Raja Casablanca:
Raja Casablanca or Rajah (Arabic: الرجاء البيضاوي الرياضي; transliterated: ar-Raja' al-Baydawy ar-Riyady) (Raja meaning hope in Arabic) is a sports club with sections in many different disciplines in Casablanca, Morocco. Raja was founded in 1949 as part of the political struggle against French rule by nationalists who aimed to create a focus for working-class young Moroccans. The club is most well-known outside Morocco for its football team.
In Morocco, Raja Casablanca is still regarded as the club of the working-classes. For many years it had a reputation for playing entertaining football without winning many trophies. However Raja has evolved recently into a more professional outfit capable of winning trophies at home and abroad. It has become the most powerful club in Morocco alongside city rivals Wydad Casablanca.
[edit] History
The history of the club started in 1949 with a group of artists called "FATH". The French authorities having banned the appointment of a Moroccan chairman, the club appointed instead a Morocco-based Algerian who held a French passport, Benabadji, as acting chairman for six months. It took a long time for the French authorities to accept this arrangement as a "fait accompli".
Raja was led by Moroccan nationalists who would later fight for the independence of the country. Many of them were trade unionists such as Mrs. Mahjoub Ben Seddik , Tibari , Salah Medkouri , Chemseddine , Hmidou Al Watani, Karim Hajjaj, Ahmed Skalli Haddaoui, Choukri, Daoudi, Hachmi Nejjar, Charfaoui, Laachfoubi, Abdelkader Jalal, Naoui , Maître Maâti Bouabid and many others.
In 1949, Raja, made up exclusively of Moroccan players, started its first year in the "Division d'Honneur" (the lowest division) and after just one season, it was promoted to the second division. There the team achieved a 100% record and immediately climbed to the 1st division in 1951 where it has remained ever since.
The first trainer of the club was Kacem Kassimi and it was under his guidance that Raja reached the first division. In 1953. However it was his successor Père Jégo (Father Jégo) who imbued the club with the values and playing-style which were to define the club.
With him arrived Boujemaa Kadri, who took on the task of creating an administrative and financial structure that would allow the young club to compete at the highest level. It is to these two men tha Raja owes the foundations for its success.
Through the years, Raja has been the club which has produced most young talent for the Moroccan national team.
In 2000, the club participated in the FIFA Club World Championship tournament hosted by Brazil.
[edit] Trophies
Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca
- CAF Super Cup
- Winner : 1999
- runner-up :1997
- Afro-Asian Club Championship
- CAF Champions League
- Winner : 1989, 1997, 1999
- Runner-up : 2002
- CAF Cup
- Moroccan League
- Champion : 1988, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004
- Moroccan Cup
- Winner : 1974, 1977, 1982, 1996, 2002, 2005
- Arab Champions League
- Winner : 2006
- Runner-up : 1996
- Arab Summer Cup
[edit] Notable former players
[edit] External links
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