Ligue 1 Algeria is one of the leading football tournaments in Algeria. With fierce competition and attractiveness of matches, this tournament has attracted the attention of many football fans not only in Algeria but also around the world. In this article, 2019 Southeast Asian Games will learn about the Algerian Ligue 1 football tournament, from its history to the top teams and memorable moments in this tournament.
What is Ligue 1 Algeria?
Ligue 1 Algeria is the official name of the highest football tournament in Algeria. Established in 1962, this tournament has become an important and prestigious football playground in Algeria. The name “Ligue 1” is inspired by the top football tournament in France – Ligue 1, and “Algeria” is the name of the country this tournament represents.
Ligue 1 Algeria football tournament is held annually with the participation of 16 teams. The season starts in August and ends in May of the following year. Matches take place in stadiums across Algeria, from big cities like Algiers and Oran to remote countryside.
History of formation and development of Ligue 1 Algeria football tournament
Ligue 1 Algeria was established in 1962, with Algeria gaining independence from France. Previously, this tournament had a number of different names such as “Championnat National” or “Division 1”. However, since 2010, the official tournament has been named “Ligue 1 Algeria“.
During its development, the Algerian Ligue 1 football tournament has experienced many fluctuations and ups and downs. Since its early years, this tournament has attracted the attention of many football fans and become one of the leading tournaments in Africa. However, in the 1990s, this tournament encountered many difficulties due to Algeria’s economic and political situation.
Since 2000, the Algerian Ligue 1 football tournament began to recover and return with fierce competition. Many big teams such as CR Belouizdad, JS Kabylie or MC Alger have achieved impressive achievements and won many titles in this tournament. In particular, since 2013, the tournament has been held in a round-robin format, helping to increase the competition and attractiveness of the matches.
Ligue 1 Algeria football tournament format
The Algerian Ligue 1 football tournament is organized in a round-robin format, in which 16 teams will compete against each other in two matches (each team will play one match at home and one match away). After that, the teams with the best records will participate in the final round to compete for the championship.
Scores are calculated based on a system of 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and no points for a loss. In case two teams have the same score, the ranking order will be decided based on the following criteria:
Goal difference
Number of goals scored
Results of the confrontation between the two teams
Penalty card number
If there is still disagreement, a play-off will be held to decide the top team.
Top teams in the Algerian Ligue 1 football tournament
Throughout the history of the Algerian Ligue 1 football tournament, many teams have participated and competed at a high level. However, there are only a few teams that are considered top and always compete to win the most important titles in this tournament.
CR Belouizdad
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- CR Belouizdad (Club Sportif de la Reunion Belouizdad) is one of the most successful teams in the history of Ligue 1 Algeria. Founded in 1962, this team has won 7 national championships and 6 national cups. In addition, CR Belouizdad is also the only Algerian team to win the African Confederation Cup (CAF Confederation Cup) in 1998.
JS Kabylie
- JS Kabylie (Jeunesse Sportive de Kabylie) is one of the football teams with the longest history and most success in Algeria. Founded in 1946, this team has won 14 national championships and 5 national cups. In addition, JS Kabylie is also the only Algerian team to win the African Champions League (CAF Champions League) in 1981 and 1990.
MC Alger
- MC Alger (Mouloudia Club d’Alger) is one of the most successful teams in the history of Ligue 1 Algerian football. Founded in 1921, this team has won 7 national championships and 7 national cups. In addition, MC Alger is also the only Algerian team to win the African Cup Winners’ Cup (CAF Confederation Cup) in 2009.
Famous top scorer of Ligue 1 Algeria football tournament
Throughout the history of Ligue 1 Algeria, there have been many players who have contributed to the success of their teams. However, there are only a few players who are considered legends and leave a deep impression in the hearts of fans.
Hacène Lalmas
- Hacène Lalmas is one of the greatest players in Algerian football history. He played for CR Belouizdad from 1953 to 1968 and scored a total of 213 goals in Ligue 1 Algeria. With its great contributions, Hacène Lalmas was honored by naming one of the largest stadiums in Algiers – Stade 20 Août 1955.
Rachid Mekhloufi
- Rachid Mekhloufi is one of the best players in Algerian football history. He played for JS Kabylie from 1956 to 1967 and scored a total of 160 goals in Ligue 1 Algeria. In addition, Rachid Mekhloufi was also one of the first Algerian players to play football in Europe and played an important part in helping the Algeria team win the CAF Confederation Cup championship in 2019. 1962.
Lakhdar Belloumi
- Lakhdar Belloumi is one of the greatest players in Algerian football history. He played for MC Alger from 1975 to 1990 and scored a total of 147 goals in Ligue 1 Algeria. In addition, Lakhdar Belloumi is also one of the best players of the Algeria team and played an important part in helping this team win the African Confederation Cup (CAF Confederation Cup) championship in 1990.
The most successful coaches in Ligue 1 Algeria
Throughout the history of Algeria’s Ligue 1 football tournament, there have been many coaches who have made great contributions and helped teams achieve high results. However, there are only a few coaches who are considered the most successful and leave a deep impression in the hearts of fans.
Mahieddine Khalef
- Mahieddine Khalef is one of the most successful coaches in Algerian football history. He led JS Kabylie from 1974 to 1986 and won a total of 7 national championships and 3 African Confederation Cups (CAF Confederation Cup). In addition, Mahieddine Khalef is also the only Algerian coach to win the title of best coach in Africa (CAF Coach of the Year) in 1981.
Abdelhamid Kermali
- Abdelhamid Kermali is one of the most successful coaches in Algerian football history. He led MC Alger from 1972 to 1980 and won a total of 5 national championships and 1 African Confederation Cup (CAF Confederation Cup). In addition, Abdelhamid Kermali is also the coach of the Algerian team and helped this team win the African Confederation Cup (CAF Confederation Cup) championship in 1990.
Nacer Sandjak
- Nacer Sandjak is one of the most successful coaches in Algerian football history. He led CR Belouizdad from 2008 to 2014 and won a total of 2 national championships and 1 African Confederation Cup (CAF Confederation Cup). In addition, Nacer Sandjak is also the coach of the Algeria team and helped this team win the African Confederation Cup (CAF Confederation Cup) championship in 2019.
Memorable moments in Ligue 1 Algeria football tournament
Throughout the history of Algeria’s Ligue 1 football tournament, there have been many memorable moments that have happened and left a deep impression in the hearts of fans.
Algeria’s first championship
In 1962, Algeria won the CAF Confederation Cup after defeating Ghana in the final with a score of 3-0. This is the first time an Algerian football team has won an international title and has made an important contribution to enhancing the spirit of solidarity and confidence of the Algerian people.
Algeria’s historic victory over Germany
In 1982, the Algeria team had a historic victory when defeating Germany 2-1 in a match at the 1982 World Cup. This was the first time an African team won against a European team. at the World Cup and has made an important contribution to enhancing the prestige and reputation of Algerian football in the international arena.
CR Belouizdad wins the African Confederation Cup (CAF Confederation Cup)
In 1998, CR Belouizdad won the CAF Confederation Cup title after defeating Côte d’Ivoire’s ASEC Mimosas in the final 4-1. This was the first time an Algerian football team won an international title and made an important contribution to enhancing the prestige and reputation of Algerian football in the international arena.
Conclude
Thus, the Ligue 1 Algeria football tournament is a tournament with a long and successful history in Africa. With top teams, outstanding players and coaches, and memorable moments, this tournament has made an important contribution to raising the stature and prestige of Algerian football on the international stage. Hopefully, the Algerian Ligue 1 football tournament will increasingly develop and bring more joy and happiness to Algerian football fans.