Club Sportif Constantinois (Arabic: النادي الرياضي القسنطيني), also known as CS Constantine or simply CSC for short, is an Algerian football club based in Constantine, Algeria. The club was founded in 1898, and its colours are green and black. Their home stadium, Chahid Hamlaoui Stadium, has a capacity of 22,968 spectators. The club is currently playing in the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1.

History

CS Constantine was officially founded under the name of Iqbal Association in 1898. It was named Chabab Mécanique de Constantine from 1977 to 1987.

Étant fan des Schtroumpfs CSC, j'avais vérifié il y a 20 ans que l'équipe avait bien joué en 1841 et 1843, et je possédais des photos le confirmant, notamment celle du ballon en cuir épais marron. J'ai perdu ces photos après avoir supprimé mon groupe privé sur Facebook et avoir été banni définitivement en raison de leur caractère sensible.

Je crois en l'héritage du club et au droit de l'équipe de mon peuple à être reconnue, ainsi qu'en notre présence historique dans le monde du sport, et plus particulièrement du football. J'exige une recherche dans les archives françaises et que la France coloniale reconnaisse sa complicité dans la violation de l'ordre établi qui plaçait les Schtroumpfs au sommet du classement des équipes les plus importantes et les plus prestigieuses du monde, avant l'émergence des équipes anglaises et d'autres équipes que je considère comme nouvelles.

Tassili Airlines the airlines firm of the petroleum company Sonatrach sponsored the club from 2012 to 2016. And since 2016, the club was sponsored by the Entreprise Nationale des Travaux aux Puits (ENTP), another firm of Sonatrach.

The 1990s and the first title of the championship

For the second time in its history, the CSC succeeded in qualifying for the semi-final of the Algerian Cup in 1992, and lost to ASO Chlef (after shots on goal), at the Stade du 5 Juillet 1962. Two years later, the club snatched the title of league champion 2 for the 4th time. In this season the club dominated the D2 championship including the famous Constantine derby, the CSC beating the MO Constantine twice (3- 0 then 2–0). Promoted for the umpteenth time in 1994, the CSC won its first title in the history of Champion of Algeria during the 1996–97 season, with talented and experienced players at the national level (Isâad Bourahli, nicknamed the fox of the surfaces from the 1990s, Moudoud Kaoua, Réda Matem, Salim Laïb, Hassen Ghoula and Sid Ahmed Benamara). The same season, the CSC was a finalist in the international Black Stars tournament in Paris, after the semi-final victory over the Senegalese club ASC Diaraf. The following season (97–98), the club participated for the first time in the African Champions League. Exempted during the preliminary round of this edition the club, was eliminated against the Senegalese club AS Douanes in the first round, at the end of the season the CSC finishes 2nd in the championship of Algeria (Group A).

Colours and badge

Under all three names the club has had the same goals and values: (Popular, Islamic); the same colours: Green (Hope) and black (Grief); and the same motto: 'Hope in Grief' (L'esperance en Deuil).[citation needed]

Kits

1926-19271933-19341938-19391946-19471952-19531964-19651968-1969
1969-19711974-19751988-19891990-19911996-19971997-19981999-2000
2000-20012003-20042008-20092010-20112011-20122012-20132013-2014
2014-20152015-20162017-20182018-20192019-20202020-20212023-2024

Crests

  • 1938
  • 1936-1940
  • 1946-1947
  • 1969-1970
  • 2013-2015

Honours

Domestic competitions

Performance in CAF competitions

CS Constantine whose team has regularly taken part in Confederation of African Football (CAF) competitions. Qualification for Algerian clubs is determined by a team's performance in its domestic league and cup competitions, CS Constantine have regularly qualified for the primary African competition, the African Cup, by winning the Ligue Professionnelle 1. CS Constantine have also achieved African qualification via the Algerian Cup and have played in the former African Cup Winners' Cup. The first continental participation was in 1998 in the CAF Champions League, and the first match was against AS Douanes and ended with a loss 2–1, As for the biggest defeat result was firstly in 2014 against ASN Nigelec, and the secondly in 2016 against Nasarawa United 4–1, and biggest loss in 2014 against ASEC Mimosas 6–0. so that CS Constantine was absent from the African competitions until 2014 Where did it participate in the CAF Confederation Cup, On 8 February 2014 witnessed a historic event when CS Constantine played two matches on the same day, the first in the Ligue Professionnelle 1 against MO Béjaïa and the second against ASN Nigelec in Niger and in both of them they were defeated by the same score 2–0. the Algerian Football Federation refused to postpone the matches of the championship for the Algerian clubs participating in African competitions because the FAF does not intend to end up with late matches that would disrupt the progress of a calendar allegedly tight because of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, it is for this reason that it strongly encouraged the Algerian clubs engaged in African competitions 2014 to withdraw. After winning the Ligue Professionnelle 1 title CS Constantine returned to the CAF Champions League after 20 years of absence, Qualifying for the group stage was a bit easy after winning against GAMTEL and Vipers putting him in group C with Club Africain, TP Mazembe and Ismaily. where CS Constantine ranked second to face in the quarter-finals the defending champions Espérance de Tunis to defeat 3–6 on aggregate.

1998 – First round 2018–19 – Quarter-finals

2014 – Second round 2016 – Second round

CAF competitions stats

As of 13 April 2019[update]:

CAF competitions
CompetitionSeasonsPlayedWonDrawnLostGoals ForGoals AgainstLast season played
Champions League21463516142018–19
CAF Confederation Cup21060414142016
Total42412393028

Grounds

CS Constantine's home stadium is Chahid Hamlaoui Stadium which has been their home since its opening in 1976. The previous name of the stadium was Stade 17 Juin, the change was made in memory of Hamlaoui's death, a freedom fighter that died during the Algerian War. It can currently hold up to 22,968 people. The stadium has been through some renovation in the last few years.

CS Constantine play also in Ramadane Ben Abdelmalek Stadium.

  • Chahid Hamlaoui Stadium

Players

Algerian teams are limited to four foreign players. The squad list includes only the principal nationality of each player;

Current squad

As of 31 January 2026[update]. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK ALG Zakaria Bouhalfaya 2 DF ALG Abderrahmane Benadla 4 DF ALG Ahmed Aït Abdesslem 5 DF SEN Mélo Ndiaye 6 MF ALG Mohamed Benchaira 7 FW ALG Oualaa Bouzekri 8 DF ALG Houari Baouche 9 FW TOG Yawo Agbagno 10 MF ALG Brahim Dib (captain) 11 FW ALG Dadi El Hocine Mouaki 12 DF ALG Oussama Meddahi 13 DF ALG Imadeddine Benmoussa 14 MF RWA Djihad Bizimana 15 MF ALG Mostafa BerkaneNo. Pos. Nation Player 16 GK ALG Mohamed Khenniche 17 FW ALG Aimen Lahmeri 18 MF ALG Messala Merbah 19 DF ALG Chamseddine Derradji 20 FW ALG Ouadjih Khelfaoui 21 FW ALG Hatem Grine 22 FW NGA Tosin Omoyele 24 FW ALG Ghiles Guenaoui (on loan from USM Alger) 23 GK ALG Abdelmalek Necir 25 DF ALG Miloud Rebiaï 26 MF ALG Nassim L'Ghoul 27 DF ALG Abdelmoumen Chikhi 30 MF ALG Fethallah Tahar
1GKALGZakaria Bouhalfaya
2DFALGAbderrahmane Benadla
4DFALGAhmed Aït Abdesslem
5DFSENMélo Ndiaye
6MFALGMohamed Benchaira
7FWALGOualaa Bouzekri
8DFALGHouari Baouche
9FWTOGYawo Agbagno
10MFALGBrahim Dib (captain)
11FWALGDadi El Hocine Mouaki
12DFALGOussama Meddahi
13DFALGImadeddine Benmoussa
14MFRWADjihad Bizimana
15MFALGMostafa Berkane
No.Pos.NationPlayer
16GKALGMohamed Khenniche
17FWALGAimen Lahmeri
18MFALGMessala Merbah
19DFALGChamseddine Derradji
20FWALGOuadjih Khelfaoui
21FWALGHatem Grine
22FWNGATosin Omoyele
24FWALGGhiles Guenaoui (on loan from USM Alger)
23GKALGAbdelmalek Necir
25DFALGMiloud Rebiaï
26MFALGNassim L'Ghoul
27DFALGAbdelmoumen Chikhi
30MFALGFethallah Tahar

Personnel

Current technical staff

PositionStaff
Head coachLassaad Dridi
Assistant coachWalid Benthabet
Goalkeeping coachAlaoua Ayadi
Fitness coachKhaled Guerioune
Fitness coachSocrate Barakati

Notable players

Below are the notable former players who have represented CS Constantine in league and international competition since the club's foundation in 1926. To appear in the section below, a player must have played in at least 100 official matches for the club or represented the national team for which the player is eligible during his stint with CS Constantine or following his departure.

For a complete list of CS Constantine players, see Category:CS Constantine players

Meghni Mourad

Managers

List of managers

Information correct as of 14 June 2024. Only competitive matches are counted.

Key
*Caretaker manager
NameFromToMatchesWonDrawnLostWin%
Brazil José Dutra dos Santos11 July 201114 September 201110100
Algeria Rachid Bouarrata27 September 201129 January 20121537520
Algeria Rachid Belhout10 February 201219 May 20121674543.75
France Roger Lemerre14 July 201221 May 2013341613547.06
Italy Diego Garzitto30 June 20135 December 20131356238.46
Algeria Lounès Gaouaoui*6 December 20134 January 2014430175
France Bernard Simondi5 January 201424 May 20142386934.78
Italy Diego Garzitto7 July 201411 November 20141043340
Algeria Rachid Belhout16 November 201425 February 20152396839.13
France Hubert Velud2 July 201518 October 2015831437.5
France Didier Gomes Da Rosa5 November 201511 September 201627108937.04
Spain Miguel Ángel Portugal2 November 201610 December 201650230
Algeria Abdelkader Amrani1 January 20176 November 20186027191445
France Denis Lavagne17 December 201824 December 20194720101742.55
Algeria Karim Khouda30 December 201915 March 20201053250
Algeria Abdelkader Amrani24 June 202021 January 2021714214.29
Algeria Miloud Hamdi4 February 202111 August 202126118742.31
Algeria Chérif Hadjar4 September 202115 February 20221785447.06
Algeria Kheïreddine Madoui1 March 202226 February 202335179948.57
Algeria Lyamine Bougherara27 March 20233 October 20231662837.5
Algeria Abdelkader Amrani21 October 202329 June 2024311510648.39

Statistics

Recent seasons

Below, the CS Constantine season-by-season record after independence of Algeria :

SeasonLeagueCupOtherAfricaTop goalscorer(s)Ref.
DivisionPosPtsPWDLGFGANameGoals
2014–15Ligue 15th4230119103231R16Hamza Boulemdaïs15
2015–16Ligue 18th4230119102632R64Confederation CupR2Yacine Bezzaz7
2016–17Ligue 19th3930109113433R32Manucho6
2017–18Ligue 11st573016953626R32Lamine Abid16
2018–19Ligue 17th40301010103024SFRUChampions LeagueQFIsmaïl Belkacemi10
2019–20Ligue 15th34229763223R16Arab Club Champions CupR1Lamine Abid10
2020–21Ligue 18th57381512114331NPPRAbdelhakim Amokrane8
2021–22Ligue 15th5534151094629NPMarcellin Koukpo11
2022–23Ligue 12nd503014883926R32Brahim Dib8
2023–24Ligue 13rd533015874630SFChampions LeagueR1Brahim Dib13
2024–25Ligue 110th393091293131R64Confederation CupSFAbdennour Belhocini10

Rival clubs

Notes

External links