The history of Union Sportive Médina d'Alger from 2010 to the present day, commonly referred to as USM Alger or simply USMA, is a professional football club based in Algiers, Algeria. The club was founded on 5 July 1937 and has become one of the most prominent teams in Algerian football. USMA currently competes in Ligue 1, the top tier of Algerian football. The club won its first major trophy in 1963, defeating MC Alger in the Critérium d'Honneur final. USMA has reached the cup final 17 times a national record, including an impressive run of five consecutive appearances from 1969 to 1973.

The club’s first international title came in 2013, when USMA won the UAFA Club Cup, defeating Al-Arabi of Kuwait 3–2 on aggregate. However, this title is not recognized by FIFA as an official continental trophy. The club’s greatest continental triumph came in 2023, when USM Alger won the CAF Confederation Cup by defeating Young Africans of Tanzania on away goals, after a 2–2 draw on aggregate. This marked the first major continental title in the club’s history. Later that same year, USMA won the CAF Super Cup by beating Al Ahly 1–0, further cementing their legacy on the African stage.

Haddad ownership (2010–20) Second professional era & Dream Team

In a joint decision by the Ligue de Football Professionnel and the Algerian Football Federation, the Algerian football championship was set to undergo professionalization starting from the 2010–11 season. As a result, all Algerian football clubs, which until then held semi-professional status, were to become fully professional that season.

Mohamed Raouraoua, president of the Algerian Football Federation, had advocated for professionalism since taking office. He emphasized a new management approach based on discipline and seriousness, especially given the decline of Algerian football in recent years. The poor performance was largely attributed to the mismanagement of clubs, which had fallen behind their counterparts in neighboring countries that had embraced professional models and made significant progress, particularly at the continental level.Professional Championship: The project on on DZFoot.com

A key milestone in this shift came on August 4, 2010, when USM Alger became the first Algerian club to go public in line with the league's professionalization. Businessman Ali Haddad became the majority shareholder, investing 700 million Algerian dinars to acquire an 83% stake in the club. Subsequently, on October 27, 2010, Haddad replaced Saïd Allik who had served as club president for 18 years as the new president and owner of USM Alger.Saïd Allik se retire de l’USM Alger Cérémonie au Sheraton Aujourd’hui, l'USMA sera pro

The first season of professional football in Algeria proved difficult for USM Alger and was their worst since the 1999–2000 season. Head coach Noureddine Saadi was dismissed and replaced by Frenchman Hervé Renard, whose contract included a clause allowing him to leave if offered a position with a national team. USM Alger endured a tough campaign, going nearly five months without a victory. The team only secured its place in the top flight in the final round of the season, following a crucial win against USM Annaba.

In response to the poor season, the club made major moves during the summer transfer window. USMA signed 15 top level players, including four from rivals ES Sétif. Meanwhile, two of the club’s longest serving players, Hocine Achiou and Karim Ghazi, were released after the coach declined to keep them in the squad. On July 28, 2011, USM Alger signed an indefinite sponsorship deal with the American sportswear brand Nike. These sweeping changes significantly reshaped the team's core, prompting the Algerian media particularly local newspapers to nickname USM Alger the "Dream Team".

On April 29, 2011, USM Alger president Ali Haddad appointed Mouldi Aïssaoui as the club's General Director. However, less than a year into his tenure, on February 28, 2012, Aïssaoui announced his resignation from the Société Sportive par Actions (SSPA), citing internal conspiracies. He explained, "I had a frank discussion with USMA President Haddad, during which I informed him of my decision to leave my position. He certainly wanted to talk me out of it, but I made him understand that this decision was irrevocable".

During the 2011–12 Ligue 1 season, USM Alger remained in title contention until the final round. On April 14, 2012, they faced MC Saïda at Stade 13 Avril 1958 in a crucial match to avoid relegation to Ligue Professionnelle 2. In the final minute of the game, Nouri Ouznadji scored a dramatic equalizer to keep USMA safe. However, the post match events were marred by violence. As USM Alger players made their way to the dressing rooms, they were attacked by unknown assailants. The most serious incident involved Abdelkader Laïfaoui, who was stabbed with a knife. He suffered deep wounds, required stitches, and had to spend the night in the hospital. In response, the club filed a lawsuit against unknown perpetrators and announced it would refuse to play in Saïda for the next five years.

A month later, on May 12, 2012, USM Alger hosted JSM Béjaïa in Bologhine. The match was filled with controversy after referee Farouk Houasnia awarded USMA three penalties. JSM Béjaïa players responded by sarcastically applauding the referee, viewing the decisions as favoritism meant to help USM Alger in the title race. Despite the penalties, USMA lost the match 4–3 a result that cost them the championship. Nevertheless, the season ended on a positive note: after a six-year absence, USM Alger returned to continental competition by qualifying for the CAF Confederation Cup. The club was also invited by the Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA) to participate in the newly revamped UAFA Club Cup.

The season also saw the end of the professional career of Mohamed "Hamia" Boualem, who officially retired almost three years after his last appearance for the club. Boualem had played his final match on March 24, 2012, against CS Constantine, coming off in the 76th minute. Recurring injuries affected his career, and during a training session, he suffered a serious injury that led to his early retirement from professional football.

From Setbacks to Silverware: USM Alger's Journey

During the 2012–13 season, USM Alger was led by Argentine coach Miguel Angel Gamondi. The season began poorly and after a loss to ES Sétif, Gamondi was dismissed and replaced by former Olympique de Marseille coach Rolland Courbis. Under Courbis, the team made a strong comeback, finishing the first half of the season with six wins, two draws, and one defeat. However, the second half of the Ligue Professionnelle 1 campaign saw a decline in form, making it clear that winning the league would be difficult. The club began to shift focus to the Algerian Cup and the Arab Club Champions Cup.

In the Algerian Cup, USMA reached the semi-finals and secured victory against MC Oran with a decisive goal by Noureddine Daham, qualifying for the final for the 17th time in the club’s history and the first in six years. In the final, USM Alger faced city rivals MC Alger in a fifth Algiers Derby final. Mokhtar Benmoussa scored the only goal, giving USMA their eighth Algerian Cup title and their first victory over MC Alger in a final after four previous defeats. The post-match ceremony was marred by MC Alger's refusal to collect their medals in protest of referee Djamel Haimoudi’s officiating.

In the Arab Club Champions Cup, they advanced through the early rounds easily, but faced a tough semi-final against Ismaily SC of Egypt, which they won in a penalty shootout marking their first ever appearance in the competition's final. In contrast, the Confederation Cup was not prioritized, USM Alger traveled to Gabon with a reduced squad of only 16 players to face US Bitam. The defeat came as no surprise, as the Red and Black appeared largely uninterested in the African campaign, which had been deemed exhausting by both the staff and players. Prioritizing domestic objectives, USMA exits the continental stage with neither surprise nor apparent regret. On May 14, 2013, USMA captured their first Arab Club Champions Cup title, defeating Al-Arabi of Kuwait 3–2 on aggregate in the final. Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal attended the match and handed the trophy to team captain Mohamed Rabie Meftah.

On 21 September 2013 two USM Alger supporters, Azeeb Sufyan and Saif al-Din Darhoum, died after part of the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 collapsed following a match against MC Alger. Several hundred others were injured, casting a shadow over the victory. The drama occurred ten minutes after the end of the match. In the 2013–14 season, after their domestic cup and Arab triumphs, USM Alger set their sights on ending a nine year league title drought. However, after a win over CRB Aïn Fakroun on November 2, 2013, Courbis resigned, citing pressure and a desire to return to France to coach Montpellier. Courbis was replaced by Hubert Velud, who had won the league with ES Sétif the previous season. Velud's tenure started exceptionally well, with USMA going unbeaten until the season’s end, winning 16 matches, including eight in a row, USMA dominated the league and clinched the title in style, finishing 14 points clear of their longtime rivals, JS Kabylie. This marked first league title since the 2004–05 season and their first in the professional era. The club also won the Algerian Super Cup against ES Sétif.

In the 2014–15 season, the team’s campaign began with a Super Cup defeat to MC Alger. The match was controversial assistant referee Mounir Bitam removed his shirt in protest, alleging he had been pressured to favor Mouloudia. He later apologized to USM Alger's administration and supporters. In the league, results were inconsistent.

On 23 August 2014, USM Alger secured a dramatic 2–1 win over JS Kabylie with a late goal from Youcef Belaïli. However, the match was overshadowed when Albert Ebossé Bodjongo, a JS Kabylie player, was fatally struck by a projectile as players were leaving the field. He died in hospital hours later at age 24. USM Alger issued a statement offering condolences to Ebossé's family and JS Kabylie.

Following a poor run, Velud was dismissed despite his earlier success. He was replaced by German coach Otto Pfister. But the team went winless in eight matches and was eliminated from the Algerian Cup by ASO Chlef. Pfister was sacked less than three months after his appointment. The season ended with Mounir Zeghdoud and Mahieddine Meftah taking over temporarily. USM Alger secured league survival in the final round with a win over ASO Chlef.

Continental Glory and Domestic Shifts

In the summer of 2015, Miloud Hamdi was officially appointed head coach of USM Alger for a three-season term. Although expectations were modest, Hamdi led the team to an impressive run in the Champions League. USM Alger finished first in the group stage and faced Al Hilal in the semi-finals. They pulled off a surprise victory in Sudan and secured a draw at Omar Hamadi Stadium, qualifying for the final of a continental competition for the first time in the club’s history. In the final, USM Alger faced TP Mazembe but suffered defeat in both legs, losing 4–1 on aggregate. Controversy arose regarding the choice of venue for the final match. While there was debate between using the larger Stade du 5 Juillet and the smaller Omar Hamadi Stadium, the club’s management, technical staff, and players preferred the latter. This decision was unpopular among fans due to the stadium’s limited capacity and artificial turf, especially given the historic nature of the final.