Al-Gharafa SC

Al-Gharafa Sports Club (Arabic: نادي الغرافة الرياضي) is a Qatari multisports club based in the Al Gharrafa district of Al Rayyan. It is best known for its football team, although it also has teams for other sports. It was established on 6 June 1979 as Al-Ittihad and later officially incorporated into the Qatar Football Association on 23 September of that same year. The club was officially renamed to its current form in 2004 to better represent the district of Al-Gharafa, of which the club belongs to. The club was most notably founded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al-Thani, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al-Thani, Sheikh Hamad bin Faisal Al-Thani, Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Al-Thani and Saad Mohammed Al-Rumaihi.[1] In a documentary produced by Al Kass sports channel about the history of the club, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim mentioned that the idea was initially suggested by Saad Al-Rumaihi who was working as a sports journalist at the Al Raya newspaper.

Al-Gharafa
Full nameAl-Gharafa Sports Club
Nickname(s)Al Fuhud (The Cheetahs)
Founded6 June 1979 (1979-06-06), as Al-Ittihad
GroundThani bin Jassim Stadium
Capacity21,175
ChairmanJassim bin Thamer
ManagerPedro Martins
LeagueQatar Stars League
2021–22Qatar Stars League, 5th of 12
WebsiteClub website
Active departments of
Al-Gharafa Sports Club
FootballBasketball

History

1980–2000

Al-Gharafa Sports Club was founded on 6 June 1979 and was formally created on 23 September 1979 as Al-Ittihad by the first president of the board of directors, Khalifa Bin Fahad Bin Mohammed Al-Thani (1979–1982) under resolution no. 9. Al-Gharafa was founded with the intent of creating sports facilities for the youth in the Al Gharrafa region. It did not occur to the leaders that Al-Gharafa would become as tremendously successful as it is today. The name "Al-Ittihad", which when translated into English, means "United", was chosen in the spirit of the brotherhood and solidarity that characterized the club and its leaders. Yellow and blue were selected as the club colors due to the founders' endearment towards the Brazil national team.[1] Al-Gharafa owes much of its success in the early years to the financial and material support of its Sheikh leaders.[2]

As Al-Gharafa was established relatively late compared to other Qatari clubs at the time, it was sent to the Qatari 2nd Division. It dominated the league and won the title on its debut in the 1979/80 season with Egyptian coach Mahmoud Abu Rujaila, as well three more times, the second by defending the championship in the 1980/81 season, and the third in the 1983/84 season, which, subsequently, was the year that their youth team had also won the league. Their first foreign player was Faisal Hannan, a Sudanese footballer who agreed to a contract one year prior to the club's establishment. Additionally, they won the 1986/87 season of the 2nd Division, allowing them to play in the 1987–88 season of the Qatar Stars League. The club ended up winning its first Stars League title in 1991–92, breaking the 16-year deadlock between the three dominant Qatari clubs Al-Arabi, Al Sadd, and Al-Rayyan. Al-Gharafa's youth team also won the league a year later in the 1992/93 season. The club were runners-up in 1994 to Al-Arabi, before winning the Emir of Qatar Cup 4 times in a row, from 1995 to 1998, under coach Jamal Haji.[2]

The club won the league for the second time in the 1997/98 season with 32 points after they edged Al-Rayyan by a margin of 3 points. Al-Rayyan finished runners-up, with Al Sadd in third place. The very next year they finished runners-up to Al-Wakrah SC, however, Al-Gharafa had the best goal difference.[2]

2000–2005

On Friday, 28 April 2000, at Khalifa International Stadium, Al-Gharafa won their first Qatar Crown Prince Cup. The match had ended goalless before they beat Al-Rayyan 9–8 in a dramatic penalty shoot-out. They were led by Adel Khamis, the long-time captain of the team. Al-Gharafa also won the Crown Prince Cup in 2010 and 2011.[2]

They won the league championship in the 2000–01 season by defeating Al Sadd in their last game on 1 May 2001 by a scoreline of 1–0. After the match, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, then chairman of the olympic committee, delivered an award to Adel Khamis, as well as gold medals to the whole team and a sum of 500,000 Qatari riyals to the club. Rachid Amrane also won the league top goalscorer with a tally of 16 goals.[2]

2005–present

The Qatar Stars League was revamped in the 2004/05 season, with many clubs changing their names (including Al-Gharafa), as well as changing the number of games played each season from 18 to 27. The club won the league this year, with only 1 loss from 27 games, bringing their point tally to 66, which was 14 more than the runners-up, Al-Rayyan. They also won their first Sheikh Jassem Cup that year, on 12 September 2005, after defeating Al Ahli 2–1, courtesy of goals from Rodrigo and Fahad Al Shammari.[2]

The next year they were unsuccessful in retaining the league championship, only finishing runners-up to Al Sadd. Although the next season, they won the league once more, besides scoring the highest number of goals in a season with 72 goals, mainly thanks to the efforts of Araújo, who scored 27 goals that season, shattering Gabriel Batistuta's record of 25.[2]

Stadium

Al Gharafa plays its home games at Thani bin Jassim Stadium which is situated in the Al Gharafa suburb of Al Rayyan. The stadium holds 27,000 people and was built in 2003. The stadium hosted 2011 AFC Asian Cup and other international competitions. It is planned to expand the existing 27,000 capacity to 44,740 for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[3]

Youth development

Al Gharafa has one of the largest youth development programmes in the country. It recruits youth players for every age bracket available, and has produced national team players from its academy. They regularly visit local schools, as well as hold school tournaments, and offer students trials. Currently there are approximately 350 players in the club's youth ranks, with 100 players in its academy, and 240 players in grass roots. Break-up is as follows (as of 2013):[4]

Break-up of all youth players
Total number of youth playersPlaying in national teamsIn ASPIRE
350
35
45
Break-up of academy players
CategoryU–19U–17U–15U–14Total no. of players
Number of players
25
25
25
25
100
Number of trainers
5
5
5
5
Training sessions/week
5
5
4
4
Break-up of grass–roots players
CategoryU–12U–11U–10U–9U–8U–7U–6U–15Total no. of players
Number of players
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
20
240
Number of trainers
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
Training sessions/week
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2

Honours
Winners (7): 1991–92, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10
Winners (4): 1979–80, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1986–87
Winners (7): 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2009, 2012
Winners (3): 2000, 2010, 2011
Winners (3): 2009, 2017–18, 2018–19 (Record)
Winners (2): 2005, 2007
Winners (1): 1999

Other records
Season Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA GD P Domestic cups AFC Other Competitions
1995–96 QSL5164482221+116 CPC PFC ACWC, ASC GCC
1996–97 QSL3168532214+829 CPC PFC ACWC, ASC GCC
1997–98 QSL11610512313+1032 CPC PFC ACWC, ASC GCC
1998–99 QSL21610423211+2134 CPC PFC ACWC, ASC GCC
1999–2000 QSL4165832415+923 CPC
2000–01 QSL5168442719+828 CPC EC
2001–02 QSL11613214218+2441 CPC
2002–03 QSL2188822921+832 CPC PFC SSC EC
2003–04 QSL6187563324+926 CPC ACL
2004–05 QSL12720617123+4866 CPC ACL ARCL
2005–06 QSL62781092930-134 CPC ACL Quarter-finals
2006–07 QSL227111065141+1043 CPC PFC
2007–08 QSL12720257235+3762 CC ACL Group Stage
2008–09 QSL12717555633+2356 CC PFC ACL
2009–10 QSL12216515516+3953 CC ACL Group Stage
2010–11 QSL22214175131+2043 CC ACL Semi-finals
2011–12 QSL6228772627-131 CPC ACL Semi-finals
2012–13 QSL6228682628-230 CC

Performance in AFC competitions
AFC Champions League
Season Round Results Team 2 Venue Scorer(s)
8 March 2006Group Round0 – 2Iran Saba BatteryDoha, Qatar
22 March 20060 – 2United Arab Emirates Al-WahdaAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
12 April 20064 – 0Syria Al-KaramahDoha, QatarA'ala Hubail (2), Lawrence Quaye, Ismaiel Ali
26 April 20061 – 3Syria Al-KaramahHoms, SyriaLawrence Quaye
3 May 20061 – 4Iran Saba BatteryTehran, IranAbdulla Al-Mazroa
17 May 20065 – 3United Arab Emirates Al-WahdaDoha, QatarA'ala Hubail (3), Fahad Al Shammari, Sergio Ricardo
12 March 2008Group Round1 – 1Iraq ArbilZarqa, JordanAraújo
19 March 20082 – 2Uzbekistan PakhtakorDoha, QatarYounis Mahmoud, Araújo
9 April 20080 – 1Kuwait Al Qadisiya KuwaitKuwait City, Kuwait
23 April 20080 – 1Kuwait Al Qadisiya KuwaitDoha, Qatar
7 May 20080 – 1Iraq ArbilDoha, Qatar
21 May 20080 – 2Uzbekistan PakhtakorTashkent, Uzbekistan
10 March 2009Group Round1 – 3Saudi Arabia Al-ShababDoha, QatarAraújo
17 March 20092 – 0United Arab Emirates SharjahSharjah, United Arab EmiratesNasser Kamil, Araújo
8 April 20091 – 3Iran PersepolisTehran, IranFernandão
21 April 20095 – 1Iran PersepolisDoha, QatarFernandão, Araújo (3), Nashat Akram
6 May 20090 – 1Saudi Arabia Al-ShababRiyadh, Saudi Arabia
23 February 2010Group Round2 – 1United Arab Emirates Al-JaziraAbu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesOtmane El Assas, Younis Mahmoud
9 March 20103 – 2Saudi Arabia Al-AhliDoha, QatarMirghani Al Zain, Saad Al-Shammari, Araújo
23 March 20100 – 3Iran EsteghlalTehran, Iran
31 March 20101 – 1Iran EsteghlalDoha, QatarYounis Mahmoud
14 April 20104 – 2United Arab Emirates Al-JaziraDoha, QatarAraújo (3), Otmane El Assas
28 April 20101 – 0Saudi Arabia Al-AhliJeddah, Saudi ArabiaNasser Kamil
11 May 2010Round of 161 – 0Uzbekistan PakhtakorDoha, QatarAraújo
15 September 2010Quarter-final0 – 3Saudi Arabia Al-HilalRiyadh, Saudi Arabia
22 September 20104 – 2Saudi Arabia Al-HilalDoha, QatarMirghani Al Zain, Younis Mahmoud (2), Otmane El Assas
1 March 2011Group Round0 – 0United Arab Emirates Al-JaziraAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
15 March 20110 – 1Saudi Arabia Al-HilalDoha, Qatar
5 April 20110 – 2Iran SepahanIsfahan, Iran
29 April 20111 – 0Iran SepahanDoha, QatarAmara Diané
4 May 20115 – 2United Arab Emirates Al-JaziraDoha, QatarYounis Mahmoud (3), Amara Diané, Mirghani Al Zain
11 May 20110 – 2Saudi Arabia Al-HilalRiyadh, Saudi Arabia

Players

As of Qatar Stars League:

No Position Player Nation
1 GK Qasem Burhan  Qatar
3 DF Tameem Al-Muhaza  Qatar
4 MF Nasser Al Ahrak  Qatar
5 DF Al-Mahdi Ali Mukhtar  Qatar
6 MF Abdullah Ali Saei  Qatar
7 MF Moayad Hassan  Qatar
8 MF Yacine Brahimi  Algeria
9 FW Ahmed Al Ganehi  Qatar
10 MF Farid Boulaya  Algeria
11 MF Othman Al-Yahri  Qatar
12 DF Abdalla Sirelkhatem  Qatar
13 FW Ahmed Alaaeldin  Qatar
14 MF Andri Syahputra  Qatar
15 MF Mostafa Essam  Qatar
17 MF Jassim Al-Zarra  Qatar
20 DF Islom Tukhtakhujaev  Uzbekistan
21 GK Yousef Hassan  Qatar
22 GK Ahmed Al-Khinji U19  Qatar
23 GK Ahmed Soufiane  Qatar
24 DF Homam Ahmed  Qatar
30 FW Nasser Al-Enezi  Qatar
33 DF Chalpan Abdulnasir U19  Qatar
37 MF Mohammed Ali Jamin  Indonesia
41 FW Yousef Saeed U19  Qatar
44 DF Mohammed Mansour U19  Qatar
45 MF Gasser Hussain U19  Qatar
47 MF Abdelaziz Beshir U19  Qatar
50 MF Yousef Houssam U19  Qatar
60 MF Ibrahim Khalid U19  Egypt
90 DF Saifeldeen Fadlalla U19  Qatar
91 DF Mehdi Tahrat  Algeria
95 GK Abdulrahman Al-Ali  Qatar
99 FW Ishak Belfodil  Algeria

Notable players

This list includes players whom have made significant contributions to their national team and to the club. At least 100 caps for the club or 70 caps for their national team is needed to be considered for inclusion. Updated 28 March 2016.

Domestic players

Foreign players

Personnel
As of 14 May 2023[5]
Coaching Staff
Head Coach Portugal Pedro Martins
Assistant Coach Qatar Saud Sabah

Club officials

Management
Position Staff
President Sh. Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani
Vice-President Sh. Khalid bin Ahmed Al Thani
Treasurer Sh. Thani bin Thamer Al Thani
General Secretary Jassem Al Mansouri
Vice Secretary Ahmed Al Shehhi
Board member Sh. Abdulaziz bin Jassim Al-Thani
General Secretary Sh. Hamad bin Mohammed Al Thani
General Secretary Sh. Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Thani
General Secretary Sh. Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani

Last updated: 18 December 2014
Source: Board of Directors

Managerial history
As of 14 May 2023[6]
Notes
  • Note 1 denotes caretaker role

Club rankings

National ranking
As of 14 May 2023.[11]
Current Rank Country Team Points
4QatarAl-Rayyan SC1390
5QatarAl-Arabi SC1363
6QatarAl-Gharafa SC1356
7QatarQatar SC1316
8QatarAl-Wakrah SC1316

Asian ranking
As of 14 May 2023.[12]
Current Rank Country Team Points
92IranGostaresh Foulad F.C.1356
93IndiaBengaluru FC1356
94QatarAl-Gharafa SC1356
95IndonesiaBhayangkara FC1356
96IranNaft Tehran F.C.1354

World ranking
As of 14 May 2023.[13]
Current Rank Country Team Points
937IndiaBengaluru FC1356
938Turkeyİstanbulspor1356
939QatarAl-Gharafa SC1356
940UkraineFC Zirka Kropyvnytskyi1356
941MexicoMazatlán F.C.1356

References
  1. "الغرافة أسس على الحب والترابط وروح الأسرة الواحدة". raya.com. 31 January 2013. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  2. "تاريخ النادي" (in Arabic). algharafa.com. Archived from the original on 26 August 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  3. "Thani bin Jassim Stadium". worldcupstadiums.net. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  4. "Al Gharafa Football Club (AFC Inspection visit)" (PDF). qslm-license.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  5. "Administrative and technical staff". Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  6. "Al Gharafa » Manager history". Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  7. "Interview with Faisal Hannan". algharafa.net. 15 March 2013. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  8. "مع احترامي للريان والجيش.. الكأس الغالية غرفاوية". kooora.com. 17 May 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  9. "Qatar's Al Ittihad takes on Al Ain today". Gulf News. 8 January 2001. Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  10. "طموح السد "التحليق" في صدارة قطر". daharchives.alhayat.com. 5 December 2003. Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  11. "Qatar Football / Soccer Clubs Ranking". Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  12. "Asia Football / Soccer Clubs Ranking". Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  13. "World Football / Soccer Clubs Ranking". Retrieved 14 May 2021.
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