# Samir Ayass

Samir Ahmed Ayass (Arabic: سَمِير أَحْمَد أَيَاس, Lebanese Arabic pronunciation:; Bulgarian: Самир Ахмед Аяс; born 24 December 1990) is a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
Coming through the youth system, Ayass began his senior career in 2008 at hometown club CSKA Sofia, before moving to cross-city side Akademik Sofia in 2010. He then went on to play for various Bulgarian sides, namely Minyor Pernik, Bansko, Montana, Lyubimets, and Beroe Stara Zagora, before returning to CSKA Sofia in 2015, winning the Bulgarian Cup. The following year he joined Dunav Ruse, before moving to Lebanon in 2017 to Ahed. After having won multiple titles, including the 2019 AFC Cup, Ayass returned to Dunav Ruse in 2019, before moving to Persiraja in Indonesia the following year. He moved back to Bulgaria in 2021, at Botev Vratsa, and then joined Malaysian side Perak.
Born in Bulgaria, Ayass represented them at youth level before switching allegiance to Lebanon, for whom he made his senior international debut in 2017. He helped his team reach the 2019 AFC Asian Cup for the first time through qualification, playing in the final tournament.

## Early life

Samir Ayass was born in Sofia, Bulgaria to a Lebanese father and a Bulgarian mother. He started his playing career at CSKA Sofia at the age of six.

## Club career
### Dunav Ruse

On 6 October 2016, Ayass signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with Dunav Ruse. He scored his first goal for the team on 9 April 2017, in a 1–0 win over champions Ludogorets Razgrad.

### Ahed

On 4 August 2017, Ayass signed a two-year contract with Lebanese Premier League champions Ahed for an undisclosed fee. He returned to Dunav Ruse in Bulgaria on 11 July 2019.

### Persiraja

On 17 February 2020, Ayass moved to newly promoted Indonesian Liga 1 side Persiraja. Following the cancellation of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ayass was released. He re-joined in March 2021 on trial ahead of the 2021 season.

### Botev Vratsa

On 3 April 2021, Ayass returned to Bulgaria, joining Botev Vratsa for the final part of the 2020–21 First Professional League. He made his debut on 8 April, coming on as a substitute and winning a penalty for his team; they lost 2–1 to Botev Plovdiv. Ayass helped Botev avoid relegation.

### Perak

On 19 June 2021, Ayass moved to Perak in the Malaysia Super League. He left the club at the end of September after his contract expired.

## International career
### Bulgaria

Ayass played for the Bulgarian under-21 team between 2011 and 2012, and was capped three times. However, he was never called up for the senior team.

### Lebanon

Eligible to represent Lebanon through his father, on 20 March 2017 he accepted the call up for Lebanon for the match against Hong Kong on 28 March 2017, for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification. He completed his debut, coming as a substitute on the 69th minute.
On 10 October 2017, Ayass scored his first international goal for Lebanon against North Korea, in a 5–0 home win at the Asian Cup qualifications. In December 2018, he was called up for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup squad, featuring in two group stage games.

## Style of play

Ayass is a technical midfielder with good attacking capabilities.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 12 September 2021
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | Continental | Continental | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Akademik Sofia (loan) | 2009–10 | Bulgarian Second League | 13 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 1 |
| Akademik Sofia | 2010–11 | Bulgarian First League | 13 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 0 |
| Minyor Pernik | 2010–11 | Bulgarian First League | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 0 |
| Bansko | 2011–12 | Bulgarian Second League | 21 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 21 | 1 |
| Montana | 2012–13 | Bulgarian First League | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Lyubimets | 2012–13 | Bulgarian Second League | 11 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 2 |
| Lyubimets | 2013–14 | Bulgarian First League | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 2 |
| Lyubimets | Total | Total | 23 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 4 |
| Beroe Stara Zagora | 2013–14 | Bulgarian First League | 11 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 2 |
| Beroe Stara Zagora | 2014–15 | Bulgarian First League | 13 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 |
| Beroe Stara Zagora | Total | Total | 24 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 4 |
| CSKA Sofia | 2015–16 | Third League | 29 | 12 | 6 | 2 | — | — | 35 | 14 |
| CSKA Sofia | 2016–17 | Bulgarian First League | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| CSKA Sofia | Total | Total | 33 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 14 |
| Dunav Ruse | 2016–17 | Bulgarian First League | 27 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 4 |
| Dunav Ruse | 2017–18 | Bulgarian First League | 3 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Dunav Ruse | Total | Total | 30 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 4 |
| Ahed | 2017–18 | Lebanese Premier League | 16 | 1 | — | — | 7 | 1 | 23 | 2 |
| Ahed | 2018–19 | Premier League | 16 | 1 | — | — | 6 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| Ahed | Total | Total | 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 45 | 3 |
| Dunav Ruse | 2019–20 | Bulgarian First League | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 0 |
| Persiraja | 2020 | Liga 1 (Indonesia) | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Botev Vratsa | 2020–21 | Bulgarian First League | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 |
| Perak | 2021 | Malaysia Super League | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 198 | 16 | 13 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 227 | 19 |
* ↑ Includes Bulgarian Cup, Lebanese FA Cup, Piala Indonesia
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League first qualifying round
* 1 2 Appearances in AFC Cup

### International

    As of match played 10 October 2017
    Scores and results list Lebanon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ayass goal.
List of international goals scored by Samir Ayass :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 10 October 2017 | Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon | North Korea | 3–0 | 5–0 | 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification |

## Honours

CSKA Sofia
* Bulgarian Cup: 2015–16
Ahed
* AFC Cup: 2019
* Lebanese Premier League: 2017–18, 2018–19
* Lebanese FA Cup: 2017–18, 2018–19
* Lebanese Super Cup: 2017, 2018