Phnom Penh Crown FC: The Red Singha of Cambodian Football
Phnom Penh Crown FC (PPCFC; Khmer: ក្លឹបបាល់ទាត់ភ្នំពេញក្រោន, Klœ̆b Băltoăt Phnum Pénh Kraôn) is an association football club based in Sangkat Toul Sangke II, Khan Russey Keo, Phnom Penh, that competes in the Cambodian Premier League. It was established as Samart United in 2001 and subsequently changed its name to "Hello United" (2005), "Phnom Penh United" (2006), "Phnom Penh Empire" (2007), and "Phnom Penh Crown" (2009). It has won a record of 8 league titles, 2 Hun Sen Cup, 2 Cambodian League Cup and 2 Cambodian Super Cup.
The club is nicknamed "Red Singha", which is a mythical lion-like creature in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. The club's logo features a red singha head with a crown on top, symbolizing the club's dominance and prestige in Cambodian football. The club's motto is "We are the Champions", which reflects its ambition and confidence to win every trophy possible.
In this article, we will explore the history, achievements, players, and staff of Phnom Penh Crown FC, the most successful football club in Cambodia.
Register and complete your profile with 188BET to receive a USD 5 Sportsbook Free Bet
History
The Early Years: Samart United and Hello United
Phnom Penh Crown FC was founded in 2001 as Samart United by Samart Group, a telecommunications company. The club joined the Cambodian Premier League (CPL) in the same year and won its first league title in its debut season. The club also reached the final of the Hun Sen Cup, the national cup competition, but lost to Royal Cambodian Armed Forces FC.
In 2005, the club changed its name to Hello United after its main sponsor Hello Axiata, another telecommunications company. The club finished second in the CPL behind Khemara Keila FC and reached the semi-finals of the Hun Sen Cup, where it lost to Nagacorp FC.
The Rise of Phnom Penh Empire and Phnom Penh Crown
In 2006, the club changed its name again to Phnom Penh United and moved to a new stadium called Olympic Stadium. The club finished third in the CPL and reached the quarter-finals of the Hun Sen Cup, where it lost to Royal Cambodian Armed Forces FC.
In 2007, the club changed its name for the fourth time to Phnom Penh Empire and moved to another new stadium called RSN Stadium. The club won its second league title and its first Hun Sen Cup, beating Nagacorp FC in both finals. The club also participated in the AFC President's Cup, an international tournament for clubs from lower-ranked Asian countries, but failed to advance from the group stage.
In 2009, the club changed its name for the fifth and final time to Phnom Penh Crown. The club won its third league title and its second Hun Sen Cup, beating Preah Khan Reach FC in both finals. The club also participated in the AFC President's Cup again, but failed to advance from the group stage again.
The Golden Era: Four More League Titles and Two More Cups
From 2010 to 2015, Phnom Penh Crown entered its golden era, winning four more league titles and two more cups. The club also became the first Cambodian club to reach the knockout stage of an AFC tournament.
In 2010, the club won its fourth league title by beating Nagacorp FC on goal difference. The club also reached the final of the Hun Sen Cup, but lost to Preah Khan Reach FC. The club participated in the AFC President's Cup for the third time and reached the semi-finals, where it lost to Yadanarbon FC of Myanmar.
In 2011, the club won its fifth league title by beating Preah Khan Reach FC by one point. The club also reached the semi-finals of the Hun Sen Cup, where it lost to National Defense Ministry FC. The club participated in the AFC President's Cup for the fourth time and reached the final, where it lost to Taiwan Power Company FC of Taiwan.
In 2014, the club won its sixth league title by beating Boeung Ket Angkor FC by two points. The club also reached the quarter-finals of the Hun Sen Cup, where it lost to Svay Rieng FC. The club participated in the AFC President's Cup for the fifth time and reached the semi-finals, where it lost to HTTU Asgabat of Turkmenistan.
In 2015, the club won its seventh league title by beating Nagaworld FC by four points. The club also reached the semi-finals of the Hun Sen Cup, where it lost to Boeung Ket Angkor FC. The club participated in the AFC Cup, a higher-level international tournament for clubs from higher-ranked Asian countries, for the first time and reached the play-off round, where it lost to Home United FC of Singapore.
The Recent Years: One More League Title and Two More Super Cups
From 2016 to 2021, Phnom Penh Crown faced more competition from other clubs, but still managed to win one more league title and two more super cups.
In 2016, the club finished fourth in the league and reached the quarter-finals of the Hun Sen Cup, where it lost to Boeung Ket Angkor FC. The club participated in the AFC Cup for the second time and reached the group stage, where it finished third behind Hougang United FC of Singapore and Viettel FC of Vietnam.
In 2017, the club finished third in the league and reached the semi-finals of the Hun Sen Cup, where it lost to Nagaworld FC. The club participated in the AFC Cup for the third time and reached the play-off round again, where it lost to Home United FC of Singapore again.
In 2018, the club finished fifth in the league and reached the quarter-finals of the Hun Sen Cup, where it lost to Ministry of National Defense FC. The club did not participate in any AFC tournament due to a change in qualification criteria.
In 2019, the club finished sixth in the league and reached the semi-finals of the Hun Sen Cup, where it lost to Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC. The club did not participate in any AFC tournament due to a suspension of Cambodian clubs by FIFA over government interference in football affairs.
In 2020, the league was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and no cup competitions were held. The club did not participate in any AFC tournament due to a continuation of FIFA suspension.
In 2021, the league resumed and Phnom Penh Crown won its eighth league title by beating Boeung Ket Angkor FC by three points. The club also won its first Cambodian League Cup by beating Nagaworld FC in the final. The club also won its first Cambodian Super Cup by beating Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw. The club did not participate in any AFC tournament due to a delay in qualification process caused by COVID-19 pandemic.
Players
Current Squad
As of April 2023, Phnom Penh Crown has 25 players in its squad, including 18 Cambodians and 7 foreigners. The squad is composed of 4 goalkeepers, 9 defenders, 8 midfielders, and 4 forwards. The captain is Orn Chanpolin, a midfielder who has been with the club since 2014. The vice-captain is Choun Chanchav, a defender who has been with the club since 2015. The third-captain is Chhom Pisa, another defender who has been with the club since 2016.
The following table shows the current squad of Phnom Penh Crown as of April 2023:
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
- | 1 | GK | CAM | Chea Savin |
- | 2 | DF | MYA | Soe Moe Kyaw |
- | 3 | DF | JPN | Takaki Ose |
- | 4 | DF | CAM | Chhom Pisa |
- | 5 | DF | CAM | Choun Chanchav |
- | 6 | MF | CAM | Orn Chanpolin |
- | 7 | MF | CAM | Sin Kakada |
- | 8 | MF | CAM | Soun Veasna |
- | 9 | FW | CAM | Mao Piseth |
- | 10 | FW | BRA | Paulo Victor |
- | 11 | FW | CAM | In Sodavid |
- | 12 | GK | CAM | Keo Soksela |
- | 13 | DF | CAM | Yue Safy |
- | 14 | MF | CAM | Lim Pisoth |
- | 15 | MF | CAM | Va Sokthorn |
- | 16 | MF | NGR | Timothy Okereke |
- | 17 | DF | CAM | Ouk Sovann |
- | 18 | FW | NGR | George Bisan |
- | 19 | DF | KOR | Jang In Yong |
- | 20 | MF | KOR | Yoo Jae Hoon |
- | 21 | GK | KOR | Yoon Tae Joon |
- | 22 | GK | CAM | Kong Ravuth |
- | 23 | DF | CAM | Ken Chansopheak |
- | 24 | MF | BRA | Bruno Castanheira |
- | 25 | MF/FW| BRA/THA| Thiago Dos Santos |
Notable Former Players
Phnom Penh Crown has had many notable players who have contributed to the club's success and reputation. Some of them are:
- Kouch Sokumpheak: A legendary striker who played for the club from 2007 to 2014 and from 2016 to 2017. He is the club's all-time top scorer with 120 goals and the CPL's all-time top scorer with 152 goals. He won four league titles, one Hun Sen Cup, and one Cambodian League Cup with the club. He also captained the club and the national team. He retired in 2019 and became the club's assistant coach.
- Chan Rithy: A prolific forward who played for the club from 2007 to 2012 and from 2014 to 2015. He is the club's second all-time top scorer with 97 goals and the CPL's third all-time top scorer with 115 goals. He won three league titles and one Hun Sen Cup with the club. He also represented the national team in several occasions. He retired in 2016 and became a football commentator.
- Keo Sokngon: A versatile midfielder who played for the club from 2007 to 2013 and from 2015 to 2016. He is the club's third all-time top scorer with 66 goals and the CPL's fifth all-time top scorer with 84 goals. He won four league titles, one Hun Sen Cup, and one Cambodian League Cup with the club. He also played for the national team in many tournaments. He retired in 2017 and became a football coach.
- Hong Pheng: A reliable defender who played for the club from 2008 to 2015 and from 2017 to 2018. He is the club's most capped player with over 300 appearances and the CPL's most capped player with over 350 appearances. He won five league titles, one Hun Sen Cup, and one Cambodian League Cup with the club. He also captained the club and the national team. He retired in 2019 and became a football analyst.
- Bin Thierry: A creative midfielder who played for the club from 2010 to 2015 and from 2017 to 2018. He is the club's fourth all-time top scorer with 58 goals and the CPL's seventh all-time top scorer with 76 goals. He won four league titles, one Hun Sen Cup, and one Cambodian League Cup with the club. He also played for the national team in many competitions. He retired in 2019 and became a football agent.
- Shane Booysen: A South African forward who played for the club from 2015 to 2017. He is the club's most prolific foreign player with 54 goals in 67 games. He won two league titles and one Cambodian League Cup with the club. He also became the first player to score a hat-trick in the AFC Cup in 2016. He left the club in 2017 and joined Persib Bandung in Indonesia.
- Khoun Laboravy: A powerful striker who played for the club from 2016 to 2020. He is the club's fifth all-time top scorer with 53 goals and the CPL's eighth all-time top scorer with 71 goals. He won one league title and one Cambodian League Cup with the club. He also represented the national team in several occasions. He retired in 2020 and became a football instructor.
Staff
Current Staff
As of April 2023, Phnom Penh Crown has 12 staff members, including 8 Cambodians and 4 foreigners. The staff is composed of 1 head coach, 2 assistant coaches, 1 goalkeeper coach, 1 fitness coach, 1 physiotherapist, 1 team manager, 1 media officer, 1 kit manager, 1 scout, and 2 security guards.
The following table shows the current staff of Phnom Penh Crown as of April 2023:
| Role | Nation | Name |
- | Head Coach | ENG | Darren Stewart |
- | Assistant Coach | CAM | Kouch Sokumpheak |
- | Assistant Coach | CAM | Bouy Dary |
- | Goalkeeper Coach | CAM | Prak Vanny |
- | Fitness Coach | AUS | Anthony Garwood |
- | Physiotherapist | CAM | Chhun Piseth |
- | Team Manager | CAM | Be Makara |
- | Media Officer | CAM | Ouk Samnang |
- | Kit Manager | CAM | Chum Sopheaktra |
- | Scout | THA | Somchai Makmul |
- | Security Guard | CAM | Chhay Sopheap |
- | Security Guard | CAM | Sok Sophea |
Notable Former Staff
Phnom Penh Crown has had many notable staff members who have contributed to the club's success and reputation. Some of them are:
- David Booth: An English coach who managed the club from 2009 to 2010 and from 2012 to 2013. He led the club to two league titles, one Hun Sen Cup, and one AFC President's Cup final. He also introduced many young talents to the club and the national team. He left the club in 2013 and joined Dempo SC in India.
- Rithy Samnang: A Cambodian businessman who owned the club from 2007 to 2019. He renamed the club to Phnom Penh Empire and Phnom Penh Crown and invested heavily in the club's infrastructure, facilities, and players. He helped the club win seven league titles, two Hun Sen Cup, two Cambodian League Cup, and two Cambodian Super Cup. He also supported the club's participation in AFC tournaments and youth development programs. He sold the club in 2019 to Ouk Chamroeun, another Cambodian businessman.
- Sam Schweingruber: A Swiss coach who managed the club from 2013 to 2017. He led the club to two league titles, one Cambodian League Cup, and one AFC Cup play-off round. He also improved the club's style of play, fitness, and discipline. He left the club in 2017 after a serious motorcycle accident that left him with severe injuries. He recovered and joined Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC as a technical director in 2019.
- Sum Vanna: A Cambodian coach who managed the club from 2018 to 2020. He led the club to one league title and one Cambodian Super Cup. He also promoted many young players to the first team and gave them opportunities to shine. He left the club in 2020 and joined Nagaworld FC as a head coach.
Conclusion
Phnom Penh Crown FC is an association football club based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, that competes in the Cambodian Premier League. It is the most successful football club in Cambodia, having won a record of 8 league titles, 2 Hun Sen Cup, 2 Cambodian League Cup and 2 Cambodian Super Cup. It has also participated in several AFC tournaments and reached the final of the AFC President's Cup in 2011.
The club has a rich history, a talented squad, and a dedicated staff. The club is nicknamed "Red Singha", which is a mythical lion-like creature in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. The club's logo features a red singha head with a crown on top, symbolizing the club's dominance and prestige in Cambodian football. The club's motto is "We are the Champions", which reflects its ambition and confidence to win every trophy possible.
If you are interested in learning more about Phnom Penh Crown FC, you can visit their official website , follow their social media accounts , or watch their matches live on their YouTube channel . You can also support them by buying their merchandise or becoming their sponsor . Thank you for reading this article and hope you enjoyed it.