Al-Wathba SC
Full nameAl-Wathba Sport Club
Nickname(s)The Knights
(Arabic: الفرسان)
Founded1937; 87 years ago (1937) as Al-Fedaa Club
GroundKhaled bin Walid Stadium
Bassel al-Assad Stadium
Capacity32,000
25,000
ChairmanSyria Youssef Salameh
ManagerSyria Firas Maasas
LeagueSyrian Premier League
2022–235th
WebsiteClub website
Current season
Al-Wathba active sections

Football
Basketball

Al-Wathba Sport Club (Arabic: نادي الوثبة الرياضي) is a Syrian professional football club based in Homs that competes in the Syrian Premier League.[1]

History

One of the oldest Syrian clubs, Al-Wathba were founded in 1937 as "Al-Fedaa Club" by a number of young amateur athletes who used "Dar Al-Jodi", located in al-Hamidiyah neighborhood of Homs, to practice their sport activities.[2] In 1953, the club obtained the license, adding football, basketball games, athletics, swimming, and cycling. They won the Homs championship from 1963 to 1968.

Al-Wathba is the first football club represented the city of Homs in the Syrian Premier League which started in 1973. The club was very close to winning the Premier League many times during the 1980s, the best place they achieved is 2nd in the 1981–82 season.[citation needed]

In February 2013, during the Syrian civil war, Yussef Sleman,[3] one of the players was killed in a mortar strike at the Tishreen Stadium.[4]

In 2019, Al-Wathba won the Syrian Cup, to be their first title in their history.[5] In 2019–20 season, Al-Wathba finished second in the league, their best position since 1981–82.[6]

Achievements

Runners-up (3) : 1981–82, 2019–20, 2021–22
Winners (1): 2018–19
Runners-up (1) : 2021–22
Winners (1): 2020

Current squad

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Syria SYR Fadi Bitar
— GK Syria SYR Nizar Droubi
— DF Syria SYR Manhal Kousa
— DF Syria SYR Subhi Aqoul
— DF Syria SYR Sabi Al Hamwi
— DF Syria SYR Rami Jablawi
— DF Syria SYR Abd Al Motin Wahoud
— MF Syria SYR Nasser Shandin
— MF Syria SYR Mohannad Al Dikh
— MF Syria SYR Mohamed Kroma
— MF Syria SYR Jamil Mahmoud
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Syria SYR Mohamed Al Farra
— MF Syria SYR Ali Al Sarem
— MF Syria SYR Fahd Aodi
— MF Syria SYR Deab Al Majzoub
— MF Syria SYR Salim Shatila
— MF Iran IRN Reza Bitaraf
— MF Syria SYR Bakr Ghalioum
— MF Syria SYR Maher Daboul
— FW Syria SYR Anas Bouta
— FW Syria SYR George Kamar
— FW Syria SYR Samer Touma
— FW Syria SYR Ali Ghosn

Performance in the AFC competition

2020: abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic in Asia

Continental record

Season Competition Round Club Home Away
2020 AFC Cup Group B Jordan Al-Faisaly – 0–0
Kuwait Al-Kuwait 0–0 –
Lebanon Al-Ansar – –

References

  1. ^ "Al Wathba". Eurosport. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  2. ^ "نادي الوثبة الرياضي.. تاريخ حافل بالبطولات". SANA. 24 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  3. ^ "Syria footballer killed as mortars hit stadium". AFP. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
  4. ^ "Syria footballer 'killed in Damascus stadium attack'". BBC News. 2013-02-20. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
  5. ^ "لقب اول للوثبة في كأس سوريا". elaph.com (in Arabic). 29 June 2019.
  6. ^ "مدير الكرة بالوثبة في حوار لكووورة: كنا نستحق حصد لقب الدوري السوري". kooora.com (in Arabic). 1 August 2020.

External links

Football in Syria
Syrian Premier League
Categories