TP Mazembe

History

Tout Puissant Mazembe, the first sports club from the Democratic Republic of the Congo with a value of at least $10 million, was originally founded by the Benedictine monks who directed the Institut Saint-Boniface school in Élisabethville (modern-day Lubumbashi) in Katanga Province. The missionaries originally decided in 1939 to established a football team for the students' Boy Scout troop, named Saint Georges FC, after the patron saint of the Scouting movement. This team affiliated itself directly in the first division of the Royal Federation of the Native Athletic Associations (Fédération Royale des Associations Sportives Indigènes, FRASI) founded by the Belgian King. At the end of the season, Holy Georges placed 3rd.

In 1944 the young scouts went on the road and FC St. Georges was rechristened Saint Paul F.C. Some years later, the incorporation of certain foreign elements in the Institute would make the missionaries abandon the team management. The team took the name of F.C. Englebert after its sponsor, a tire brand. The qualifier "Tout Puissant" (Almighty) was added to the club's name after it went undefeated in winning its first league title in 1966.

After the country's independence on 30 June 1960, Englebert restructured itself. In 1966, the team won a treble (national Championship, Coupe du Congo and Katanga Cup).

In 1967 and 1968, they won the African Cup of Champions. The team would be finalist four consecutive times from 1967 to 1970. Mazembe was the first team to successfully defend the African Champions Cup. This feat was finally repeated in 2003 and 2004 by Enyimba.

After 18 years of absence, it returned to the African scene thanks to 38-year-old governor Moïse Katumbi Chapwe and owner of the club.

In November 2009 the team won the CAF Champions League, the African championship for football clubs. Mazembe won against Heartland 2–2 on aggregate, winning on the away goals rule.

By winning the CAF Champions League, Mazembe qualified for the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup. In their first world championship match in the quarter-finals they lost 2–1 to the Pohang Steelers from South Korea, despite taking the lead in the first half. Following a 3–2 defeat to Auckland City in the fifth placed match they finished the tournament in 6th place.

In 2010 they retained the 2010 CAF Champions League, and in December they became the first African side (and first from outside Europe and South America, in general) to contest the final of the FIFA Club World Cup after defeating both Pachuca of Mexico 1–0 in the quarter-finals and Internacional of Brazil 2–0 in the semi-finals. In the final on 18 December, they were defeated 3–0 by Internazionale.

In 2015, TP Mazembe secured their fifth title in the competition after defeating USM Alger of Algeria 4–1 aggregate in the 2015 CAF Champions League final.

Women's football

In 2020, a women's section of TP Mazembe was formed.

Crest and colours

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

Honours

With 28 titles at national level and 11 at international level since 1966, TP Mazembe is currently the most successful club of the DRC with 39 titles.

Domestic

• Linafoot
  • Champions (20): 1966, 1967, 1969, 1976, 1987, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2023–24 (Record)
• Congo Cup
  • Champions (5): 1966, 1967, 1976, 1979, 2000
• DR Congo Super Cup
  • Champions (3): 2013, 2014, 2016 (Record)

Continental

• African Cup of Champions Clubs / CAF Champions League
  • Champions (5): 1967, 1968, 2009, 2010, 2015
• African Cup Winners' Cup
  • Champions (1): 1980
• CAF Confederation Cup
  • Champions (2): 2016, 2017
• CAF Super Cup
  • Champions (3): 2010, 2011, 2016

Global

• FIFA Club World Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 2010

Performance in CAF competitions

• African Cup of Champions Clubs / CAF Champions League: 25 appearances The club have 7 appearances in African Cup of Champions Clubs from 1967 to 1988 and 18 appearances in CAF Champions League from 2001 till now, having appeared in every edition since 2007. ::1967 – Champion ::1968 – Champion ::1969 – Finalist ::1970 – Finalist ::1972 – Semi-finals ::1977 – First Round ::1988 – First Round ::2001 – Group Stage ::2002 – Semi-finals ::2005 – Preliminary Round ::2007 – Second Round ::2008 – Group Stage ::2009 – Champion ::2010 – Champion ::2011 – Disqualified in Second Round ::2012 – Semi-finals ::2013 – Second Round ::2014 – Semi-finals ::2015 – Champions ::2016 – Second Round ::2017 – First Round ::2018 – Quarter-finals ::2018–19 – Semi-finals ::2019–20 – Quarter-finals ::2020–21 – Group Stage

• CAF Cup / CAF Confederation Cup: 7 appearances The club have 1 appearance in CAF Cup in 2000 and 6 appearances in CAF Confederation Cup from 2004 till now. ::2000 – Second Round ::2004 – First Round ::2006 – disqualified in First Round ::2007 – Group Stage ::2013 – Finalist ::2016 – Champion ::2017 – Champion

• CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 2 appearances ::1980 – Champion ::1981 – Second Round

• CAF Super Cup: 5 appearances ::2010 – Champion ::2011 – Champion ::2016 – Champion ::2017 – Finalist ::2018 – Finalist

Current squad

Notable former players

For details on former players see :Category:TP Mazembe players.

References

References

1. Bell, Jack. (17 December 2010). "TP Mazembe Surprises the World, Not Itself". Goal.
2. Legge, David. (17 September 2009). "Win or bust for former champions Etoile". [[Agence France Presse.
3. (7 November 2009). "Mazembe clinch Champs Lge title".
4. (11 December 2009). "TP Mazembe 1 – 2 Pohang Steelers".
5. (16 December 2009). "TP Mazembe 2 – 3 Auckland City".
6. (15 December 2010). "TP Mazembe continue journey".
7. (10 December 2010). "TP Mazembe beat Pachuca at the Club World Cup".
8. "Inter stunned as Mazembe reach final".
9. (18 December 2010). "TP Mazembe 0 – 3 Internazionale".
10. (8 November 2015). "TP Mazembe beat USM Alger to win African Champions League".
11. "Foot : Le TP Mazembe crée une équipe féminine".
12. "TP Mazembe Kit History".
13. (22 June 2022). "Linafoot: Le Tp Mazembe sacré champion pour la 19è fois".
14. "Effectif".