List of Lebanon international footballers born outside Lebanon

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Two smiling men with clenched fists, wearing red Lebanon jerseys, celebrating a goal scored
Nader Matar (left) and Soony Saad (right), born in the Ivory Coast and the United States respectively, celebrating a goal for the Lebanon national team in 2021

The Lebanon national football team has used footballers born outside Lebanon throughout its history with varying success. As a result of the dominance of clubs founded by the Armenian diaspora in Lebanon, between the 1940s and 1960s the national team heavily featured Lebanese players of Armenian origin. The established presence of Armenians in the team led the Lebanese Football Association (LFA) to naturalise several Armenian players born in Armenia during the 1990s to play internationally for Lebanon. Most notably, Vardan Ghazaryan was the national team's leading top goalscorer.

In preparation for the 2000 AFC Asian Cup, the LFA naturalised five Brazilian-born players of Lebanese descent; their presence was generally not well received, as it was felt that they did not improve the level of the team. Lebanon were eliminated in the first round without registering a single win. At the 2019 Asian Cup, nine of the 23 called-up players were born outside Lebanon; contrary to 2000, their inclusion was seen positively.

History[edit]

Armenians in Lebanon[edit]

A smiling Vardan Ghazaryan
Armenian player Vardan Ghazaryan was the Lebanon national team's leading goalscorer.

Following the Armenian genocide in 1915, many Armenians emigrated to Lebanon; as of 2021, Lebanon was home to the eighth-largest Armenian diaspora in the world.[1] Between the 1940s and 1960s, clubs founded by the Armenian diaspora, such as Homenetmen and Homenmen, dominated in Lebanese domestic football; during this period many Lebanese players of Armenian origin played for the Lebanon national team.[2]

The large presence of Armenians in Lebanon pushed the Lebanese Football Association (LFA) to naturalise Armenian players born outside of Lebanon.[2] In 1993, the LFA naturalised Babken Melikyan via a presidential decree, ratified by Prime Minister Rafic Hariri,[3] in order to play for the Lebanon national team at the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification.[4] Jamal Taha, born in Egypt to an Egyptian father and Lebanese mother, was also naturalised alongside Melikyan.[4] Melikyan's example set the trend for other Armenian players to take advantage of the decree to gain citizenship and play for Lebanon during the 1990s, such as Gurgen Engibaryan, Gevorg Karapetyan and Armen Igitbashyan.[5][6] The most impactful Armenian to play for the national team was Vardan Ghazaryan;[7] he obtained Lebanese citizenship through naturalisation in 1994,[8] and was the national team's top goalscorer.[2]

After Homenetmen and Homenmen were relegated to the lower divisions in the early 2000s, the Armenian presence in the national team fell.[2] Since 2006, no Lebanese of Armenian origin has featured for the national team, with the last Armenian player to represent "the Cedars" being Agop Donabidian.[2]

2000 AFC Asian Cup[edit]

With over six million people worldwide having Lebanese descent, compared to the four million Lebanese living in Lebanon, the LFA sought to take advantage of the sizeable Lebanese diaspora to improve football in Lebanon.[9][7] Despite the positive impact of the Lebanese diaspora in various sports – such as basketball, tennis and rugby – football did not initially benefit in the same way.[10]

In Lebanon's first participation at the AFC Asian Cup in 2000, which they hosted, they called up five Brazilian players of Lebanese heritage: Luís Fernandes, Gilberto, Jadir Morgenstern, Marcílio and Newton.[9] According to Jamal Taha, Lebanon's captain at the tournament, there was no communication between the local players and the naturalised players due to the language barrier.[11] Lebanon were eventually knocked out in the first round, without winning a single match.[10]

The general sentiment regarding the Brazilian players was that they did not improve the level of the national team,[10] and were in fact "harmful" due to the lack of integration with the other players.[11]

Recent history[edit]

Alexander Michel Melki, wearing a red Lebanon shirt, during a football game
Felix Michel Melki, wearing a red Lebanon shirt, during a football game
Swedish-born brothers Alexander Michel Melki (left) and Felix Michel Melki (right) played for Lebanon at the 2019 Asian Cup.

At the 2019 Asian Cup, Lebanon's second participation, nine of the 23 players called up were born outside Lebanon.[9] Compared to the 2000 Asian Cup, the addition of foreign-born players of Lebanese descent was well received: Hassan Maatouk, captain of the national team, stated: "It's a good thing for us that we have some players from outside the country that can come and help us."[9] Several players born outside Lebanon communicated with their teammates in English.[9]

Lebanon continued the trend of calling up players born abroad during the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, in which the team reached the final round of qualifying for the second time.[12] Wael Chehayeb of the LFA stated: "[People with Lebanese origins] give us more options when looking for players as we don't have a big population, and some of them have a European football education which is good for us."[12]

List of players[edit]

This is a list of football players who represented the Lebanon national football team in international football and were born outside Lebanon.[6]

The following players:

  1. have played at least one game for the full (senior male) Lebanon national team; and
  2. were born outside Lebanon.

This list includes players who have dual citizenship with Lebanon and/or have become naturalised Lebanese citizens. The players are ordered per modern-day country of birth; if the country at the time of birth differs from the current, this is indicated with a footnote.

As of 26 March 2024[13]
Roda Antar, wearing a red 1. FC Köln kit, controlling the ball during a football game
Roda Antar, born in Sierra Leone, is Lebanon's most-capped foreign-born player with 82 caps.
List of players
Country of birth Player Caps Goals Period
 Armenia[a] Gurgen Engibaryan[14] 50 1 1995–2001
 Armenia[a] Vardan Ghazaryan[15] 66 21 1995–2001
 Armenia[a] Gevorg Karapetyan[16] 41 2 1996–1999
 Armenia[a] Babken Melikyan[17] 36 3 1993–1997
 Armenia[a] Armen Igitbashyan[5] 13 0 1995–1996
 Australia Buddy Farah[18] 20 1 2000–2004
 Australia Yahya El Hindi[19] 4 0 2019–present
 Australia Jackson Khoury[20] 1 0 2024–present
 Australia Michael Reda[21] 8 0 2000
 Brazil Luís Fernandes[22] 10 1 2000–2004
 Brazil Gilberto[23] 11 7 2000–2001
 Brazil Marcílio[24] 15 2 2000–2003
 Brazil Jadir Morgenstern[25] 17 2 2000–2001
 Brazil Newton[26] 5 0 2000–2001
 Brazil Salomão Salha[27] 6 0 2001
 Bulgaria Samir Ayass[28] 13 1 2017–2019
 Canada Gabriel Bitar[29] 7 0 2022–present
 Denmark Bassel Jradi[30] 25 3 2015–present
 Egypt Jamal Taha[31] 71 12 1993–2000
 England Jed Chouman[32] 3 0 2014
 England Hady Ghandour[33] 1 0 2021
 England Majed Osman[34] 6 1 2021–present
 France Alexis Khazzaka[35] 2 0 2013
 Germany Omar Chaaban[36] 16 1 2017–present
 Germany Karim Darwich[37] 23 3 2020–present
 Germany Hilal El-Helwe[38] 53 9 2015–present
 Germany Khaled Mohssen[39] 1 0 2020
 Germany Hassan Oumari[40] 2 0 2016
 Germany Joan Oumari[41] 36 4 2013–2022
 Iraq Haitham Zein[42] 50 17 1997–2004
 Ivory Coast Hussein El Dor[43] 5 0 2021–2022
 Ivory Coast Mehdi Khalil[44] 56 0 2013–present
 Ivory Coast Mahmoud Kojok[45] 2 0 2016
 Ivory Coast Nader Matar[46] 69 3 2012–present
 Kuwait Ali Alaaeddine[47] 1 0 2019
 Kuwait Hassan Daher[48] 9 0 2010–2013
 Kuwait Ali Nasseredine[49] 22 9 2003–2006
 Kuwait Ziad Al Samad[50] 47 0 1999–2012
 Liberia Fouad Hijazi[51] 49 1 1993–2003
 Liberia Wael Nazha[52] 32 8 1993–1998
 Mexico Daniel Kuri[53] 9 0 2022–present
 Nigeria Hassan El Mohamad[54] 21 0 2012–2017
 Norway Adnan Haidar[55] 37 1 2012–2019
 Saudi Arabia Ahmad El Choum[56] 19 0 2003–2008
 Saudi Arabia Sami El Choum[57] 4 0 2003
 Saudi Arabia Ahmad El Khodor[58] 4 0 2008–2010
 Saudi Arabia Ahmad El Naamani[59] 33 0 1997–2006
 Sierra Leone Tarek El Ali[60] 5 2 2007–2011
 Sierra Leone Faisal Antar[61] 53 5 1998–2007
 Sierra Leone Roda Antar[62] 82 20 1998–2016
 Sierra Leone Walid Shour[63] 27 0 2021–present
 Sweden Mouhammed-Ali Dhaini[64] 26 0 2020–present
 Sweden George Felix Melki[65] 32 1 2018–present
 Sweden Robert Alexander Melki[66] 29 0 2018–present
 Sweden Mohamed Ramadan[67] 1 0 2015
 Syria Agop Donabidian[68] 15 0 2000–2003
 Ukraine Chadi Harb[69] 3 0 2014
 United States Soony Saad[70] 38 7 2013–present
 Venezuela Jihad Ayoub[71] 13 0 2021–present
 Venezuela Rabie El Kakhi[72] 4 0 2011–2013

List of countries[edit]

List of countries
Country of birth Total Most-capped player (caps)
 Brazil 6 Jadir Morgenstern (17)
 Germany 6 Hilal El-Helwe (53)
 Armenia 5 Vardan Ghazaryan (66)
 Australia 4 Buddy Farah (20)
 Ivory Coast 4 Nader Matar (69)
 Kuwait 4 Ziad Al Samad (47)
 Saudi Arabia 4 Ahmad El Naamani (33)
 Sierra Leone 4 Roda Antar (82)
 Sweden 4 George Felix Melki (32)
 England 3 Majed Osman (6)
 Liberia 2 Fouad Hijazi (49)
 Venezuela 2 Jihad Ayoub (13)
 Bulgaria 1 Samir Ayass (13)
 Canada 1 Gabriel Bitar (7)
 Denmark 1 Bassel Jradi (25)
 Egypt 1 Jamal Taha (71)
 France 1 Alexis Khazzaka (2)
 Iraq 1 Haitham Zein (50)
 Mexico 1 Daniel Kuri (9)
 Nigeria 1 Hassan El Mohamad (21)
 Norway 1 Adnan Haidar (37)
 Syria 1 Agop Donabidian (15)
 Ukraine 1 Chadi Harb (3)
 United States 1 Soony Saad (38)

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e At the time part of the  Soviet Union

References[edit]

  1. ^ El Bacha, François (23 April 2021). "The rich history of the Armenian presence in Lebanon". Libnanews. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Lebanon's Armenian talent pool". FIFA. 26 February 2016. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  3. ^ بين المكاتب والملاعب [Between offices and stadiums]. As-Safir (in Arabic). 3 April 1996. p. 10.
  4. ^ a b جمال طه مدربا لمنتخب الأرز [Jamal Taha coach of the "Cedars" national team]. Lebanese Forces (in Arabic). 17 June 2022. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  5. ^ a b Samer, Al Halabi (30 May 2021). الهومنمن: مسيرة متنوعة وتحولات دراماتيكية.. ونجومه علامة فارقة في المنتخب [Homenetmen: A diverse career and dramatic transformations.. and their stars are a milestone in the national team]. Ahwal Media (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 23 November 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  6. ^ a b رضا عنتر وجيلبرتو وجمال طه وبرومند.. أكثر من 30 لاعباً ولدوا خارج لبنان ومثّلوا المنتخب اللبناني [Roda Antar, Gilberto, Jamal Taha and Boroumand.. more than 30 players were born outside Lebanon and represented the Lebanese national team]. Lebanon Football Guide (in Arabic). 16 March 2021. Archived from the original on 15 April 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  7. ^ a b Oinam, Jayanta (November 2022). "Hassan Ali Maatouk: Lebanon's captain of captains". FIFA. Archived from the original on 23 November 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  8. ^ وارطـان غازاريـان يغـادر نهائيـاً ويشـكر الاتحاد وناديي الهومنتمان والحكمة والجمهور [Vardan Ghazaryan permanently retires and thanks the Federation, Homenetmen, Sagesse and the public]. As-Safir (in Arabic). 15 May 2009. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  9. ^ a b c d e McIntyre, Scott (17 January 2019). "How diaspora footballers came together under the Lebanese flag". TRT World. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  10. ^ a b c Abou Haidar, Mohammad (2015). "L'usage politique du sport au Liban durant la période de l'après- Taëf : Participation-Observante du milieu libanais" [The political use of sport in Lebanon during the post-Taif period: Participant Observation of the Lebanese environment] (PDF). Université Claude–Bernard Lyon 1 (in French). Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  11. ^ a b Karim, Charbel (28 December 2018). عودة إلى كأس آسيا 2000: كارثة سكوبلار والتجنيس أغرقت المنتخب الوطني [Return to the 2000 Asian Cup: the "Skoblar" and "naturalization" disasters drowned the national team]. Al Akhbar (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  12. ^ a b Duerden, John (13 July 2021). "The Cedars: Lebanon's football team is doing more than lifting spirits". The New Arab. Archived from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  13. ^ "Lebanon Most-Capped Players". FA Lebanon. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  14. ^ "Korken Yenkibarian". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  15. ^ "Vardan Ghazaryan". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  16. ^ "Gevorg Karapetyan". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  17. ^ "Papken Melikian". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  18. ^ "Buddy Farah". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  19. ^ "Yahya El Hindi". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  20. ^ "Jackson Khoury". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  21. ^ "Mohammad Taan Reda". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  22. ^ "Luis Fernandes". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  23. ^ "Gilberto". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  24. ^ "Marcílio". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  25. ^ "Jadir Morgenstern". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  26. ^ "Newton". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  27. ^ "Salomão Salha". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  28. ^ "Samir Ayass". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  29. ^ "Gabriel Bitar". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  30. ^ "Bassel Jradi". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  31. ^ "Jamal Taha". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  32. ^ "Jared Chouman". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  33. ^ "Hady Ghandour". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  34. ^ "Majed Osman". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  35. ^ "Alexis Khazzaka". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  36. ^ "Omar Chaaban". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  37. ^ "Karim Darwich". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  38. ^ "Hilal El Helwe". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  39. ^ "Khaled Mohssen". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  40. ^ "Hassan Oumari". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  41. ^ "Joan Oumari". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  42. ^ "Haitham Zein". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  43. ^ "Hussein El Dor". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  44. ^ "Mehdi Khalil". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  45. ^ "Mahmoud Ahmad Kojok". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  46. ^ "Nader Matar". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  47. ^ "Ali Alaaeddine". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  48. ^ "Hassan Daher". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  49. ^ "Ali Nasseredine". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  50. ^ "Ziad El Samad". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  51. ^ "Fouad Hijazi". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  52. ^ "WAEL NAZHA". abdogedeon.com (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  53. ^ "Daniel Kuri". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  54. ^ "Hassan El Mohamad". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  55. ^ "Adnan Haidar". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  56. ^ "Ahmad El Choum". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  57. ^ "Sami El Choum". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  58. ^ "Ahmed El Khodor". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  59. ^ "Ahmad El Naamani". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  60. ^ "Tarek El Ali". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  61. ^ "Faissal Antar". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  62. ^ "Roda Antar". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  63. ^ "Walid Shour". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  64. ^ "Mouhammed-Ali Dhaini". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  65. ^ "George Felix Melki". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  66. ^ "Robert Alexander Melki". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  67. ^ "Mohamed Ramadan". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  68. ^ "Agop Donabidian". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  69. ^ "Chadi Harb". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  70. ^ "Soony Saad". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  71. ^ "Jihad Ayoub". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  72. ^ "Rabie El Kakhi". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
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