# Abdi Salim

Abdi Muya Salim (born 1 April 2001) is a Somali professional footballer who plays as a defender the Somalia national team and most recently club football for Major League Soccer side Orlando City.

## Early years

Born a refugee in Nairobi, Kenya, Salim grew up in the Dagahaley refugee camp in Dadaab. Having applied for asylum in the United States before Salim was born, his parents were granted a visa in 2003 and relocated once Salim had recovered from malaria. They settled in Buffalo, New York. Salim attended Hutchinson Central Technical High School and played his first-ever organized soccer game with youth club Delaware SC in 2013. In 2018, he was recruited for Rochester-based Empire United where he captained the US Developmental Academy under-17 and under-19 teams during a two-year spell.

### College career

In 2019, Salim began playing college soccer for the Buffalo State Bengals, a Division III State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) program at Buffalo State University where older brother Saleman had already played the 2018 season. He played one season, starting 18 games, scoring one goal and leading the Bengals in minutes played. He was named SUNYAC Rookie of the Year and SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Ahead of the 2020 season, Salim entered the transfer portal and joined Division I program Syracuse Orange of the Atlantic Coast Conference. With the season disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, he started the first eight games of the season before suffering an ACL tear against Bowling Green Falcons on 23 February 2021 and underwent surgery, ruling him out for the remainder of the 2020–21 spring season and the subsequent 2021 fall campaign. He returned for the 2022 season, playing in 22 of a possible 25 games including every minute of all three ACC Tournament games and all five in the NCAA Tournament. Syracuse did the clean sweep of 2022 ACC regular season, 2022 ACC tournament and 2022 NCAA Division I tournament titles, the first national championship win in program history.

## Club career
### Ocean City Nor'easters

In May 2022, during the college offseason, Salim joined USL League Two side Ocean City Nor'easters. He made seven appearances as Ocean City went undefeated and topped the Mid Atlantic Division.

### Orlando City

On 21 December 2022, Salim was selected in the first round (17th overall) of the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by Orlando City. After training with the club in preseason, he was signed to a one-year contract with three additional club option years on 14 February 2023. On 5 December 2024, it was announced that Orlando City were allowing Salim's contract to expire at the end of the season and that they were not interested in pursuing an extension.

#### Loan to Detroit City

On 24 June 2024, Salim joined USL Championship team Detroit City on loan for the remainder of the season. He had previously made a trial appearance for the club in a friendly against Liga MX side Pumas, in which he scored the winning goal, two days earlier. On 19 November it was announced that Salim would be returning to Orlando City at the conclusion of the season.

### Free agency

Salim joined Major League Soccer club FC Cincinnati's preseason tour in Clearwater, Florida in January 2025.

## International

In October 2023, Salim was called up to represent the Somalia national team at senior level. He made his debut on 14 October, captaining the team in a 3–0 defeat to Niger.

## Career statistics
### College

| School | Season | Division | Apps | Goals |
| Buffalo State Bengals | 2019 | SUNYAC (Div. III) | 18 | 1 |
| Syracuse Orange | 2020–21 | ACC (Div. I) | 8 | 1 |
| Syracuse Orange | 2021 | ACC (Div. I) | 0 | 0 |
| Syracuse Orange | 2022 | ACC (Div. I) | 22 | 0 |
| Syracuse Orange | Total | Total | 30 | 1 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 48 | 2 |

### Club

    As of 26 June 2024
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Playoffs | Playoffs | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Ocean City Nor'easters | 2022 | USL League Two | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 |
| Orlando City B | 2023 | MLS Next Pro | 16 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 2 |
| Orlando City B | 2024 | MLS Next Pro | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Orlando City B | Total | Total | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 |
| Orlando City | 2023 | Major League Soccer | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Orlando City | 2024 | Major League Soccer | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Orlando City | Total | Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Detroit City | 2024 | USL Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 2 |
* ↑ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions Cup

### International

    As of match played 10 June 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Somalia | 2023 | 3 | 0 |
| Somalia | 2024 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 6 | 0 |

## Honours

Syracuse Orange
* Atlantic Coast Conference regular season: 2022
* Atlantic Coast Conference tournament: 2022
* NCAA College Cup: 2022
Individual
* SUNYAC Rookie of the Year: 2019
* SUNYAC Defensive Player of the Year: 2019