Al-Fotuwa SC

Al-Fotuwa SC
Full name	Al-Fotuwa Sports Club
Nickname(s)	The Blue Knight ; (Arabic: الفارس الأزرق) ; Azzurri Deir ez-Zor
Founded	1930; 94 years ago as Ghazi Club
Ground	Deir ez-Zor Municipal Stadium
Capacity	13,000
Chairman	Madloul Al-Aziz
Manager	Ammar Shamali
League	Syrian Premier League
2023–24	1st (Champions)
Home colours	Away colours

Al-Fotuwa Sports Club (Arabic: نادي الفتوة الرياضي) is a Syrian professional football club based in the city of Deir ez-Zor that competes in the Syrian Premier League, the top flight of Syrian football. Nicknamed "the Blue Knight" (Arabic: الفارس الأزرق) or Azzurri Deir ez-Zor, Al-Fotuwa have won three Premier League titles and four Cup titles. It was founded in 1930 in Deir ez-Zor.^{[citation needed]}

History

Al-Fotuwa was founded in 1930 as Ghazi Club and in 1950 was renamed as Al-Fotuwa Sports Club.^[1] Al-Fotuwa Club dominated the 1980s at the level of the Syrian Premier League and is a record holder by reaching the final match of the Syrian Cup nine times in a row, winning four of them. They achieved a double, by winning the league and cup titles, twice in 1990 and 1991. In addition, the club won the title of the Syrian-Lebanese Super Cup, which was held only once.

In the 2022–23 season, they won their third title after 32 years and also qualified to their debut 2023–24 AFC Cup.^[2] On 2 October 2023, Al-Fotuwa recorded their first ever win in the AFC Cup in a 1–0 win against Lebanon side, Al Ahed.^[3] In the 2023–24 season, Al-Fotuwa achieved their third domestic double in history.^[4]

Stadium

Deir ez-Zor Municipal Stadium is located in Arifi area of Deir ez-Zor, Syria.^[5] The stadium consists of a football field, and spaces that accommodate 13,000 spectators.

Colours and kits

Since its foundation, the traditional colour of Fotuwa's home kit is yellow with various designs over the years.^{[citation needed]}

Supporters and rivalries

This club is supported by fans from Deir ez-Zor Governorate, and it is considered one of the four largest fans in Syria.^[6] The main rival of the club is Al-Jihad SC from Al-Qamishli.^[7]

Achievements

Syrian Premier League: 4
- Champion: 1990, 1991, 2022–23, 2023–24
Syrian Cup: 5
- Champion: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 2024
Syrian-Lebanese Super Cup: 1
- Champion: 1991

Performance in AFC competitions

Asian Club Championship: 1 appearance

1988–89: Group stage

AFC Cup: 1 appearance

2023–24: Group stage

AFC Challenge League: 1 appearance

2024–25: Group stage

Records

As of 1 November 2024

Match won	Match drawn	Match lost	Champions	Runners-up

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
1988–89	Asian Club Championship	Qualifying Group	Al-Rasheed	0–3		3rd place
			Al-Sadd	1–4
			Al-Ansar	1–0
2023–24	AFC Cup	Group stage	Jabal Al-Mukaber	–^[a]	~~0–1~~^[a]	3rd place
			Al Ahed	1–0	1–2
			Al-Nahda	0–1	1–2
2024–25	AFC Challenge League	Group stage	Al-Seeb	0–5		3rd place
			Hilal Al-Quds	0–0
			Al-Ahli Club	1–1

^ ^a ^b Jabal Al-Mukaber withdrew during the competition.

Performance in UAFA competitions

Arab Cup Winners' Cup: 1 appearance

1989: Group Stage

Records

Accurate as of 12 June 2022

Match won	Match drawn	Match lost	Champions	Runners-up

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Aggregate
1989	Arab Cup Winners' Cup	Group	Al-Ittihad Jeddah	0–5	4th place
			Stade Tunisien	0–4
			Al-Rasheed	0–7

Players

As 11 June 2024

Current squad

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	SYR	Talal Al Hussen
2	DF	SYR	Fares Arnaout
3	DF	SYR	Karam Imran
5	MF	SYR	Subhi Shoufan
6	MF	SYR	Ahmed Hussein
7	MF	SYR	Oday Al Jafal
8	MF	SYR	Ward Al Salama
9	FW	SYR	Mahmoud Al Baher
10	MF	SYR	Mustafa Jneid
11	MF	SYR	Ammar Mostat
12	MF	SYR	Muhammad Abbadi
14	DF	SYR	Ahmed Al Ashkar
15	DF	SYR	Khalil Ibrahim
16	DF	SYR	Abdulhadi Hanbazli
17	MF	SYR	Oqbah Al Marel


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
18	DF	SYR	Ahmad Al Khassi
22	GK	SYR	Ahmad Kanaan
25	DF	SYR	Youssef Al Hamawi
26	MF	SYR	Zid Gharir
27	DF	SYR	Mesra Alarsaan
30	MF	SYR	Ali Baaj
31	GK	SYR	Taha Mosa
38	MF	SYR	Mohammad Al Salama
77	MF	SYR	Abdul Rahman Al Hussein
80	GK	SYR	Omar Al Fateh
88	DF	SYR	Abdal Razak Al Mohamad
90	FW	SYR	Hassan Owaid
93	FW	SYR	Mohammad Malta
95	FW	SYR	Assad Al Khoder

Coaches

Anouar Abdul Kader (2008–2013)
Osama Al Ghabad (2013–2015)^[8]
Anouar Abdul Kader (2015–2017)
Mohamed Aqil (2021–2023)
Ammar Shamali (2023)
Ayman Hakeem (2023–2024)
Ammar Shamali (2024–present)

References

^ Al Fotuwa SC – Weltfussballarchiv
^ "رسميا.. الفتوة بطلا للدوري السوري" (in Arabic). kooora.com. 30 May 2023. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
^ "كأس الاتحاد الآسيوي - المجموعة الأولى: الفتوة 1 - العهد 0" (in Arabic). AFC. 2 October 2023.
^ "الفتوة يحقق ثنائية الدوري والكأس في سوريا" (in Arabic). Kooora. 24 May 2024.
^ Sports facilities in Deir ez-Zor^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "The Football Match That Sparked The Rojava Revolution". 25 November 2020. Archived from the original on 2023-08-29. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
^ "5 Politically-Charged Football Matches that Turned into Madness". 5 January 2020. Archived from the original on 2023-08-29. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
^ "identified Osama al-Abd al-Mohsen coach of Al-Fotuwa". 10 September 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-09-11. Retrieved 2015-09-11.

External links

Syrian league – Etisalat news^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[a-8] Jabal Al-Mukaber withdrew during the competition.

[1] Al Fotuwa SC – Weltfussballarchiv

[2] "رسميا.. الفتوة بطلا للدوري السوري" (in Arabic). kooora.com. 30 May 2023. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.

[3] "كأس الاتحاد الآسيوي - المجموعة الأولى: الفتوة 1 - العهد 0" (in Arabic). AFC. 2 October 2023.

[4] "الفتوة يحقق ثنائية الدوري والكأس في سوريا" (in Arabic). Kooora. 24 May 2024.

[5] Sports facilities in Deir ez-Zor^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[6] "The Football Match That Sparked The Rojava Revolution". 25 November 2020. Archived from the original on 2023-08-29. Retrieved 2023-08-29.

[7] "5 Politically-Charged Football Matches that Turned into Madness". 5 January 2020. Archived from the original on 2023-08-29. Retrieved 2023-08-29.

[9] "identified Osama al-Abd al-Mohsen coach of Al-Fotuwa". 10 September 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-09-11. Retrieved 2015-09-11.

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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
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