Stade Malien
 |
|
| Full name | Stade Malien de Bamako |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | "les Blancs" "le Stade" "les Stadiens" |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Ground |
Stade 26 mars Bamako, Mali |
| Capacity | 60,000 |
| Chairman |
 Boukari Sidibé |
| Manager |
 Pascal Janin
|
| League | Malien Première Division |
| 2013–14 | 1st |
Stade Malien is a Malian football and sports club based in Bamako. One of the two dominant clubs of Malian football, their eastern Bamako training grounds host other sports as well, including a successful basketball club.
Stade Malien de Bamako was founded in 1960 as a result of a fusion between Jeanne d'Arc and Espérance de Bamako. Second only to Djoliba AC of Bamako in success, Stade Malien are their primary rivals. Stade plays its matches in the Stade 26 mars in the city centre, but is based in the eastern industrial outskirts of the city in the Sotuba neighborhood. In 2006, it built a large training facility there, where a full stadium is being constructed. This is also the base for Stade Malien's youth and development clubs. The U-17 in particular has been successful internationally, having competed in the Under 17 Club Championships in Spain in 2007.
The emblem of the club is based on the city seal of Bamako, featuring three crocodiles. The team plays in white (from which it earns the nickname "les Blancs") and blue.
Stade Malien has inherited much of the history of Jeanne d'Arc du Soudan, founded in 1938 by two French-Africans and the missionary Révérend Père Bouvier. The name was borrowed from Jeanne d'Arc Dakar, and the white uniforms from the White Fathers, which Stade retain. JA du Soudan was one of the most successful clubs of the pre-independence period, winning the AOF Cup in 1953 and 1956 and reaching the finals in 1951 and 1959 (the last played). They reached the "coupe du Soudan" finals 6 times, winning four years (1950, 1951, 1952, 1955) and losing 2 (1947, 1948). Among their biggest rivals was "Africa Sport" of Bamako, who became Djoliba AC in 1960. JA's most famous players were Mamadou "Coulou" Coulibaly, Seydou Ndaw, Seydou Thiam, Cheick Oumar Diallo, Bacoroba "Baco" Touré, and Oumar Sy.
Espérance de Bamako was founded in 1958 as a student youth club, overseen by Fernand Diarra and captained by the young Bakary Samaké.
At independence, the two Bamako clubs fused, to become Stade Malian de Bamako in 1960. In the first Coupe du Mali, Stade and Djoliba reached the two match final in 1961. Tied 3–3 after the first match, Stade carried the cup 2–1 in the second.
Stade reached the first final of the African Cup of Champions Clubs in 1964–65. On 30 February 1965, Stade lost 2–1 to Oryx Douala played at Kumassi Ghana, but is remembered for the great play of star defender Souleymane "Solo" Coulibaly. Other famous early players for the Blancs were Yacouba Samabaly, Bakary Samaké, Sama Bass and Coach Oumar Sy. The great Salif Keita briefly appeared for the club.
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