Mohammed Ghaddar

Mohammed Mahmoud Ghaddar (Arabic: محمد غدار‎; born January 1, 1984 in Lebanon) is a Lebanese footballer who plays as a striker who is now playing for Kelantan FA and is a member of Lebanon national football team.^[1]

Club career

Nejmeh

Ghaddar started his career with Nejmeh in 1998 as a 14-year-old. After graduating from the youth academy he made his first-team debut two years later and was a member of the squad that claimed the 1999–00 season title, which was the club's first Lebanese Premier League title for over 20 years. Over the course of the decade Ghaddar went onto claim another four league titles and pick up successive league top-scorer awards while cementing his reputation as one of Lebanon's finest strikers.

Al-Shabab

2009–10 season

Ghaddar signed for Bahraini Premier League side Al-Shabab for the 2009–10 season. On 18 March 2010 Ghaddar scored his first goal for Al-Shabab in a 3–1 win overMuharraq.^[2] Two weeks later he scored a double against Busaiteen in a 3–1 away win on 2 April.^[3] On 15 May, Ghaddar scored his second league double in a 2–1 win against Malkiya.^[4] His five goals in six games at the end of the 2009–10 season helped the club stave off relegation to the second division.^[5]

Al-Ahly

2010–11 season

Ghaddar signed a four-year-contract with Egypt's Al-Ahly for the 2010–11 Egyptian Premier League season, become the first Lebanese player to sign for the Egyptian team.^[6] Ghaddar debuted for Al-Ahly on 6 August 2010 in a 0–0 draw with Ittihad El-Shorta where he was substituted onto the field for Mohamed Talaat on 76 minutes. He made one appearance for Al-Ahly during the 2010 CAF Champions League group stage on 12 September 2010 in a 2–1 win against Nigerian side Heartland F.C. where he was substituted onto the field for Mohamed Fadl on 76 minutes.^[7] Ghaddar was released by the club after just six months of his handful of appearances.

Mohammed joined the Syrian club, Tishreen SC for the 2010/11 season, but Mohammed eventually joined Al-Jaish SC Damascus on the same year.

Kelantan FA

2012 season

Mohammed officially joined the 2011 Malaysia Super League champion and 2011 FA Cup Runners-Up, Kelantan FA on November 8, 2011, signing a 2-year contract with the club. The club is located in East Coast of Malaysia and playing in the 2012 AFC Cup.^[8]

After his duty with the national team, he officially joined Kelantan on 29 December 2011 and made his first appearance with the club and also scored his first goal at the same time in a 3-1 win against Perak FA during a pre season friendly match, scoring through a penalty in the 90th minute.^[9]

He started the season scoring 2 goals in 6 appearances, both with penalties. However he was deregistered for Kelantan's Super League squad in February, replaced by Onyekachi Nwoha. After his impressive performance in 2012 AFC Cup, scoring 6 times in 4 appearances, he was re-registered for Kelantan Super League squad in April, at the expense of Nwoha's place.^[10] He scored on his return to Super League against PBDKT T-Team FC, again with a penalty in a 2-1 win on 17 April 2012.^[11]

Ghaddar wins his first title with Kelantan, when he helps Kelantan to win the Malaysia FA Cup for the first time, by beating Sime Darby F.C. 1-0 in the final on 19 May 2012. He scored the only goal in the final, converting a penalty in the 58th minute.^[12]

Ghaddar became an internet sensation in May 2012 after an attempted piece of footwork was widely derided.^[13]

FELDA United FC

2013 season

Mohammed Ghaddar had refused to extend his contract with Kelantan FA. However, he signed a one-year contract with FELDA United FC.^[14][15][16] He made goal in his debut, which helped his club draw 1-1 against Terengganu FA in the opening match. However, due to his injury, he was released by the club.

Kelantan FA

2014 season

Ghaddar made a return to Malaysia Super League after signing a two years contract with his former club, Kelantan FA. Previously, he had played with Felda United but he was released due to his injury. He scored a brace in his return against PKNS Selangor during the opening day of the 2014 season which Kelantan win 2-1. On 23 April, his contract was terminated by Kelantan FA

Club career stats

As of 18 January 2013.

International career

Mohammed played for the Lebanon national under-20 football team alongside national teammates Ali El Atat and Ramez Dayoub. He got a few caps for the under-23 team, but his great talent made him eligible to be a senior representative.

During the qualification for the 2004 Summer Olympics, Ghaddar was part of the Lebanese under-23 team that made it to the final round of the Asian qualifiers.^[17]

Mohammed Ghaddar has been a very important member of the national team since his debut for the national team in 2005. Recently, he scored a double in both legs against India, both home and away games. Lebanon got a 4–1 victory in Saida in which he scored in the 62nd and 76th minute. In the Jawaharlar Nehru Stadium in Goa, he equalised in the 76th minute and scored a penalty in the 88th minute in the 2–2 draw. Lebanon won 6–3 on aggregate.

He scored the first two of four goals against the Somalia national football team in an Arab Nations Cup Qualifier. He scored in the 4th and 28th minute. Ali Nasseredine added in the 72nd minute and Paul Rustom finished off Somalia with a goal in the 83rd minute.

He also got a goal against the Maldives national football team, but this time, he got the last goal of four. Mahmoud El Ali, Ali Yaacoub and Abbas Ahmed Atwi got the first three in under 15 minutes time. Ghaddar's turn came three minutes later in the 13 minute, and he scored again in the 40th minute.

He scored the first goal for Lebanon with a penalty kick in a friendly match against the Kuwait national football team. Lebanon lost the game 3–2. Ghaddar scored in the 14th minute, and Mahmoud El Ali added in the 41st minute, but Kuwait came back with 3 goals.

He got the opening goal of the away friendly against the Qatar national football team in Doha. His goal came in 20 minutes time, before two Qatari goals finished off Lebanon's hopes of winning.

He also was called up by Lebanon's headcoach, Theo Bucker for the 2012 Arab Nations Cup after he shows an excellent performances with his club. He shows a good performance in 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualification with help Lebanon a marvelous return.

On 8 September 2014 he scored a historic goal over the Olympic Brazil in a 2-2 draw.

International goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	24 December 2006	Beirut, Lebanon	Somalia	4–0	Won	2009 Arab Nations Cup qualification
2.	24 December 2006	Beirut, Lebanon	Somalia	4–0	Won	2009 Arab Nations Cup qualification
3.	8 October 2007	Saida, Lebanon	India	4–1	Won	2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
4.	8 October 2007	Saida, Lebanon	India	4–1	Won	2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
5.	8 October 2007	Goa, India	India	2–2	Draw	2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
6.	8 October 2007	Goa, India	India	2–2	Draw	2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
7.	2 January 2008	Kuwait City, Kuwait	Kuwait	2–3	Lost	Friendly
8.	9 April 2008	Beirut, Lebanon	Maldives	4–0	Won	2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification
9.	27 May 2008	Doha, Qatar	Qatar	1–2	Lost	Friendly
10.	7 June 2008	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia	Saudi Arabia	1–2	Lost	2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification
11.	17 August 2011	Saida, Lebanon	Syria	2–3	Lost	Friendly
12.	6 September 2011	Beirut, Lebanon	United Arab Emirates	3–1	Won	2014 FIFA World Cup Qualification
13.	27 May 2012	Muscat, Oman	Oman	1–1	Draw	Friendly
14.	15 October 2013	Beirut, Lebanon	Kuwait	1–1	Draw	2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification
15.	5 March 2014	Bangkok, Thailand	Thailand	5–2	Won	2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification
16.	14 October 2014	Jeddah, Saudi Arabia	Saudi Arabia	1–1	Draw	Friendly
17.	24 May 2015	Sidon, Lebanon	Syria	2–2	Draw	Friendly
18.	16 June 2015	Vientiane, Laos	Laos	2–0	Won	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Controversy

League match controversy

On 12 June 2012, Mohd Amri Yahyah and Mohd Bunyamin Omar have physically attacked Kelantan’s Lebanese player Mohammed Ghaddar in a Malaysian Super League (MSL) match at the Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium in Kota Bharu. During the game, Ghaddar was left in agonizing pain after Mohd Amri Yahyah unsportingly punched his private parts. Ghaddar took a few minutes to recover as he lay on the ground.^[18]

Based on the incident, Selangor’s Amri Yahyah and Bunyamin Omar have been handed three match suspensions and fined RM 1,500 each while Ghaddar was handed one match suspension and fined RM 2,000 by the Disciplinary Committee of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).^[19][20]

Kelantan FA controversy

Mohammed Ghaddar was brought to the disciplinary committee Kelantan FA (KAFA) after he failed to report to the team on August 5, 2012 for their 2012 Malaysia Cup campaign that begins on 22 August 2012. He just arrived on 16 August 2012 when he returns to his country to get married after the 2012 Malaysia Super League ended on 14 July 2012.^[21][22]

Injury

During March 2013, Ghaddar have experienced back injury and unable to play for his team. FELDA decided to replace him and signed a new foreigner player during April transfer window.^[23]

Honours

Club

Nejmeh

• Lebanese Premier League: 5
  • Winner: 1999-00, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2008–09

• Lebanese FA Cup: 1
  • Winner: 1998

• Lebanese Super Cup: 4
  • Winner: 2000, 2002, 2004, 2009

• Lebanese Elite Cup: 5
  • Winner: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005

Kelantan FA

• Malaysia Super League: 1
  • Winner: 2012
• Malaysia FA Cup: 1
  • Winner: 2012
• Malaysia Cup: 1
  • Winner: 2012

Individual

The Lebanese national team's technical unit has honored Nejmeh striker Mohammed Ghaddar for being the top scorer at the AFC Cup. National team coach Emile Rustom presented Ghaddar the AFC Cup 2007 "top scorer" cup during a ceremony at the Meridien Commodore hotel in Beirut.^[24]

Ghaddar scored five goals during the championship.

Honours:

• AFC Cup Top Scorer: 1

References

External links

• Soccerway Profile