Raja CA Under-21s and Academy explained

Clubname:Raja CA Under-21s & Academy
Fullname:Raja Club Athletic Under-21s & Academy
Nickname:Green Eagles
الرجاء العالمي (Worldwide Raja)
نادي الشعب (The People's Club)
الخضرة الوطنية (The National Green)
Ground:Stade Mohammed V
Raja CA Academy
Raja-Oasis Sports Complex
Mgrtitle:Manager
Current:2023–24 Raja CA season

Raja CA Under-21s and Academy are the youth teams of Raja CA. The U21 team (or reserve team) mainly consists of Under-21 players and some senior players that occasionally join them, for instance when they are recovering from injury. The Academy refers to the other development teams below under-21, that complete Raja's youth system: Juniors "A" and "B"; Cadets "A", "B" and ''C''; Minimes "A", "B" and "C".

Raja CA is considered to have the best football academy in Morocco, the first team has historically relied heavily on academy players and its youth teams are generally very competitive in the different leagues that they compete in at the regional, inter-regional and national levels.[1] [2] [3] It has produced many successful players such as Houmane Jarir, Saïd Ghandi, Petchou, Abdelmajid Dolmy, Mustapha El Haddaoui, Redouane Hajry, Mustapha Khalif, Mustapha Moustawdae, Salaheddine Bassir, Omar Nejjary, Abdelilah Fahmi, Talal El Karkouri, Marouane Zemmama, Amin Erbati, Hicham Aboucherouane, Mouhcine Iajour, Mohsine Moutaouali, Abdelilah Hafidi, Badr Benoun and Soufiane Rahimi, among many others.

The youth teams play their home games at Oasis Sports Complex or at the Raja CA Academy. Up until 2011, the U-21 team sometimes played the Derby against Wydad AC in Stade Mohammed-V before the first team Derby kick-off.[4]

Academy

Raja's academy in the Oasis Sports Complex was one of the first football centres to comply with international standards in Africa, and the first to adopt the "sport-study" system that combine both football and education in Morocco.[5] [6] In 2021, it was chosen by the technical direction of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation as the best player development center.[5] [6]

The club's development strategies have long been run by, a former Raja player and its main head of player development between 1950 and 1989, retiring only after an accident that occurred in 23 May and cost him his left hand.[7] After the opening of the development centre in 1999, the management was given to experienced coaches who were also former Raja players like Fathi Jamal, Mhamed Fakhir and Mohamed Madih. Raja was the first Moroccan club to offer to its young players a sporting and educational program that was provided by the . The first generation consisted of 26 selected players, aged between 16 and 17 with the exception of goalscorer Tarik Bendamou and the goalkeeper Yassine El Had who are respectively 13 and 14 years old.[8] In general, the club relies on its former players to coach youth teams to conserve the club's football style.[9]

CL titlesAcademy-graduates winners
1989Mustapha Khalif, Abderrahim Hamraoui, Mustapha Moustawdae, Abdeljalil Bouchari, Tijani El Maâtaoui, Mustapha El Gherchi
Hassan Mouahid, Khalid Moussalek, Mustapha Soueib, Abdelghani Zerraf, Mohamed Madih, Abdelhak Souadi, Rachid Jebrane (13)
1997Abdelilah Fahmi, Omar Nejjary, Mustapha Khalif, Mustapha Moustawdae, Redouane El Haimer, Rimy Zitouni
Hafid Abdessadek, Talal El Karkouri (8)
1999Omar Nejjary, Mustapha Khalif, Mustapha Moustawdae, Hamid Nater, Zakaria Aboub, Redouane El Haimer, Talal El Karkouri
Zekmous, Mohamed Armoumen, Nabil Mesloub, Hicham Misbah, Adil Serraj, Hafid Abdessadek, Mohamed Kharbouch (14)

In September 2022, Raja CA Academy finally opened its doors after a year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the first team facilities, it houses the club's academy structure that offers to its young footballers, in association with the Oasis Complex, accommodation, education and a high-level football development. The facilities were built for the first team and the youth teams competing in their respective championships (U17, U19, U21). The younger teams are trained in Oasis. The academy is equipped with a natural grass pitch, a new generation synthetic turf and four mini-football. The sports center has also a gym, a rehabilitation room, a medical center and a restaurant.

Raja CA's youth teams are generally dominant in their national championships like in the 2014–15 season, when both U17 and U19 teams won th national league. Since 2019, the U21 team no longer compete with their peers since their promotion to senior football at the D5 Championship. They finished second twice in a row, in 2019-20 and 2020–21 and came close to promotion to D4 under the management of Bouchaib El Moubarki.[10] [11]

In November 2023, club's president Mohamed Boudrika stated that the Academy, apart from the first teams, host twelve football teams, three futsal teams and three women teams.

U-21s team

Due to the high number of players in the Academy, each age category have two or three teams (for example: Juniors A, Juniors B...) that compete in regional or inter-regional competitions, in addition to the main teams that respectively play in the U-15, U-17 and U-19 national leagues.[12] After their promotion to senior football in 2019, the U-21 category has one single team that directly give players to the first team.

Season by season

In 19 May 2019, Raja played the U-21 national league play-offs final and gained promotion for the first time to a senior league, which is Amateurs 3 (North West Group), the fifth level of Moroccan football, despite losing to Kawkab Marrakech on penalties after a 00 draw.[13]

SeasonCompetitionPositionPtsPldWDLGFGAGDRef.
2019–202543016684734+13[14]
2020–21Amateurs 3 (North West)2553017494329+14[15]
2021–22Amateurs 3 (North West)3553016775827+31[16]
2022–23Amateurs 3 (North West)2583017766124+37[17]
2023–24Amateurs 3 (North West)54330127113737+0[18]

Manager history

Management team

Sporting director Mohamed Madih[30]
Head of Player Development Hicham Aboucherouane
Under-21s head coach Rachid Soulaimani
Under-19s head coach Mohamed Armoumen
Under-17s head coach Adil Bekkari
Under-15s head coach Mustapha Moustawdae

International youth graduates

This is a list of former Raja CA youth graduates who have gone on to represent their country at full senior international level.

PlayerYears played in the AcademyYears played for first teamNational teamYears played for national teamNotesRef.
Mohamed Choukri Roudani1950–19511951–19641957–1960He was part of Morocco's first national team at the 1957 Arab Games[31]
1951–19531953–1963
1964–1966
1963–1964[32]
1951–19541954–1964
1966–1967
1959–1966Winner of 1961 Arab Games and played the 1964 Olympics[33]
1952–19561956–19711960–1966[34]
Mustapha Fahim Milazzo1954–19561956–19671959–1964[35]
Ali Bendayan Aliouate1954–19621962–19751963–1967[36]
Houmane Jarir1955–19621962–19771966–1970He scored Morocco's first-ever World Cup goal[37]
Saïd Ghandi1955–19641964–19791966–1974[38]
1953–19561965–19661960–1966[39]
Mohamed Abdelalim Bénini1959–19651965–19771965–1966[40]
Mohamed Maaroufi1960–19651965–19661967–1974[41]
Mustapha Choukri1956–19661966–19751970–1979[42]
Abdelhak Fethi1965–19711971–19861977–1980[43]
Abdelmajid Hadry1966–19711971–19791972–1973[44]
Abdelmajid Dolmy1969–19741971–1987
1990–1991
1971–1988Winner of 1976 AFCON and one of Morocco's most-capped players
Jawad El Andaloussi1965–19721972–1977
1983–1985
1976–1981Winner of 1976 AFCON[45]
1965–19731974–1978
1979–1983
1986–1987
1979–1981[46]
Najib Mokhles1971–19751975–19821976–1979[47]
1970–19771977–19861983–1988Winner of 1983 Mediterranean Games and runner-up of 1985 Arab Games[48]
Hassan Mouahid1973–19781978–19901986–1988[49]
Mustapha El Haddaoui1973–19791979–19851982–1994Winner of 1983 Mediterranean Games and runner-up of 1985 Arab Games
Mohamed Nejmi1973–19741979–19891981–1983[50]
Aziz Kharbouch1972–19791979–1980
1983–1988
1987–1988[51]
1973–19821982–19931986–1988[52]
Redouane Hajry1975–19851985–19871993–1995
Tijani El Maataoui1980–19851985–19931988–1993
Mustapha Khalif1985–19881988–20001993–1998
Mustapha Moustawdae1987–19891988–19991994–1998
Salaheddine Bassir1983–19911991–19971994–2002Morocco's all-time second top goalscorer.
Omar Nejjary1988–19921992–2000
2007–2010
1996
Abdelilah Fahmi1988–19931994–19991995–2005
Talal El Karkouri1994–19951995–20002000–2009Runner-up of AFCON 2004 and 2005 Islamic Solidarity Games
Mohamed Kharbouch1994–19971997–20032000–2001
Hafid Abdessadek1992–19971997–20022006
Adil Serraj1989–19981998–20002008
Hicham Misbah1994–19991999–20072004
Zakaria Aboub1993–19991999–20022004–2007
Sami Tajeddine1993–20002000–20092002–2004
Mohamed Armoumen1995–20002000–2003
2008–2009
2002–2006Winner of 2001 Jeux de la Francophonie
1996–20002000–20112002–2006
Marouane Zemmama1997–20002000–2006
2013–2014
2008–2009Runner-up of 2005 Islamic Solidarity Games
Amin Erbati1997–20012001–2008
2010–2013
2002–2009
Hicham Aboucherouane1999–20012001–2007
2010–2011
2002–2009
Mouhcine Iajour1998–20032004–2007
2012–2014
2017–2019
2004–2015
Modibo Maïga2004–20052005–20072007–2016Bronze medalist of 2013 AFCON
Abdessamad Chahiri2003–20052005–20072007–2008
Said Fattah1996–20042005–2011
2014–2015
2011–2012
Mohsine Moutaouali1994–20062006–2014
2019–2022
2012–2015
Abdou Razack Traoré2006–20072006–20072011–Runner-up of 2013 AFCON and bronze medalist of 2017 AFCON
Mohamed Oulhaj1999–20072007–20192008–2014
Yassine Salhi2006–20072007–20162011–2012Winner of 2012 Arab Cup
Ismail Belmaalem1999–20092009–2015
2018
2012Winner of 2012 Arab Cup
Mohamed Chibi2001–20112011–20132021–Winner of 2013 Islamic Solidarity Games
Abdelilah Hafidi2009–20112011–2022
2023
2013–2021Winner of 2018 CHAN and 2020 CHAN
Marouane Hadhoudi2003–20112020–20232018Winner of 2018 CHAN
Badr Benoun2001–20132015–20202016–Winner of 2018 CHAN and 2013 Islamic Solidarity GamesFourth of the 2022 World Cup
Abderrahim Achchakir2000–20032017–20212013–2015
Soufiane Rahimi2006–20172018–20212021–Winner and best player of 2020 CHAN
Nawfel Zerhouni2006–20152015–2016
2023–
2018Winner of 2020 CHAN
Azzedine Ounahi2010–20152022–Fouth of the 2022 World Cup
Reda Slim2014–20172021Winner of 2020 CHAN

Honours

This list only includes U-21s honours in national leagues:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2011-07-15 . Football des jeunes : Les Verts veulent renouer avec les victoires d'hier… . 2023-09-28 . ALBAYANE . fr-FR.
  2. Web site: 2011-07-12 . Football des jeunes : Le HUSA et le TAS champions, le MAS et le Raja n'ont pas démérité . 2023-10-08 . ALBAYANE . fr-FR.
  3. Web site: 21 April 2021 . الجامعة تصنف مركز تكوين الرجاء الأفضل بالمغرب . hesport.com.
  4. Web site: 2011-04-12 . Derby Wydad-Raja sans lauréat : Le public grand vainqueur . 2023-10-04 . ALBAYANE . fr-FR.
  5. Web site: 2013 . مراكز تكوين اللاعبين في المغرب . 2021-07-09 . جريدة العلم . ar.
  6. Web site: 12 February 2011 . مركز التكوين التابع للرجاء البيضاوي إمكانيات مهمة عجزت عن تحصين المواهب ضد أموال قطر . 2021-07-09 . جريدة العلم . ar.
  7. Web site: 2020-08-27 . "عبد القادر جلال" مربي الأجيال الذي ساهم بالغالي والنفيس للنهوض بالكرة الوطنية . 2021-03-06 . Le7tv.ma . ar.
  8. Web site: 1999 . Centre de formation du Raja : Un exemple à suivre . 2021-07-09.
  9. Web site: 2020-08-27 . "عبد القادر جلال" مربي الأجيال الذي ساهم بالغالي والنفيس للنهوض بالكرة الوطنية . 2021-03-06 . Le7tv.ma . ar.
  10. Web site: كووورة: الموقع العربي الرياضي الأول . 2021-09-12 . www.kooora.com.
  11. Web site: كووورة: الموقع العربي الرياضي الأول . 2021-09-12 . www.kooora.com.
  12. Web site: Equipes compétitives/ jeunes: Résultats des matchs du Week-end . 2023-10-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100210055721/http://www.rajacasablanca.com/News/show_news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1260266166&archive=&template=Actualites . 2010-02-10 .
  13. Web site: 20 May 2023 . الكوكب المراكشي يفوز على الرجاء في نهائي بطولة الأمل . Chouftv.com.
  14. Web site: كووورة: الموقع العربي الرياضي الأول . 2023-09-29 . www.kooora.com.
  15. Web site: أمل الرجاء الرياضي ES RCA . 2023-09-29 . LNFA.
  16. Web site: كووورة: الموقع العربي الرياضي الأول . 2023-09-29 . www.kooora.com.
  17. Web site: كووورة: الموقع العربي الرياضي الأول . 2023-09-29 . www.kooora.com.
  18. Web site: كووورة: الموقع العربي الرياضي الأول . 2023-09-29 . www.kooora.com.
  19. Web site: 2009-12-13 . M'hamed FAKHIR Frensh CV by Said Macintosh - Issuu . 2023-10-13 . issuu.com . en.
  20. Web site: MATIN . LE . 2005-12-15 . Mohamed Nejmi, l'incompris . 2023-10-13 . Le Matin.ma . fr.
  21. Web site: 2ème journée du championnat junior . 2023-10-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100210070154/http://www.rajacasablanca.com/News/show_news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1252969020&archive=&template=Actualites . 2010-02-10 .
  22. Web site: 2012-06-21 . Le Raja dans la cour des grands : Les Verts face à l'Athletic Bilbao le 17 juillet, en amical . 2023-10-13 . ALBAYANE . fr-FR.
  23. Web site: أمل الرجاء البيضاوي يحقق لقب البطولة . 2023-10-13 . www.elbotola.com . Ar.
  24. Web site: 2014-12-28 . لاعبُو أمل الرجَاء لجزَائريّين: حْـنَا خَاوَة مَاشِـي عـدَاوة.. . 2023-10-13 . Hespress - هسبريس جريدة إلكترونية مغربية . ar.
  25. Web site: رضوان حجري مدرب الرجاء لفئة الامل . 2023-10-13 . Elsport News . ar.
  26. Web site: 2019-07-30 . بالتفاصيل.. هكذا رحل المدرب فهمي عن فريق الأمل للرجاء‎ Aldar.ma . 2023-10-13 . aldar.ma . ar.
  27. Web site: 2020-05-14 . بوشعيب المباركي: "فريق الرجاء من صنع نجوميتي وفضل هذا المدرب كبير" - MFM Sport . 2023-10-13 . www.mfmsport.ma . ar.
  28. Web site: 2023-04-10 . مدرب أمل الرجاء الرياضي "نبيل مسلوب": الهدف ديالنا تحقيق الصعود، ونعطيو لعابة للفريق الاول . 2023-10-13 . Le7tv.ma . ar.
  29. Web site: اليدماني . عبد القادر . 2023-08-19 . الرجاء الرياضي يعلن تعاقده مع المدرب السليماني . 2023-10-13 . سبورت Sport 7 . ar.
  30. Web site: الرجاء يستقر على تعيين محمد مديح مديرا رياضيا للفريق . 2023-09-10 . www.elbotola.com . Ar.
  31. Web site: La première sélection 1957 - Sigmafoot . 2019-07-18 . sigmafoot.ma. .
  32. Web site: Matin . Le . Hanoun Moussa, un buteur-né . 2019-06-28 . Le Matin . fr. .
  33. Web site: Matin . Le . Hamid Bahij, l'artiste du milieu . 2019-06-28 . Le Matin . fr. .
  34. Web site: Matin . Le . Mohamed Bhaïja, le baroudeur . 2019-06-28 . Le Matin . fr. .
  35. Web site: SÉLECTION 1963 - Sigmafoot . 2023-10-05 . archive.wikiwix.com.
  36. Web site: Sélection 1963 - Sigmafoot . 2019-07-19 . www.sigmafoot.ma. .
  37. Web site: MATIN . LE . Le Matin - Ould Houmane, la légende . 2019-08-02 . Le Matin . fr.
  38. Web site: Said Ghandi, un des meilleurs ailiers droits du Raja et de la sélection marocaine de football . 2019-06-28 . Maroc-Québec . fr. .
  39. Web site: Matin . Le . Le Matin - Abdallah Zhar le gentleman footballeur . 2019-07-18 . Le Matin . fr. .
  40. Web site: "فكاك لوحايل" . 2019-06-29 . جريدة الصباح . ar.
  41. Web site: Mohamed Maaroufi . 2023-10-07 . Said El Mansour Cherkaoui ⵎⴰⵣⴰⵖⴰⵏ Fortaleza Mazagão Mazagan El Jadida Doukkala Maroc Morocco Africa . fr-CA.
  42. fr. Albayan press. Pitchou, un grand artiste mort dans le silence. 2018. 9 June 2017. 1. .
  43. Web site: MATIN . LE . Le Matin - Fakhir, l'entraîneur discret qui collectionne les titres . 2021-10-09 . Le Matin . fr.
  44. Web site: Abdelmajid Hadry . 2023-10-07 . worldfootball.net . en.
  45. Web site: Jawad Abbad El Andaloussi .
  46. Web site: ALM . 2004-05-13 . Beggar, la mémoire vivante . 2023-10-05 . Aujourd'hui le Maroc . fr-FR.
  47. Web site: Matin . Le . Le Matin - Jubilé Najib Mokhles : la belle fête du gardien volant . 2019-06-30 . Le Matin . fr. .
  48. Web site: 2013-06-28 . Foot: Le Maroc en or aux Jeux Méditerranéens . 2019-06-30 . La Nouvelle Tribune . fr-FR. .
  49. Web site: Player x-ray :: Hassan Mouahid :: Marrocos :: playmakerstats.com . 2023-10-07 . www.playmakerstats.com . en-GB.
  50. Web site: MATIN . LE . Le Matin - Mohamed Nejmi, l'incompris . 2019-08-02 . Le Matin . fr.
  51. Web site: MATIN . LE . 2002-03-29 . Jubilé Aziz Kharbouch: la pieuvre verte . 2023-10-07 . Le Matin.ma . fr.
  52. Web site: Khalid . Hamza . 2019-02-14 . Abderrahim Hamraoui, La flèche verte . 2019-06-30 . Batal . fr-FR. .
  53. Web site: 2008-04-15 . Raja Club Athletic - Site Officiel : Saison . 2023-09-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080415150536/http://www.rajacasablanca.com/Actualites.php?start_from=265&ucat=&archive=&subaction=&id=& . 2008-04-15 .
  54. Web site: 2012-05-10 . Raja de Casablanca : Les espoirs font mieux que les grands . 2023-09-28 . ALBAYANE . fr-FR.
  55. Web site: كازاوي . 2014-06-14 . الرجاء تتوج بلقب بطولة الشباب . 2023-10-07 . Casaoui كازاوي . ar.
  56. Web site: أمل الرجاء البيضاوي يحقق لقب البطولة . 2023-09-28 . www.elbotola.com . Ar.
  57. Web site: 2012-05-02 . Football des jeunes : Les espoirs du Raja champions du Maroc . 2023-09-28 . ALBAYANE . fr-FR.
  58. Web site: Championnat Espoir - Foot National . 2023-09-29 . mfa.forumfree.it.
  59. Web site: Arryadia - Championnat national espoirs: Le KACM remporte le titre . 2023-09-29 . arryadia.snrt.ma.