Royal Charleroi S.C.

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Royal Charleroi Sporting Club, often simply known as Charleroi or Sporting Charleroi, is a Belgian professional football club based in the city of Charleroi, in the province of Hainaut. Charleroi plays in the Belgian Pro League and their current spell at the highest level in Belgian football has started in the 2012–13 season. Charleroi was founded in 1904 and they first reached the first division in 1947–48. Their highest finish was runner-up in the 1968–69 season. They have also twice reached the Belgian Cup final, losing in 1977–78 to Beveren and in 1992–93 to Standard Liège.

Sporting Charleroi
Full nameRoyal Charleroi Sporting Club
Nickname(s)Les Zèbres (The Zebras),
Les Carolos
Founded1 January 1904; 120 years ago (1904-01-01)
GroundStade du Pays de Charleroi
Capacity15,000[1]
ChairmanFabien Debecq[2]
Managing DirectorMehdi Bayat
Head coachRik De Mil
LeagueBelgian Pro League
2023–24Belgian Pro League, 13th of 16
WebsiteClub website
Current season

Sporting Charleroi have a long-standing rivalry with their crosstown rival ROC de Charleroi-Marchienne, currently playing in the third division. Charleroi play their home matches at the Stade du Pays de Charleroi, which was refurbished for the UEFA Euro 2000. The stadium hosted 3 group stage games in the Euro 2000 among which the 1–0 victory of England against Germany. Charleroi have been recruiting several French players in recent years, including Michaël Ciani, Cyril Théréau and goalkeeper Bertrand Laquait.

History

Charleroi Sporting Club was founded in 1904 and they received the matricule n°22. Twenty years after their foundation, they qualified to play in the Promotion (then the second level in Belgian football) and in 1929, the club changed its name to Royal Charleroi Sporting Club. Rivals from Olympic Charleroi were playing in the first division in the late 1930s and the 1940s, while Sporting Charleroi was playing one level down, until they promoted in 1947. In 1949, Sporting Charleroi finished 4th (2 points behind Standard Liège) whereas Olympic Charleroi was 14th. But Olympic took the lead again until 1955 and their relegation to the second division. At the end of the 1956–57 season, Olympic Charleroi had promoted to the first division but Sporting Charleroi finished last in the first division and was thus relegated to the second division. A spell of 9 seasons in the second division followed and in 1966–67 Sporting Charleroi was back at the top level. They finished at the second place in 1968–69 5 points behind Standard Liège but within two years they were relegated again.

In 1974 the first division was changing from 16 to 20 teams and Sporting Charleroi was chosen to play at the top level. Olympic Charleroi promoted too as they had won the second division right before but they remained at the top level for just one season. Sporting underwent a new relegation in 1979–80 (17th on 18) but was back five years later. Their best result since then in the first division is a 4th place in 1993–94. In September 2005, the G-14 took FIFA to court over the eight-month injury incurred by Abdelmajid Oulmers whilst on international duty with Morocco.

Colours and badge

Characters Boule et Bill as Charleroi-supporters

The colours of Charleroi are black and white with a shirt generally striped, which led to the team being nicknamed The Zebras.

Stadium

Stade du Pays de Charleroi

The actual ground was baptized in 1939 with a match Sporting-Union du Centre and it was located near the coal mine named Mambourg. In 1985 the stadium was slightly modernized as the club had qualified for the first division. It was then heavily renewed in the late 1990s in view of the 2000 European Football Championship. The name changed on 24 May 1999 from Stade du Mambourg to Stade du Pays de Charleroi. During the tournament, the full capacity of the stadium was up to 30,000 seats. The Stade du Pays de Charleroi hosted notably the match between Germany and England. The highest stand was eventually reduced and the capacity is now 15,000.[3]

Honours

European record

Overview

Correct as of May 2016

CompetitionPlayedWDLGFGA
UEFA Cup210123
UEFA Intertoto Cup103341111
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup430185
UEFA Europa League420297
TOTAL209383026

Matches

SeasonCompetitionRoundClubHomeAwayAggregate
1969–70Inter-Cities Fairs Cup1R Zagreb2–13–15–2
2R FC Rouen3–10–23–3(a)
1994–95UEFA Cup1R Rapid București2–10–22–3
1995UEFA Intertoto CupGroup 10 Beitar Jerusalem1–03rd
Bursaspor0–2
FC Košice2–3
Wimbledon3–0
1996UEFA Intertoto CupGroup 4 Silkeborg IF2–43rd
Conwy United0–0
Zagłębie Lubin0–0
SV Ried3–1
2005UEFA Intertoto Cup2R Tampere United0–00–10–1
2015–16UEFA Europa League2Q Beitar Jerusalem5–14–19–2
3Q Zorya Luhansk0–20–30–5
2020–21UEFA Europa League3Q Partizan2–1 (aet)
PO Lech Poznań1–2

Current squad

As of 4 July 2024[4]

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

No.Pos. NationPlayer
21DF  CYPStelios Andreou
24DF  BELMardochee Nzita
29DF  SVNŽan Rogelj
32DF  BELMehdi Boukamir
33GK  FRAThéo Defourny
55GK  BELMartin Delavallée
80FW  BELYoussuf Sylla
98DF  FRAJeremy Petris
GK  CIVMohamed Koné
DF  FRACheick Keita
MF  BELNoam Mayoka-Tika

On loan

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

Club officials

PositionStaff
President Fabien Debecq
Chief commercial officer Walter Chardon
Managing director Mehdi Bayat
Head coach Rik De Mil
Assistant coach Rudi Cossey
Frank Defays
Goalkeeper coach Cédric Berthelin
Fitness coach Frédéric Renotte
Strength & conditioning coach Antoine Huguenot
Sébastien Delacroix
Video analyst Nicolas Still
Data analyst Pierre Neuchâteau
Head physio Benjamin Tubiermont
Doctor Dr.Clément Lepeuple
Physiotherapist Lilian Scarlata
Tristan Blyckaerts
Frédéric Vanbelle
Masseur Frédéric Chandelle
Head of education Christophe Dessy
Kitman Baptiste Collier
Delegate Arnaud Charlier
Performance Manager Rudger Van Snick

Coaches

References