{{short description|Lebanese association football club}} {{More citations needed|date=July 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date = April 2020}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Salam Zgharta | image = Logo salam zgharta.png | image_size = 200px | fullname = Salam Zgharta Football Club | nickname = | short name = Salam | founded = {{Start date and age|1933}}, as Salam Achrafieh SC<br />{{Start date and age|15 August 1971}}, as Salam Zgharta FC | ground = [[Zgharta Sports Complex]] | capacity = 5,500 | chairman = Estephan Frangieh | manager = [[Ricardo Cerqueira]] | league = {{Lebanese football updater|SalZgha}} | season = {{Lebanese football updater|SalZgha2}} | position = {{Lebanese football updater|SalZgha3}} | website = {{URL|http://www.salamzgharta.com/}} | pattern_la1 = _tri19h | pattern_b1 = _salam1920h | pattern_ra1 = _tri19h | pattern_so1 = | leftarm1 = ff0000 | body1 = ff0000 | rightarm1 = ff0000 | shorts1 = ff0000 | socks1 = ff0000 | pattern_la2 = _salam1920a | pattern_b2 = _salam1920a | pattern_ra2 = _salam1920a | pattern_sh2 = | pattern_so2 = | leftarm2 = FFFFFF | body2 = FFFFFF | rightarm2 = FFFFFF | shorts2 = FFFFFF | socks2 = FFFFFF | current = 2025–26 Lebanese Second Division }} {{Squads sidebar |main=Salam Zgharta |team1=Salam Zgharta FC |league1=Men's senior |team2=Amal Al Salam Zgharta FC |league2=Men's reserve |team3=Salam Zgharta FC (women) |league3=Women's senior }} '''Salam Zgharta Football Club''' ({{langx|ar|نادي السلام الرياضي زغرتا|lit=Zgharta Peace Sporting Club}}), known as '''Salam Zgharta''' or simply '''Salam''', is a [[association football|football]] club based in [[Zgharta]], Lebanon, that competes in the {{Lebanese football updater|SalZgha}}.
Founded in 1933 as Salam Achrafieh, the club was renamed Salam Zgharta in 1971; their supporters are [[Sectarianism in Lebanon|primarily]] [[Lebanese Maronite Christians|Maronites]] from the Zgharta region and other districts in North Lebanon.<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> The club's traditional kit colours are red and black.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.weltfussballarchiv.com/club-profile/lebanon/salam-zgharta-sc/16385/|title=Salam Zgharta SC - Lebanon - نادي السلام زغرتا الرياضي - Club Profile, Club History, Club Badge, Results, Fixtures, Historical Logos, Statistics|website=www.weltfussballarchiv.com|access-date=16 March 2019|archive-date=19 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619193849/http://www.weltfussballarchiv.com/club-profile/lebanon/salam-zgharta-sc/16385/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2014, they won the [[2013–14 Lebanese FA Cup|Lebanese FA Cup]], their only major trophy to date.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/national/lebanon/lebanon-cup/20132014/s8680/final-stages/|title=Summary - Cup - Lebanon - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway|website=int.soccerway.com|access-date=16 March 2019}}</ref>
== History == ===Salam Achrafieh (1933–1971)=== Salam Achrafieh was a club established in [[Ashrafieh]], a district in the northern Beirut.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}
In May 1933, Salam Achrafieh hosted a game against Arax and fielded a player called Spiro who wasn't living in Achrafieh.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} This was considered illegal at the time and the LFA disqualified Salam from the match.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} This decision was not welcomed by Slim, who was a well-known media personality, and tried to change the executive committee, but ended up failing as [[Al Nahda SC]], the dominating team at the time, didn't approve of the change.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}
Salam Achrafieh played in the first ever [[Lebanese Second Division]] season and ended up winning the trophy.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} In 1937, Salam Achrafieh became the first two-times Second Division winners.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}
=== Early history (1971–1990) === Salam Zgharta was founded in 1971, after a group of football enthusiasts bought the licence of former club Salam Achrafieh ({{Langx|ar|نادي السلام الأشرفية}}), based in the [[Achrafieh]] district of [[Beirut]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://al-akhbar.com/Sport_Lebanon/257585|title=ممثّل زغرتا: الأشرفية البداية!|website=الأخبار|language=ar|access-date=2020-02-28}}</ref>
The club remained in Achrafieh until 1974, when they moved to [[Zgharta]], in North Lebanon.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} They competed in the [[Lebanese Premier League]], with [[Sassine Ghazale]] funding the club after the move.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} During the 1974–75 season, [[Antoine Fenianos|Antoine "Al Shakra" Fenianos]] was the club's first manager.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} Salam Zgharta's first game was at the [[Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium]] against [[Nejmeh SC|Nejmeh]], in which Salam Zgharta lost 5–2.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} In their first season, the club got demoted to the second division with [[Riada Wal Adab Club|Riyada Wal Adab]], after the early finish of the season due to start of the [[Lebanese Civil War]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nidaalwatan.com/article/27906-%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B6%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%B1|title = وليد شاتيلا الحارس الطائر|date = 19 August 2020}}</ref>
While [[football in Lebanon]] was affected by the [[Lebanese Civil War]], the [[Lebanese Football Association]] (LFA) split into two entities, with each organizing its own competitions in the latter stage of the war.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} Salam Zgharta joined the Eastern Federation and won the [[Lebanese FA Cup]] on 12 April 1987.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} However, following the war, the two federations re-merged and the FA Cup win was voided.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}
=== Post-war period (1990–2006) ===
Following the end of the Civil War, Salam Zgharta were one of the best teams in the league, with a core of players such as [[Fawzi Yammine]] and [[Elias Bou Nassif]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} The start of the 1990s was positive for the Northern club, finishing third in the [[1990–91 Lebanese Premier League|1990–91 season]] with 35 points.<ref name="abdogedeon.com">{{cite web| url=https://www.abdogedeon.com/volleyball/NOUJOUM/al%20salam.html | title=Al Salam Zgharta | language=ar }}</ref> Following the expansion of the [[Lebanese Premier League|Premier League]] to 20 teams divided into two groups, Salam Zgharta finished the [[1991–92 Lebanese Premier League|1991–92 season]] as second of their group and fourth in the league standing after securing 23 points in 20 games.<ref name="abdogedeon.com"/>
In 1992, [[Kabalan Yammine]] became Salam Zgharta's president.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} The club was not able to replicate past success; they stayed the following two seasons in the top flight but then struggled to maintain its position in the Lebanese Premier League for financial reasons. Therefore, the club regularly played in the [[Lebanese Second Division]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} In the [[1999–2000 Lebanese Premier League|1999–2000 season]], Salam Zgharta finished fifth in the Lebanese Premier League, their best result under the presidency of [[Kabalan Yammine]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} In 1996, Youssef Jabbour got elected vice president.<ref>shoot 124 10_06-96 page 15 جبور نائبًا لرئيس السلام</ref> In the mid-2000s, Kabalan lost interest in the club; an election took place in October 2006, three games after the start of the [[2006–07 Lebanese Premier League|2006–07]] season, and [[Estephan Frangieh]] became the president.<ref name=":0" />
=== Estephan Frangieh's presidency (2006–present) === [[File:2020-21 Nejmeh vs Salam Zgharta 38.jpg|thumb|Salam Zgharta (''white'') against [[Nejmeh SC|Nejmeh]] (''red'') in 2020]] In the first season under Estephan Frangieh's presidency ([[2006–07 Lebanese Premier League|2006–07]]), the club was relegated to the Second Division.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} Following their relegation, Frangieh invested in the club and they were promoted back into the first division in the [[2007–08 Lebanese Second Division|2007–08]] season.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} Their stay in the first division only lasted one season as they were relegated again in the [[2008–09 Lebanese Second Division|2008–09]] season.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} In 2009, the Merdeshiyeh Stadium was renamed [[Zgharta Sports Complex]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} The club eventually won the [[2012–13 Lebanese Second Division]] after topping Group A, gaining promotion to the [[Lebanese Premier League|Premier League]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}
In their return to the Premier League in the [[2013–14 Lebanese Premier League|2013–14 season]], Salam Zgharta hired [[Peter Meindertsma]] as their head coach.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} While the club struggled to avoid relegation in the league, they won the [[2013–14 Lebanese FA Cup]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} In [[2015 AFC Cup|2015]], Salam Zgharta participated for the first time in the [[AFC Cup]] after winning the one-legged [[2015 AFC Cup qualifying play-off|qualifying play-off round]] match against [[Khayr Vahdat FK|Khayr Vahdat]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} They went on to win one match in six games in the [[2015 AFC Cup group stage|group stage]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}
In the [[2016–17 Lebanese Premier League|2016–17 season]], Salam Zgharta started the campaign with a 5–2 win at home against [[Al Ansar FC|Ansar]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} Salam finished runners-up, their best ever finish to date.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} They qualified to the [[2018–19 Arab Club Champions Cup]] for the first time, losing against [[Raja Casablanca]] in the round of 32.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} In the [[2020–21 Lebanese Premier League|2020–21 seasons]], after eight consecutive seasons in the top flight, Salam Zgharta were relegated to the Second Division.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mahfoud|first=Maroun|date=2021-03-31|title=End of an era|url=https://www.falebanon.com/end-of-an-era/|access-date=2021-03-31|website=FA Lebanon|language=en-GB}}</ref> They were promoted in [[2021–22 Lebanese Second Division|2021–22]], after finishing second in the Second Division,<ref>{{Cite web |title=السلام زغرتا يرافق الشباب الغازية الى الدرجة الأولى |url=https://www.akhbaralyawm.com/news/156692&p=626 |access-date=2022-06-16 |website=www.akhbaralyawm.com}}</ref> before being relegated back in [[2022–23 Lebanese Premier League|2022–23]], finishing 11th in the Premier League.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-22 |title=اتحاد كرة القدم اللبناني يصدر قرارات حاسمة |url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1225628 |access-date=2023-05-29 |website=كووورة}}</ref>
==Colors and badges== Following the move from [[Achrafieh]] to [[Zgharta]], Salam Zgharta was known for wearing blue at home and white away.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} After the re-merging of the LFA in 1990, Salam Zgharta opted to change their home colours to red.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}
The first ever logo of Salam Zgharta was designed in 1971.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} It consisted of a circle with the words "Al Salam Zgharta" ({{Langx|ar|السلام زغرتا}}) written in a calligraphic form to take the shape of a pigeon.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} The design was then changed in 2010, which conserved the round shape.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}
==Stadium== Salam Zgharta owns the [[Zgharta Sports Complex]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} The stadium is located in the Merdeshiyeh region in [[Zgharta]] and it can host almost 5,500 people.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} The stadium was built by the [[Lebanese Maronite Christians|Maronite]] endowment next to the Sarkis and Bakhos Church, and it was renovated in 2009.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} The same year, the endowment gave the right of usage of the stadium to Salam Zgharta.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}
The stadium faced a ban from the federation in 1999, which was lifted in 2009.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}
==Supporters== Salam Zgharta supporters are mainly located in the [[Zgharta]] and nearby districts.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} They were known to cause some troubles during matches in the 1990s and 2000s.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}
==Club rivalries== Salam Zgharta plays the [[North Governorate|North]] derby with [[AC Tripoli|Tripoli]], as they are both located in the same area.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://football-lebanon.com/details.php?id=6664|title=السلام زغرتا يحسم ديربي الشمال ويضمن البقاء في دوري الأضواء|last=Lebanon|first=Football|website=football-lebanon.com|access-date=13 April 2019|archive-date=1 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201040144/http://football-lebanon.com/details.php?id=6664|url-status=dead}}</ref> Other minor rivalries take place with clubs like [[Ansar Howara SC]] and [[Al Egtmaaey SC|Egtmaaey]] but Salam Zgharta don't face them much anymore as they are not regular visitors to the first division.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} The first derby between Salam Zgharta and Tripoli was played on 18 December 2005, at the Rachid Karame Municipality Stadium.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://forum.kooora.com/f.aspx?t=1132629|title=منتديات كووورة|website=forum.kooora.com|access-date=2020-04-27}}</ref> The home team, Salam Zgharta, won the game 1–0 after a goal from [[Wehbe Douaihy]] at the 58th minute.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesl/leb06.html|title=Lebanon 2005/06}}</ref>
== Reserve team == In the [[2014–15 Lebanese Premier League|2014–15 season]], Salam Zgharta's administration bought a [[Lebanese Second Division|Second Division]] club called "Al Oummal Tripoli".{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} The club was renamed [[Amal Al Salam Zgharta FC|Amal Al Salam Zgharta]], and is used as a [[reserve team]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}
==Players== ===Current squad=== {{updated|22 September 2024}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://globalsportsarchive.com/team/soccer/salam-sc-zgharta/16385/|title=Salam SC Zgharta|website=Global Sports Archive|access-date=2 October 2022}}</ref> {{Fs start}} {{Fs player|no=1|nat=LBN|pos=GK|name=Youssed Mrad}} {{Fs player|no=2|nat=LBN|pos=DF|name=Yehya Kahil}} {{Fs player|no=4|nat=PLE|pos=MF|name=Ahmad Yassine}} {{Fs player|no=5 |nat=LBN|pos=MF|name=Amer Mahfoud|other=[[captain (association football)|captain]]}} {{Fs player|no=7|nat=LBN|pos=MF|name=Mohammad Samrout}} {{Fs player|no=8 |nat=LBN|pos=MF|name=Ghazi Hussein}} {{Fs player|no=9 |pos=FW|nat=LBN|name=Haidar Awada}} {{Fs player|no=11|nat=LBN|pos=FW|name=Jason Bayeh}} {{Fs player|no=12|nat=LBN|pos=DF|name=Rawad Gitani}} {{Fs player|no=16|nat=LBN|pos=DF|name=Patrick Mannah}} {{Fs player|no=17|nat=LBN|pos=MF|name=Fouad Khawaja}} {{Fs player|no=19|nat=NGR|pos=FW|name=Obulor Silas}} {{Fs mid}} {{Fs player|no=22|nat=LBN|pos=DF|name=Adel Khalil}} {{Fs player|no=25|nat=LBN|pos=DF|name=Joe Khawaja}} {{Fs player|no=70|nat=NGR|pos=DF|name=Emmanuel Obere}} {{Fs player|no=89|nat=LBN|pos=GK|name=Joseph Bitar}} {{Fs player|no=|nat=LBN|pos=FW|name=Mohammad Chaaban}} {{Fs player|no=|nat=LBN|pos=|name=Issa Nadi Bazzi}} {{Fs player|no=|nat=LBN|pos=DF|name=Alex El Rattel}} {{Fs player|no=|nat=LBN|pos=DF|name=Mohamad Korhani}} {{Fs player|no=|nat=LBN|pos=FW|name=Mohamad Al-Zahed}} {{Fs player|no=|nat=LBN|pos=|name=Imad Al Azmeh}} {{Fs player|no=|nat=LBN|pos=GK|name=Elio Derjani}} {{Fs player|no=|nat=LBN|pos=FW|name=Elio Rostom}} {{Fs player|no=|nat=LBN|pos=FW|name=Anthony Azizi}} {{Fs end}}
=== Notable players === {{see also|Category:Salam Zgharta FC players}} {| class="wikitable" |+ '''Players in international competitions''' !Competition !Player !National team |- | rowspan="2" |[[2019 AFC Asian Cup]] |[[Walid Ismail]] |{{Fb|LIB}} |- |[[Mostafa Matar]] |{{Fb|LIB}} |}
==Presidential history== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |- !|Name !|Nationality !|Years |- | align="left" |[[Youssef Zaidan]] |{{flagicon|LBN}} | align="left" |1971 |- | align="left" |[[Sessine Ghazele]] |{{flagicon|LBN}} | align="left" | |- | align="left" |[[Kabalan Yammine]] |{{flagicon|LBN}} | align="left" |1992–2006 |- | align="left" |[[Estephan Frangieh]] |{{flagicon|LBN}} | align="left" |2006–present |}
==Managerial history== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |- !Name !Nationality !Years |- | align="left" |[[Antoine Fenianos|Antoine "Al Shakra" Fenianos]] |{{flagicon|LBN}} | align="left" |1971–???? |- |- | align="left" |[[Thaer Ahmad]] |{{flagicon|IRQ}} | align="left" |1996 |- | align="left" |[[Hussein Afeish]] |{{flagicon|LBN}} | align="left" |2005 |- | align="left" |[[Assaf Khalife]] |{{flagicon|SYR}} | align="left" |2005–???? |- | align="left" |[[Ghassan Khawaja]]{{efn|Caretaker manager|name=caretaker}} |{{flagicon|LBN}} | align="left" |2009 |- | align="left" |[[Assaf Khalife]] |{{flagicon|SYR}} | align="left" |2012–2013 |- | align="left" |[[Peter Meindertsma]] |{{flagicon|NED}} | align="left" |2013–2015 |- | align="left" |[[Louai Abou Karam]] |{{flagicon|VEN}} | align="left" |2015 |- | align="left" |[[Anas Makhlouf]] |{{flagicon|SYR}} | align="left" |2015–2016 |- | align="left" |[[Tarek Jaraya]] |{{flagicon|TUN}} | align="left" |2016–2017 |- | align="left" |[[Maher Sdiri]] |{{flagicon|TUN}} | align="left" |2017–2018 |- | align="left" |[[Tarek Thabet]] |{{flagicon|TUN}} | align="left" |2018 |- | align="left" |[[Ghassan Khawaja]] |{{flagicon|LBN}} | align="left" |2018–2019 |- | align="left" |[[Anis Boujelban]]{{efn|name=caretaker}} |{{flagicon|TUN}} | align="left" |2019 |- | align="left" |[[Nouhad Souccar]] |{{flagicon|JOR}} | align="left" |2019 |- | align="left" |[[Ahmad Kadhem]] |{{flagicon|IRQ}} | align="left" |2019 |- | align="left" |[[Ghassan Khawaja]] |{{flagicon|LBN}} | align="left" |2020–2021 |- | align="left" |[[Vladimir Vujović (footballer, born 1982)|Vladimir Vujović]] |{{flagicon|MNE}} | align="left" |2021–2022 |- | align="left" |[[Kazem El Khansa]] |{{flagicon|LBN}} | align="left" |2022 |- | align="left" |[[Andrew Oakley]] |{{flagicon|AUS}} | align="left" |2022 |- | align="left" |[[Ahmed Hafez]] |{{flagicon|EGY}} | align="left" |2022 |- | align="left" |[[Ricardo Cerqueira]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1203193 | title=مدرب برازيلي للسلام زغرتا | date=7 January 2023 }}</ref> |{{flagicon|BRA}} | align="left" |2023–present |}
== Honours == * '''[[Lebanese FA Cup]]''' **'''Winners (1):''' [[2013–14 Lebanese FA Cup|2013–14]] *'''[[Lebanese Second Division]]''' ** '''Winners (6):''' 1933–34,{{efn|As Salam Achrafieh|name=SA}} 1936–37,{{efn|name=SA}} 1997–98, 2004–05, [[2007–08 Lebanese Second Division|2007–08]], 2012–13 (group A) *'''[[Lebanese Federation Cup]]''' **''Runners-up (1):'' 1999 *'''[[Lebanese Super Cup]]''' **''Runners-up (1):'' 2014 *'''[[Lebanese Challenge Cup]]''' (''defunct'') **''Runners-up (2):'' 2016, [[2019 Lebanese Challenge Cup|2019]]
==Performance in AFC competitions== * '''[[AFC Cup]]: 1 appearance''' :: [[2015 AFC Cup|2015]]: Group stage
==See also== * [[List of football clubs in Lebanon]]
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} * {{Official website|http://salamzgharta.com}} * [http://stats.the-afc.com/tournament/166/teams/1041/profile Salam Zgharta FC] at the [[Asian Football Confederation|AFC]] * [http://www.falebanon.com/team/salam-zgharta/ Salam Zgharta FC] at FA Lebanon
{{Lebanese Second Division}} {{Lebanese Women's Football League}} {{Lebanese Football Association}}
[[Category:Salam Zgharta FC| ]] [[Category:Football clubs in Lebanon]] [[Category:1933 establishments in Lebanon]] [[Category:1971 establishments in Lebanon]] [[Category:Association football clubs established in 1933]] [[Category:Association football clubs established in 1971]] [[Category:Lebanese Maronites]]