Racing Club Beirut

{{pp|small=yes}} {{short description|Lebanese association football club}} {{About|the men's football club from Beirut, Lebanon|other similarly named sports teams|Racing Club (disambiguation){{!}}Racing Club}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Racing Beirut | image = Racing Beirut (logo).png | image_size = | fullname = Racing Club | nickname = {{lang|ar|القلعة البيضاء}} (The White Castle)<ref name=AB1>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abdogedeon.com/volleyball/NOUJOUM/racing%20club%20beirut.html|title=racing club beirut|website=abdogedeon.com|access-date=24 April 2019|archive-date=1 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221101164244/https://www.abdogedeon.com/volleyball/NOUJOUM/racing%20club%20beirut.html|url-status=live}}</ref><br>{{lang|ar|سندباد الكرة اللبنانية}} (The [[Sinbad]] of Lebanese Football)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-07-04|title=الراسينغ "سندباد الكرة اللبنانية" - صورة من الماضي|url=https://www.nidaalwatan.com/article/1042-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%BA-%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B6%D9%8A|access-date=2022-02-04|website=نداء الوطن|language=en|archive-date=4 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204122958/https://www.nidaalwatan.com/article/1042-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%BA-%D8%B3%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B6%D9%8A|url-status=live}}</ref> | short name = Racing | founded = {{Start date and age|1934}} | chairman = Georges Hanna | manager = James Hemaid | league = {{Lebanese football updater|Racing}} | season = {{Lebanese football updater|Racing2}} | position = {{Lebanese football updater|Racing3}} | ground = [[Sharek Stadium]] | capacity = | pattern_la1 = | pattern_b1 = _jomachampion19wbr | pattern_ra1 = | pattern_sh1 = | pattern_so1 = | leftarm1 = FFFFFF | body1 = FFFFFF | rightarm1 = FFFFFF | shorts1 = FFFFFF | socks1 = FFFFFF | pattern_la2 = | pattern_b2 = _jomachampion19rbw | pattern_ra2 = | pattern_sh2 = | pattern_so2 = | leftarm2 = 0033FF | body2 = FFFFFF | rightarm2 = 0033FF | shorts2 = 0033FF | socks2 = 0033FF | current = 2025–26 Lebanese Premier League }} '''Racing Club''' ({{Langx|ar|نادي الراسينغ}}), known as '''Racing Beirut''' or simply '''Racing''', is a [[Association football|football]] club based in [[Achrafieh]], a district in [[Beirut]], Lebanon, that competes in the {{Lebanese football updater|Racing}}.<ref name=AB1 /> They are [[Sectarianism in Lebanon|primarily]] supported by the [[Lebanese Greek Orthodox Christians|Greek Orthodox Christian community]].<ref name="Maugendre">{{Citation | last = Maugendre | first = Axel | title = Ethnography of the Lebanese Football Clubs | journal = Athens Journal of Sports | volume = 5 | issue = 3 | pages = 213-226 | date = 31 August 2018 | language = English | url = https://www.athensjournals.gr/sports/2018-5-3-3-Maugendre.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190718023450/https://www.athensjournals.gr/sports/2018-5-3-3-Maugendre.pdf | archive-date = 18 July 2019 | doi = 10.30958/AJSPO.5-3-3}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | last=Montague | first=James | title=In Lebanon, even soccer is tainted by sectarian strife | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/24/sports/24iht-CUP.1.8030583.html | date=24 October 2007 | access-date=15 October 2010 | work=The New York Times | archive-date=11 May 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511160513/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/24/sports/24iht-CUP.1.8030583.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=الراسينغ: نادي الأشرفية ومحيطها... يعاند التاريخ|url=https://www.asasmedia.com/news/386547%26p%3D666|access-date=2020-08-29|website=asasmedia.com|archive-date=2 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210902173840/https://www.asasmedia.com/news/386547%26p%3D666|url-status=live}}</ref> The club's name is inspired from French football club [[Racing Club de France Football|Racing Paris]], who the club's presidents supported.<ref name=":0" /> Racing played five years in the [[Lebanese Second Division]], and got its first promotion to the Lebanese Premier League in 1940.<ref name=":0" />

In 1953, Albert Kheir was elected as the club's president.<ref name=":0" /> He sought to heighten the club's status in the country, by buying 20-year-old [[Joseph Abou Murad]] from [[Al Intissar Al Chayyah Club|Intissar Chayyah]], Said Haidar from [[Al Nahda SC|Al Nahda]], and Yuguslavian coach [[Ljubiša Broćić]].<ref name=":0" />

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 football team|Brazil national under-23 team]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=RACING CLUB BEIRUT |url=http://www.abdogedeon.com/volleyball/NOUJOUM/racing_club_beirut%202.html |access-date=16 March 2019 |website=abdogedeon.com |archive-date=2 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202091537/https://abdogedeon.com/volleyball/NOUJOUM/racing_club_beirut%202.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Recent history === The match between [[Al Ahed FC|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).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khaled |first=Nasser |date=26 July 2023 |title= |script-title=ar:تقنية الفيديو حاضرة في لقاء العهد والراسينغ |trans-title=Video technology will be present in the match between Ahed and Racing |url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1257135 |access-date=27 July 2023 |website=Kooora |language=ar |archive-date=27 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230727194407/https://www.kooora.com/?n=1257135 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Club rivalries == Historically, during the 1960s and 1970s, Racing's main rivals were [[Nejmeh SC|Nejmeh]], also from Beirut.<ref name=":0" /> Racing plays the Achrafieh derby with [[Sagesse SC (football)|Sagesse]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://elieattieh.blogspot.com/2015/10/|title=مبارتا دربي اﻷشرفية!|language=en|access-date=23 May 2019|archive-date=23 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523233318/http://elieattieh.blogspot.com/2015/10/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Players== ===Squad=== {{updated|26 March, 2026}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://globalsportsarchive.com/team/soccer/racing-club-bayrut/16375/|title=Racing Club Bayrūt|website=Global Sports Archive|access-date=1 October 2022|archive-date=28 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928090302/https://globalsportsarchive.com/team/soccer/racing-club-bayrut/16375/|url-status=live}}</ref> {{Fs start}} {{Fs player|no=1 |pos=GK|nat=LBN|name=[[Hassan Moghnieh]]}} {{Fs player|no=2 |pos=DF|nat=LBN|name=Mohammad Ali Kammouni}} {{Fs player|no=4 |pos=DF|nat=LBN|name=Houssam Al-Kour}} {{Fs player|no=5 |pos=DF|nat=LBN|name=Charbel Hanna}} {{Fs player|no=7 |pos=FW|nat=LBN|name=[[Ali Markabawi]]}} {{Fs player|no=8 |pos=MF|nat=LBN|name=Adam Kobeissi}} {{Fs player|no=9 |pos=FW|nat=LBN|name=Ali Imad Moussawi}} {{Fs player|no=10|pos=MF|nat=LBN|name=Joseph Aoun}} {{Fs player|no=11|pos=FW|nat=MRT|name=[[Mamadou Niass]]}} {{Fs player|no=12|pos=DF|nat=LBN|name=Ali Ayoub|other=[[captain (association football)|captain]]}} {{Fs player|no=13|pos=MF|nat=LBN|name=Chris Mansour}} {{Fs player|no=14|pos=DF|nat=LBN|name=Ali Tawbi}} {{Fs player|no=15|pos=DF|nat=SEN|name=Tamsir Cissé}} {{Fs player|no=16|pos=FW|nat=LBN|name=Eli Baradhi}} {{Fs player|no=17|pos=MF|nat=SEN|name=Malick Dieng}} {{Fs mid}} {{Fs player|no=18|pos=MF|nat=LBN|name=Julien Jamous}} {{Fs player|no=19|pos=DF|nat=LBN|name=Saad Chweiki}} {{Fs player|no=20|pos=MF|nat=LBN|name=Sami Moanaki}} {{Fs player|no=21|pos=MF|nat=LBN|name=Charbel Feghali}} {{Fs player|no=22|pos=GK|nat=LBN|name=Omar Idlibi}} {{Fs player|no=23|pos=MF|nat=LBN|name=Miguel Karam}} {{Fs player|no=25|pos=GK|nat=LBN|name=Ali El-Akbar Dia}} {{Fs player|no=26|pos=DF|nat=NGR|name=[[Abiodun Adebayo]]}} {{Fs player|no=30|pos=DF|nat=LBN|name=Nicolas Berbari}} {{Fs player|no=35|pos=FW|nat=LBN|name=Angelo El-Chidiac}} {{Fs player|no=43|pos=FW|nat=LBN|name=Ali Haidar Ahmad}} {{Fs player|no=70|pos=MF|nat=LBN|name=Samer El-Jawhari}} {{Fs player|no=77|pos=MF|nat=LBN|name=Hamza Tarhini}} {{Fs player|no=88|pos=FW|nat=LBN|name=Ali Chahla}} {{Fs end}}

== Shirt manufacturers == *2008: [[Adidas]] *2009: [[Lotto Sport Italia|Lotto]] *2010: [[Lotto Sport Italia|Lotto]] *2011–2013: [[Adidas]] *2014–2016: [[Diadora]] *2016–2018: [[Joma]] *2018–2022: [[Capelli Sport]] *2022–: [[Joma]]

==Honours== ===League=== * '''[[Lebanese Premier League]]''' ** '''Winners (3):''' [[1955–56 Lebanese Premier League|1955–56]], [[1964–65 Lebanese Premier League|1964–65]], [[1969–70 Lebanese Premier League|1969–70]] *'''[[Lebanese Second Division]]''' **'''Winners (4):''' 1938–39, 1999–2000, [[2006–07 Lebanese Second Division|2006–07]], [[2022–23 Lebanese Second Division|2022–23]]

===Cup=== * '''[[Lebanese Challenge Cup]]''' (''defunct'') **'''Winners (2; joint record):''' [[2016 Lebanese Challenge Cup|2016]], [[2017 Lebanese Challenge Cup|2017]] *'''[[Lebanese FA Cup]]''' ** ''Runners-up (2):'' 1944–45, 1947–48

==Managerial history== {{Expand list|date=March 2019}} *{{Flagicon|Yugoslavia}} [[Ljubiša Broćić]] (1955) *{{Flagicon|Romania}} [[Ion Bogdan]] (1967–1970) *{{Flagicon|Romania}} [[Dorian Marin]] (2004–2005) *{{Flagicon|Czech Republic}} [[Libor Pala]] (2012–2015) *{{Flagicon|Romania}} [[Eugen Moldovan]] (2015–2016) *{{Flagicon|Lebanon}} [[Moussa Hojeij]] (2016–2017) *{{Flagicon|Lebanon}} [[Roda Antar]] (2017–2019) *{{Flagicon|Lebanon}} [[Jalal Radwan]] (2019–2020) *{{Flagicon|Lebanon}} [[Said Jraidini]] (2020–2021) *{{Flagicon|Palestine}} [[Ismail Kortam]] (2021–2023) *{{Flagicon|Montenegro}} [[Vladimir Vujović (footballer, born 1982)|Vladimir Vujović]] (2023–2024) *{{Flagicon|Sudan}} Osama Sakr (2025–2025) *{{Flagicon|Syria}} Hussein Afesh (2025-2026) *{{Flagicon|Switzerland}} James Hemaid (2026-)

== See also == * [[List of football clubs in Lebanon]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Racing Club Beirut| ]] [[Category:Football clubs in Lebanon]] [[Category:Football clubs in Beirut]] [[Category:1934 establishments in Lebanon]] [[Category:Christianity in Beirut]] [[Category:Greek Orthodoxy in Lebanon]]