Al Ansar FC
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Al Ansar Football Club (Template:Langx) is a football club based in Tariq El Jdideh, a district in Beirut, Lebanon, that competes in the Template:Lebanese football updater. Formed in 1951, the club did not win its first Lebanese Premier League until 1988. They went on to set a world record by winning the league 11 seasons in a row.
Ansar is the most successful club in the country, having won the Lebanese Premier League 14 times and the Lebanese FA Cup 15 times, both domestic records. They have also won the Lebanese Federation Cup twice, the Lebanese Elite Cup twice and the Lebanese Super Cup six times. Ansar's major rivalry is with Nejmeh; dubbed the Beirut derby, it is the most anticipated game in Lebanon.
The club is primarily supported by the Sunni Muslim community;[1] they had been funded by Rafic Hariri and Salim Diab until 2005.[2][3] Nabil Badr has been the club's president and main patron since 2012.[4][5]
History
Early history
In 1948, a group of young Beirutis set up the first administrative board at the club headed by Mustafa Al-Shami. Three years Misbah Dougan, then head of the administrative board, formally requested an official licence for the club allowing them to play football on all Lebanese grounds.[6] They were to be called "Al-Intisar", Arabic for "Victory", however a club with that name was already present. Mustafa Al-Shami proposed "Ansar" in remembrance of the supporters of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.[6]
Initially, Ansar was known as a Mount Lebanon team, rather than a team from Beirut. This is because, as Beirut had already too many clubs, the Federation decided to relocate Ansar to Ghobeiry.[6] In 1965, Ansar moved to Beirut and won the 1966 Lebanese Second Division promotion play-offs, gaining promotion to the Lebanese Premier League for the following season.[6]
Recent history
Ansar were crowned champions of the 2020–21 Lebanese Premier League by beating Nejmeh 2–1 in the Beirut derby in the last matchday;[7] they won their 14th title, their first since 2007.[8] They made the season a double, after beating Nejmeh in the Lebanese FA Cup final.[9]
Supporters
Although the club's roots lie in the Sunni community in Beirut,[10] Ansar's support comes from all areas and religions in Lebanon.[7] The club has been associated with the Hariri family from the early 1990s till 2005.[10] In 2018, following the introduction of ultras groups in Lebanon, "Ultras Ansari 18" (UA18) was formed.[11]
Club rivalries
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The Beirut derby with Nejmeh has historically been the most anticipated game in Lebanon: both located in Beirut, Nejmeh and Ansar have shared the majority of titles. While Nejmeh has been more successful in Asia, Ansar holds the most league titles and FA Cups.[12]
Another important rivalry is with Ahed: located in Beirut, they are affiliated with Hezbollah, with their fan base mostly coming from the Shia community in Beirut.[13] In addition Ansar has a rivalry with Safa, also based in Beirut.
Players
Current squad
Template:Updated[14] <templatestyles src="Template:Football squad player/styles.css" /> Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Notable players
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| Competition | Player | National team |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup | David Nakhid | Template:Fb |
| 2000 AFC Asian Cup | Jadir | Template:Fb |
| Newton | Template:Fb | |
| Jamal Taha | Template:Fb | |
| 2007 AFC Asian Cup | Ahmad Mnajed | Template:Fb |
| Salih Sadir | Template:Fb | |
| 2019 AFC Asian Cup | Hassan Chaito | Template:Fb |
| Hassan Chaitou | Template:Fb | |
| Adnan Haidar | Template:Fb | |
| Mootaz Jounaidi | Template:Fb | |
| 2023 AFC Asian Cup | Mouhammed-Ali Dhaini | Template:Fb |
| Yahya El Hindi | Template:Fb | |
| Hassan Maatouk | Template:Fb | |
| Robert Alexander Melki | Template:Fb | |
| Nassar Nassar | Template:Fb | |
| Ali Tneich | Template:Fb |
Honours
- Lebanese Premier League
- Lebanese FA Cup
- Lebanese Federation Cup
- Winners (2; joint record): 1999, 2000
- Lebanese Elite Cup (defunct)
- Lebanese Super Cup
Performance in AFC competitions
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|
AFC Champions League: 11 appearances |
AFC Cup: 8 appearances Asian Cup Winners' Cup: 2 appearances
|
Chairmen history
- Template:Flagicon Mustafa El-Shami (1948–1950)
- Template:Flagicon Ameen Itani (1950–1954)
- Template:Flagicon Fouad Rustom (1954–1956)
- Template:Flagicon Abdul Jalil Al-Sabra (1956–1963)
- Template:Flagicon Jamil Hasbeeny (1963–1965)
- Template:Flagicon Abed El-Jamil Ramadan (1965–1967)
- Template:Flagicon Khaled Kabbani (1967–1975)
- Template:Flagicon Said Wanid (1975–1977)
- Template:Flagicon Salim Diab (1977–2008)
- Template:Flagicon Karim Diab (2008–2012)
- Template:Flagicon Nabil Badr (2012–present)
See also
- Al Ansar FC (women), defunct women's team
- List of football clubs in Lebanon
Notes
References
External links
- Al Ansar FC at the AFC
- Al Ansar FC at LebanonFG
Template:Al Ansar FC Template:Lebanese Premier League
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