Club Sportif Constantinois (Arabic: 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.
Their home stadium, Chahid Hamlaoui Stadium, has a capacity of 22,968 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.[4] 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.[5] And since 2016, the club was sponsored by the Entreprise Nationale des Travaux aux Puits (ENTP), another firm of Sonatrach.[6]
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).[citation needed]
CS Constantine whose team has regularly taken part in Confederation of African Football (CAF) competitions. Qualification for Algerian clubs is determined by a team's performance in its domestic league and cup competitions, CS Constantine have regularly qualified for the primary African competition, the African Cup, by winning the Ligue Professionnelle 1. CS Constantine have also achieved African qualification via the Algerian Cup and have played in the former African Cup Winners' Cup. The first continental participation was in 1998 in the CAF Champions League, and the first match was against AS Douanes and ended with a loss 2–1, As for the biggest defeat result was firstly in 2014 against ASN Nigelec, and the secondly in 2016 against Nasarawa United 4–1, and biggest loss in 2014 against ASEC Mimosas 6–0. so that CS Constantine was absent from the African competitions until 2014 Where did it participate in the CAF Confederation Cup, On 8 February 2014 witnessed a historic event when CS Constantine played two matches on the same day, the first in the Ligue Professionnelle 1 against MO Béjaïa and the second against ASN Nigelec in Niger and in both of them they were defeated by the same score 2–0.[7][8] the Algerian Football Federation refused to postpone the matches of the championship for the Algerian clubs participating in African competitions because the FAF does not intend to end up with late matches that would disrupt the progress of a calendar allegedly tight because of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, it is for this reason that it strongly encouraged the Algerian clubs engaged in African competitions 2014 to withdraw. After winning the Ligue Professionnelle 1 title CS Constantine returned to the CAF Champions League after 20 years of absence, Qualifying for the group stage was a bit easy after winning against GAMTEL and Vipers putting him in group C with Club Africain, TP Mazembe and Ismaily.[9] where CS Constantine ranked second to face in the quarter-finals the defending champions Espérance de Tunis to defeat 3–6 on aggregate.[10]
CS Constantine's home stadium is Chahid Hamlaoui Stadium 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 22,968 people. The stadium has been through some renovation in the last few years.
CS Constantine play also in Ramadane Ben Abdelmalek Stadium.
Chahid 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 11 December 2023[update].[11][12]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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.
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