# Phnom Penh Crown FC

Phnom Penh Crown Football Club (Khmer: ក្លឹបបាល់ទាត់ភ្នំពេញក្រោន), commonly referred to as Crown or PPC, is a Cambodian professional football club based in Sangkat Toul Sangke II, Khan Russey Keo, Phnom Penh. The club competes in the Cambodian Premier League, the top flight of Cambodian football.
Nicknamed the "Red Singha", the club was first formed as Smart United Football Club in 2001. Phnom Penh Crown is one of the most successful and prominent teams in Cambodia, having won a recorded eight league titles, the most of any team in Cambodian football. Alongside league success, Phnom Penh Crown also continued to win domestic cups, winning the Hun Sen Cup, Cambodian League Cup and the Cambodian Super Cup each twice. Phnom Penh Crown is also the only Cambodian club to reach the group stage and semi-finals of the AFC Cup.

## History

Phnom Penh Crown was first established in 2001 as Smart United with the support of Smart Mobile Cambodia, they joined the Cambodian League, which at the time was a semi-professional league. Smart United made their mark in their second season, winning the Cambodian League title in 2002, and their subsequent participation was not successful until 2005 when they switched sponsors.
In collaboration with Hello Mobitel, the new club was renamed Hello United. However, the change of name and identity did not bring much success on the field, with their team finishing runners-up in the Cambodian League. Khemara Keila. At the same time, the club's top scorer award went to Hok Sochivorn with 22 goals.
In 2006, Hello Mobitel sold the club to another businessman, Rithy Samnang, who changed the club name to Phnom Penh United. The president of this club aims to represent Phnom Penh and to prepare for the league title. At the beginning of the 2006 season, the club participated in the AFC President's Cup for the first time but did not qualify for the regional qualifiers. One year after the change of membership and the addition of new members, the merger of Phnom Penh United Football Club and Empire to prepare for the new competition, the addition of the Hun Sen Cup, a merger of two clubs, Phnom Penh United changed its name to Phnom Penh Empire in 2007. The club's full-year development period, in the 2008 season, proved to be the most successful club ever, winning two trophies: the Metfone Cambodian League (MCL) and the Hun Sen Cup, the first trophy in the club's history.

### Club new brand name update

In 2009, Phnom Penh Empire has modernized its club name to Phnom Penh Crown after they acquired a new sponsor, Crown Casino, the name change also focused on attracting young people. King of the Phnom Penh Regional Club as well. In 2009, Phnom Penh Crown finished 4th in the MCL, but they were still able to win the Hun Sen Cup with a goal scored by Keo Sok Ngor. On the team on Naga Corp in the final result 1-0 as well. After the domestic meeting, Phnom Penh Crown had two major matches: the AFC President's Cup and the Singapore Cup. Two defeats and a win over Bhutan's Yeedzin were not enough to advance to the second round of the AFC Championship President's Cup. A 2-0 win over the Young Lions in the Singapore Cup saw them reach the quarter-finals before Thailand's Bangkok Glass defeated the club in the second leg. In 2010, Phnom Penh Crown won the MCL title for the third time, beating PKR 4-3 in the play-off finals, despite finishing fourth in the domestic campaign. They also lost to the Ministry of National Defense 3–2 in the final of the Hun Sen Cup.

### 2013–14 season

Phnom Penh Crown finished third after losing on penalties to the Ministry of National Defense in the semi-finals of the Hun Sen Cup and in the league of Metfone Cambodian League. They finished the regular season in third place, losing to Svay Rieng in the semi-finals, losing 4–3 to the final champions. The 2014 season began with Phnom Penh Crown knocked out of the Hun Sen Cup semi-finals under Build Bright United. However, Phnom Penh Crown won the MCL for the first time. 5 With a 1–0 win over Naga Corp, goalkeeper Suyati was awarded the Golden Glove, the league's best goalkeeper award.

## Stadium

Phnom Penh Crown has rebuilt its stadium to accommodate 5,000 spectators during the club's reception of their returning sponsor, Smart Axiata. The new stadium was named "Smart RSN", originally named after the sponsor, and the latter name RSN means (Rithy Sam Nang), the name of the club president, Rithy Samnang, now deceased. After Phnom Penh Crown has its own stadium, the club has evolved into one of Cambodia's standard professional league clubs. In 2015, Phnom Penh Crown won the Metfone Cambodian League (MCL) for the sixth time, defeating Nagaworld on penalties.

## Kit sponsors

| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor (chest) |
| 2001–2004 | Kappa | Smart Mobile |
| 2005 | Kappa | Hello Mobitel |
| 2006–2010 | Kappa | 855Crown.com |
| 2011–2012 | Kappa | Crown Hotel & Resort |
| 2013 | Crown Casino | 855Play |
| 2014 | FBT | 855Crown Hotel & Resort |
| 2015–2018 | FBT | Smart |
| 2019 | FBT | Smart Xihu Resort Hotel |
| 2020–2022 | FBT | Smart Axiata |
| 2023–present | Warrix | Smart Axiata |

## Players

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 |
| 1 | GK | CAM | Chiem Samnang |
| 2 | DF | KOR | Park Yi-young |
| 3 | DF | CAM | Takaki Ose |
| 4 | DF | CAM | Chhin Vennin |
| 5 | DF | CAM | Chhom Sokhay |
| 6 | MF | CAM | Yudai Ogawa (4th-Captain) |
| 7 | MF | CAM | Yeu Muslim |
| 8 | MF | CAM | Orn Chanpolin (Captain) |
| 9 | FW | NED | Jelle Goselink |
| 10 | FW | CAM | Andrés Nieto |
| 11 | FW | PHI | Jarvey Gayoso |
| 12 | DF | CAM | Phach Socheavila |
| 13 | GK | CAM | Saveng Samnang |
| 15 | DF | CAM | Choun Chanchav (Vice-captain) |
| 16 | MF | CAM | Long Phearath |
| 17 | FW | CAM | Lim Pisoth |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | DF | CAM | Seut Baraing |
| 19 | FW | CAM | Brak Thiva |
| 20 | MF | CAM | Koeut Pich |
| 21 | DF | CAM | Eam Ratana |
| 22 | GK | CAM | Um Vichet |
| 23 | MF | CAM | Bong Samuel |
| 25 | MF | CAM | Lim Visal |
| 27 | FW | CAM | Sot Monyrothanak |
| 28 | MF | CAM | Koeut Meas |
| 29 | FW | CAM | Yem Devit |
| 30 | FW | NGA | Ofufu Ibeh |
| 33 | GK | CAM | Reth Bunrak |
| 34 | DF | CAM | Thy Veasna |
| 39 | DF | CAM | Chhom Pisa (3rd-Captain) |
| 44 | MF | CAM | Pov Ponvuthy |
| 79 | MF | CAM | Sorm Borith |

### 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 |
| — | DF | CAM | Yue Safy (to Tiffy Army) |

### Other players under contract

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 |
| 21 | FW | JPN | Shintaro Shimizu |

### Players with multiple nationalities

* Andrés Nieto

## Technical staff

| Position | Staff |
| General secretary | Ly Heang |
| Manager | Keo Sokngon |
| Secretary | Kim Kasy |
| Head coach | Oleg Starynskyi |
| Assistant head coach | Bondarenko Anatolii |
| Goalkeeper coach | Ahmed Elnady |
| Fitness coach | Arthur Franck Planchenault Vin Vannak |
| Match analysis | Kim Leapfong |

## Head coaches

Coaches by years
| Name | Period | Tournament |
| Apisit Im-amphai | 2008–2010 | 2010 Cambodian League winner |
| Bojan Hodak | 2011 | |
| Dave Booth | 2011–2012 | 2011 AFC President's Cup runner-up, 2011 Cambodian League winner, 2012 AFC President's Cup final round |
| Sam Schweingruber | 2012–2016 | 2014 Cambodian League winner, 2015 Cambodian League winner |
| Oriol Mohedano | 2016 | |
| Sam Schweingruber (Interim) | 2016 | 2016 Hun Sen Cup 3rd place |
| Oleg Starynskyi | 2016–2017 | 2017 AFC Cup play-off round |
| Sean Sainsbury | 2017–2018 | |
| Leonardo Vitorino | 2018–2019 | |
| Sum Vanna | 2019–2020 | 2019 Hun Sen Cup 3rd place, 2020 C-League 3rd place |
| Oleg Starynskyi | 2020– | 2021 C-League winner, 2022 Cambodian Super Cup winner, 2022 Cambodian League Cup winner, 2022 Cambodian Premier League winner |

## Captains

Captain by years
| Year | Captain | Nationality | Vice-Captain | Nationality |
| 2011 | Thul Sothearith | Cambodia | Kouch Sokumpheak | Cambodia |
| 2012 | Kouch Sokumpheak | Cambodia | Khim Borey | Cambodia |
| 2013 | Kouch Sokumpheak | Cambodia | Khim Borey | Cambodia |
| 2014 | Kouch Sokumpheak | Cambodia | Khim Borey | Cambodia |
| 2015 | Boris Kok | Cambodia | Odion Obadin | Nigeria |
| 2016 | Boris Kok | Cambodia | Keo Sokngon | Cambodia |
| 2017 | Shane Booysen | South Africa | Boris Kok | Cambodia |
| 2018 | Ouk Sothy | Cambodia | Orn Chanpolin | Cambodia |
| 2019 | Ouk Sothy | Cambodia | Orn Chanpolin | Cambodia |
| 2020 | Orn Chanpolin | Cambodia | Boris Kok | Cambodia |
| 2021 | Orn Chanpolin | Cambodia | Boris Kok | Cambodia |
| 2022 | Orn Chanpolin | Cambodia | Choun Chanchav | Cambodia |
| 2023 | Orn Chanpolin | Cambodia | Choun Chanchav | Cambodia |
| 2024 | Orn Chanpolin | Cambodia | Choun Chanchav | Cambodia |

## Records
### Continental

| Season | Tournament | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
| 2014 | Mekong Club Championship | Semi-finals | Becamex Bình Dương | 2–5 | 2–5 | 2–5 |
| 2014 | Mekong Club Championship | 3rd place play-off | Hoang Anh Attapeu | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 |
| 2017 | AFC Cup | Play-off round | Home United | 3–4 | 0–3 | 3–7 |
| 2022 | AFC Cup | Group I | Hougang United | 3–4 | 3–4 | 3rd |
| 2022 | AFC Cup | Group I | Viettel | 0–1 | 0–1 | | 3rd |
| 2022 | AFC Cup | Group I | Young Elephants | 4–2 | 4–2 | | 3rd |
| 2023–24 | AFC Cup | Preliminary round 2 | Young Elephants | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 |
| 2023–24 | AFC Cup | Play-off round | Tampines Rovers | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 |
| 2023–24 | AFC Cup | Group F | Dynamic Herb Cebu | 4–0 | 3–0 | 2nd |
| 2023–24 | AFC Cup | Group F | Shan United | 4–0 | 1–2 | 2nd |
| 2023–24 | AFC Cup | Group F | Macarthur | 3–0 | 0–5 | 2nd |
| 2023–24 | AFC Cup | ASEAN Zonal semi-finals | Central Coast Mariners | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 |

## Honours

* Cambodian Premier League
** Winner: 2002 (as "Samart United"), 2008 (as "Phnom Penh Empire"), 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022
** Runners-up: 2005
* Hun Sen Cup
** Winner: 2008 (as "Phnom Penh Empire"), 2009
* Cambodian Super Cup
** Winner: 2022, 2023
* Cambodian League Cup
** Winner: 2022, 2023