# US Monastir (football)

Union Sportive Monastirienne (Arabic: الاتحاد الرياضي المنستيري), known as US Monastir or simply USM, is a Tunisian football club based in Monastir. The club was founded in 1923, and its colors are blue and white. Their home stadium, Mustapha Ben Jannet Stadium, has a capacity of 20,000 spectators. The club currently competes in the Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1. Founded in 1923, the club has historical ties to Monastirian nationalists, such as Mustapha Ben Jannet. US Monastir has won two major trophies in its history: the Tunisian Cup and the Tunisian Super Cup, both in 2020.

## History

Union Sportive Monastirienne (USM) was founded on 13 June 1942 with a credit balance of 5,395 Tunisian francs. Following World War II, the club saw a resurgence in interest and enthusiasm for football among the people of Monastir. This led to the club's roster expanding to over one hundred players, with half of them playing for the senior team and the other half competing in the junior categories. Despite this growth, the following years proved to be more difficult for the club.

### After independence (1956–1979)

Following Tunisia's independence, US Monastir underwent a significant turning point. On the field, the club did not win any titles in the Tunisian Cup or the league during this period. However, USM consistently bounced back; after several relegations, the team managed to return to the first division. It was during the 1961–1962 season that USM reached the national division for the first time, having previously spent two seasons in the third division (1957–1958 and 1958–1959) and one season (1959–1960) in the Honor Division.

### Results between rise and fall (1980–2019)

The 1980s marked a significant turning point for US Monastir, as the club became semi-professional, enabling the team to remain in the national division for fourteen consecutive years. During this period, USM also reached the quarter-finals of the Tunisian Cup but were defeated 1–0 by Club Africain in Monastir after extra time. With a record of eight wins, eight losses, and ten draws, USM secured a solid fifth-place finish.
However, this stability was short-lived. The 1993–1994 season proved to be extremely challenging, particularly in terms of resources. Four coaches took charge in succession as the team struggled with numerous issues. In the 1994–1995 season, the club was relegated to the third division under the new structure of the Tunisian Football Federation. The following season, 1995–1996, saw Habib Allègue take over as head coach, leading the team to victory and promotion to the Honor Division (Southern Pool). Two years later, the club returned to Ligue I and managed to retain its position.
In July 2006, Néji Stambouli succeeded Zouhair Chaouch, who had served as president for six years.
On 3 May 2009, after a 3–2 victory against Espérance Sportive de Tunis at Stade El Menzah, USM qualified for their first-ever Tunisian Cup final. The final, held on 24 May at the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium in Radès, saw USM face CS Sfaxien, with CS Sfaxien winning 1–0 in the presence of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
At the end of the 2009–2010 season, the club was relegated to Ligue II but returned to the top division after just one season. In the following years, USM's league position fluctuated between fifth and tenth place, until the club was relegated again in 2015. The team spent two seasons in the second division before securing promotion once more in 2017.
Following the appointment of coaches Skandar Kasri and Lassaad Dridi, the team delivered solid performances, finishing the 2019 season in seventh place.

### Golden generation (2019–)

At the start of the 2019 season, US Monastir signed a contract with coach Lassaad Chabbi. During the 2019–2020 season, the team secured third place in the national league, which qualified them for continental competition for the first time in their history—the 2020–21 CAF Confederation Cup.
In the Tunisian Cup, renamed the Habib Bourguiba Cup in honor of the 20th anniversary of his passing, USM won the competition for the first time in its history, defeating Espérance Tunis 2–0 in the final.
After Chabbi's resignation as head coach, Afouène Gharbi took over, leading the team to a tenth-place finish. The club then appointed Mourad Okbi, who led them to their second-ever title by winning the Tunisian Super Cup.

## Honours

* Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1
** Runner-up: 2021–22, 2023–24
* Tunisian Cup
** Champions: 2019–20
** Runner-up: 2008–09
* Tunisian Super Cup
** Champions: 2019–20
* Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 2
** Champions: 1975–76, 1979–80, 1997–98, 2010–11
** Runner-up: 2016–17

## Colors

US Monastir's colors are blue and white. The team wears a blue jersey, blue shorts, and white socks for home matches, while the away kit consists of a white jersey, white shorts, and blue socks.
* US Monastir's Press Conference Room logo
* A boutique in Monastir honoring the colors of the team

## Current squad

    As of 25 February 2025
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. | Nation | Player |
| 0 | FW | TUN | Seifeddine Souissi |
| 1 | GK | TUN | Rayen Besbes |
| 2 | DF | TUN | Mahmoud Ghorbel |
| 3 | DF | TUN | Youssef Herch |
| 4 | MF | SEN | Mustapha Samb |
| 5 | MF | CIV | Naude Fabrice Zeguei |
| 6 | MF | GUI | Ousmane Diane |
| 7 | FW | TUN | Ahmed Jafeli |
| 8 | FW | TUN | Louay Trayi |
| 9 | FW | TUN | Hazem Mastouri |
| 10 | FW | TUN | Aymen Harzi |
| 11 | FW | TUN | Iyed Hadj Khalifa |
| 12 | DF | TUN | Fourat Soltani |
| 13 | MF | TUN | Rayane Azzouz |
| 14 | MF | NGA | Kingsley Michael |
| 15 | MF | TUN | Moez Haj Ali |
| 16 | MF | NGA | Moses Orkuma |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 17 | FW | TUN | Youssef Methini |
| 18 | FW | TUN | Anas Bouatay |
| 19 | MF | FRA | Mehdi Ganouni |
| 22 | GK | TUN | Abdessalem Hallaoui |
| 24 | GK | TUN | Ahmed Slimane |
| 25 | DF | TUN | Raed Chikhaoui |
| 26 | DF | TUN | Dhiaeddine Jouini |
| 27 | FW | TUN | Youssef Abdelli |
| 28 | MF | TUN | Adnene Yaakoubi |
| 29 | DF | TUN | Chiheb Salhi |
| 30 | FW | TUN | Chiheb Jebali |
| 33 | FW | TUN | Malcolm Elhmidi |
| 35 | DF | TUN | Malek Miladi |
| 40 | MF | TUN | Yassine Dridi |
| — | MF | TUN | Omar Hafsi |
| — | MF | TUN | Mazen Slama |

## Out on loan

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. | Nation | Player |
| — | FW | SEN | Elhadji Omar Fall (at US Ben Guerdane until 30 June 2025) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | FW | TUN | Adnene Yaakoubi (at US Ben Guerdane until 30 June 2025) |

### Current technical staff
## Managers

| Name | Term |
| Faouzi Benzarti | 2025–present |
| Mohamed Sahli | 2024–2025 |
| Lassaad Chabbi | 2024 |
| Mohamed Kouki | 2023–2024 |
| Tarek Jani | 2023 |
| Imed Ben Younes | 2023 |
| Darko Nović | 2022–2023 |
| Faouzi Benzarti | 2021–2022 |
| Mourad Okbi | 2021 |
| Afouène Gharbi | 2021 |
| Mokhtar Ben Nacef | 1959–1961 |
| Slaïem Belhaj Ali | 1958–1959 |
| Hassouna Denguezli | 1957–1958 |

## Presidents

The first president of the club was the Frenchman Joseph Kalfati, followed by four other French presidents: Peteche, Georges Rambi, Renaud, and Fenech. The first Tunisian president was Mohamed Salah Sayadi, who assumed the role in 1929.
| Name | Term |
| Amir Hizem (interim) | 2023–present |
| Ahmed Belli | 2016–2023 |
| Hamed Zenati | 2015–2016 |
| Salem Harzallah / Ali Mzali | 2014–2015 |
| Ahmed Belli | 2011–2014 |
| Hedi Benzarti | 2010–2011 |
| Zouhair Chaouche / Riadh Bhouri | 2009–2010 |
| Frej Meddeb | 2008–2009 |
| Neji Stambouli | 2006–2008 |
| Zouhair Chaouche | 2002–2006 |
| Abdelwahab Abdallah | 1981–1982 |
| Mahmoud Chaouche | 1962–1963 |
| Mohamed Salah Chedly | 1956–1962 |
| Bechir Charnine | 1955–1956 |

## Home stadium

US Monastir's home ground is the Mustapha Ben Jannet Stadium, a multi-purpose stadium located in Monastir, Tunisia. It was one of the venues used during the 2004 African Cup of Nations. The stadium has a seating capacity of 20,000 and occasionally serves as a home venue for the Tunisia national football team.
Inaugurated in 1958, the stadium was originally designed by architect Olivier-Clément Cacoub, utilizing the "cantilevered ball joint" technique to create suspended tiers. Initially, it had a capacity of 3,000 seats. Over the years, several expansions took place, increasing its capacity to over 10,000 by the late 1990s. Ahead of the 2004 African Cup of Nations, further renovations expanded the seating to 20,000.
The stadium is part of a larger sports complex in Monastir, situated just a few hundred meters from the city center.

## Rival clubs

* Étoile Sportive du Sahel (Derby)