Racing Club (Arabic: نادي الراسينغ), known as Racing Beirut or simply Racing, is a football club based in Achrafieh, a district in Beirut, Lebanon, that competes in the Lebanese Premier League.[1] They play their home matches at the Fouad Chehab Stadium and are primarily supported by the Christian community.[4]
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| Full name | Racing Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | القلعة البيضاء (The White Castle)[1] سندباد الكرة اللبنانية (The Sinbad of Lebanese Football)[2] | ||
| Short name | Racing | ||
| Founded | 1934 | ||
| Ground | Fouad Chehab Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 5,000 | ||
| Chairman | Paula Faraoun Rizk[3] | ||
| Manager | Vladimir Vujović | ||
| League | Lebanese Premier League | ||
| 2022–23 | Lebanese Second Division, 1st of 12 (promoted) | ||
Racing Beirut won the Lebanese Premier League three times, the Lebanese Challenge Cup twice, and the Lebanese Second Division four times. They also finished runners-up in the Lebanese FA Cup twice.
History
Early history
The club was founded in 1934 by several locals from the Achrafieh and Gemmayzeh districts of Beirut, Lebanon.[5] The club's name is inspired from French football club Racing Paris, who the club's presidents supported.[5] Racing played five years in the Lebanese Second Division, and got its first promotion to the Lebanese Premier League in 1940.[5]
In 1953, Albert Kheir was elected as the club's president.[5] He sought to heighten the club's status in the country, by buying 20-year-old Joseph Abou Murad from Intissar Chayyah, Said Haidar from Al Nahda, and Yuguslavian coach Ljubiša Broćić.[5]
Racing Beirut played international friendly games against a variety of famous clubs and selections during the 1970s, including one against the Brazil national under-23 team.[6]
Recent history
The match between Ahed and Racing Beirut in the first matchday of the 2023–24 Lebanese Premier League, on 6 August 2023, was the first to test the use of video assistant referee (VAR).[7]
Club rivalries
Historically, during the 1960s and 1970s, Racing's main rivals were Nejmeh, also from Beirut.[5] Racing plays the Achrafieh derby with Sagesse.[8]
Players
Squad
- As of 1 March 2024[9]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | FW |  CGO | Roland Okouri |
| 16 | DF |  LBN | Mohamad Kdouh |
| 17 | DF | LBN | Andrew Al Azzi |
| 18 | MF | LBN | Joseph Aoun |
| 19 | DF | LBN | Mostafa Al Shamaa |
| 20 | MF | LBN | Hussein Jawad Khalife |
| 21 | FW | CGO | Yann Mokombo |
| 22 | GK | LBN | Omar Idlibi |
| 23 | MF |  PLE | Jehad Abou El Aynein |
| 30 | MF | LBN | Mostafa Chehine |
| 70 | FW | LBN | Ibrahim Abou Jabal |
| 77 | FW | LBN | Daniel Abou Fakher |
| 90 | GK | LBN | Hassan Ayoub |
Shirt manufacturers
Honours
League
Cup
- Lebanese Challenge Cup (defunct)
- Winners (2; joint record): 2016, 2017
- Lebanese FA Cup
- Runners-up (2): 1944–45, 1947–48
Managerial history
Ljubiša Broćić (1955)
Ion Bogdan (1967–1970)- Dorian Marin (2004–2005)
Libor Pala (2012–2015)- Eugen Moldovan (2015–2016)
Moussa Hojeij (2016–2017)- Roda Antar (2017–2019)
- Jalal Radwan (2019–2020)
- Said Jraidini (2020–2021)
Ismail Kortam (2021–2023)
Vladimir Vujović (2023–present)
