored by the Entreprise Nationale des Travaux aux Puits (ENTP), another firm of Sonatrach.

The 1990s and the first title of the championship

For the second time in its history, the CSC succeeded in qualifying for the semi-final of the Algerian Cup in 1992, and lost to ASO Chlef (after shots on goal), at the Stade du 5 Juillet 1962. Two years later, the club snatched the title of league champion 2 for the 4th time, in this season the club dominated the D2 championship including the famous Constantine derby, the CSC beating the MO Constantine twice (3- 0 then 2-0). Promoted for the umpteenth time in 1994, the CSC won its first title in the history of Champion of Algeria during the 1996–97 season, with talented and experienced players at the national level ( Isâad Bourahli nicknamed the fox of the surfaces from the 1990s. Moudoud Kaoua, Réda Matem, Salim Laïb, Hassen Ghoula and Sid Ahmed Benamara: international players and others). The same season, the CSC is a finalist in the international Black Stars tournament in Paris, after the semi-final victory over the Senegalese club ASC Diaraf. The following season (97-98), the club participated for the first time in the African Champions League. Exempted during the preliminary round of this edition the club, was eliminated against the Senegalese club AS Douanes in the first round, at the end of the season the CSC finishes 2nd in the championship of Algeria (Group A).

Colours and badge

Under all three names the club has had the same goals and values: (Popular, Islamic); the same colours: Green (Hope) and black (Grief); and the same motto: 'Hope in Grief' (L'esperance en Deuil).

Kits

Crests

Csc-46-47.png, 1946-1947

Image:CS Constantine (logo) 2.png, 2013-2015

Honours

Domestic competitions

* Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1
:: Champion (2): 1996–97, 2017–18.
::''Runner-up '': 1970-71.
* Ligue Professionnelle 2
::Champion (6): 1969-70, 1976-77, 1985-86, 1993-94, 2003-04, 2010-11.
* Algerian Super Cup
::''Runner-up (1)'': 2018

Performance in CAF competitions

* CAF Champions League: 2 appearances
:: 1998 – First round
:: 2018–19 – Quarter-finals

* CAF Confederation Cup: 2 appearances
:: 2014 – Second round
:: 2016 – Second round

CAF competitions stats

Grounds

CS Constantine's home stadium is Mohamed Hamlaoui known as Stade Chahid Hamlaoui which has been their home since its opening in 1976. The previous name of the stadium was Stade 17 Juin, the change was made in memory of Hamlaoui's death, a freedom fighter that died during the Algerian War. It can currently hold up to 40,000 people. The stadium has been through some renovation in the last few years. In 2007 natural grass was imported from the Netherlands.

Image:Mohamed Hamlaoui Stadium (Constantine, Algeria).jpg, Mohamed Hamlaoui Stadium

Players

Algerian teams are limited to two foreign players. The squad list includes only the principal nationality of each player;

Current squad

''As of 25 August 2022.''

Reserve Squad

Personnel

Current technical staff

Notable players

Below are the notable former players who have represented CS Constantine in league and international competition since the club's foundation in 1926. To appear in the section below, a player must have played in at least 100 official matches for the club or represented the national team for which the player is eligible during his stint with CS Constantine or following his departure.

''For a complete list of CS Constantine players, see :CS Constantine players''

* Mohamed Amroune
* Fayçal Badji
* Ousmane Berthé
* Yacine Bezzaz
* Hamza Boulemdaïs
* Noureddine Bounaas
* Issaad Bourahli
* Efosa Eguakun
* Hocine Fenier
* Hassen Ghoula
* Réda Matem
* Mourad Meghni
* Kaoua Mouloud
* Gilles Ngomo
* Laïb Salim
* Cédric Si Mohamed
* Paulin Voavy
* Mounir Zeghdoud

Managers

Image:Anis ben mlik roger lemerre ess.jpg, Roger Lemerre
Image:Simondi Bernard (6426679887).jpg, Bernard Simondi
Rabeh Saadane (cropped).jpg, Rabah Saadane
François Bracci DLR 2009-06-02.jpg, François Bracci

Rival clubs

* MC Alger (Rivalry)
* JSM Skikda (Rivalry)
* MO Constantine (Derby)
* AS Khroub (Derby)
* ES Sétif (Derby)
* Club Africain (Rivalry)

References

External links

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Fanclub Website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Constantine, CS

Football clubs in Algeria
Association football clubs established in 1926
Constantine, Algeria
Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 clubs
Algerian Ligue 2 clubs
Sports clubs in Algeria