Mohamad Ghaddar

Mohamad Ghaddar
Mohamad Mahmoud Ghaddar (born 1 January 1984) is a Lebanese former professional footballer who played as a forward.
Coming through the youth system, Ghaddar began his senior career at Nejmeh in 2000. He stayed nine years at the club, winning multiple domestic and individual titles. In 2009, Ghaddar moved abroad, joining Al-Shabab in Bahrain, then Egyptian side Al Ahly in 2010, helping them win the league title. Following stints in Syria at Tishreen in 2010 and Al-Jaish in 2011, Ghaddar moved to Malaysia at Kelantan and FELDA United. He then returned to the Middle East, where he played for Al-Faisaly and Naft Al-Wasat between 2014 and 2017. Ghaddar returned to Kelantan, before moving to Johor Darul Ta'zim, winning the league as the top scorer. Following a second return to Kelantan and a stint at Johor Darul Ta'zim II, he returned to Nejmeh in Lebanon in 2020, where he retired two years later.
Ghaddar made his senior international debut for Lebanon in 2006. He represented his country in the 2010, 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, and the 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Ghaddar also took part in other competitions, namely the 2007 WAFF Championship, 2009 King's Cup and 2009 Nehru Cup. With 19 goals in 46 appearances, Ghaddar is Lebanon's third-highest goalscorer.
Club career
Nejmeh
Ghaddar started his youth career at Nejmeh on 26 February 1998. 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 on to 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
In December 2009, 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 over Muharraq. Two weeks later, he scored a brace against Busaiteen in a 3–1 away win on 2 April. On 15 May, Ghaddar scored his second league brace in a 2–1 win against Malkiya. His five goals in six games at the end of the season helped the club avoid relegation to the second division.
Al Ahly
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. 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 after 76 minutes. He made an appearance during the 2010 CAF Champions League group stage on 12 September 2010, in a 2–1 win against Nigerian side Heartland where he was substituted onto the field for Mohamed Fadl in the 76th minute. Ghaddar was released by the club after just six months of his handful of appearances.
Syria
Ghaddar joined the Syrian club Tishreen for the 2010–11 season, but eventually joined Al-Jaish the same year.
Kelantan
Ghaddar joined 2011 Malaysia Super League champions Kelantan FA on 8 November 2011, signing a two-year contract with the club. After his national team-duty, he officially joined Kelantan on 29 December 2011, scoring a 90th-minute penalty on his first appearance in a 3–1 win against Perak during a pre-season friendly match.
He started the season scoring three goals; however, he was deregistered from Kelantan's Super League squad in February, and replaced by Onyekachi Nwoha. After his impressive performance in the 2012 AFC Cup, scoring six times in four appearances, he was re-registered to the league squad in April, at the expense of Nwoha. He scored on his return to the Super League against PBDKT T-Team, through a penalty in a 2–1 win on 17 April 2012.
Ghaddar helped Kelantan win the Malaysia FA Cup for the first time, beating Sime Darby 1–0 in the final on 19 May 2012. He scored the only goal in the final, converting a penalty in the 58th minute.
FELDA United
After Ghaddar had refused to extend his contract with Kelantan, he signed a one-year contract with FELDA United. He scored a goal on his debut, which helped his club draw 1–1 against Terengganu in the opening match. In March 2013, Ghaddar experienced a back injury and was unable to play for his team; FELDA decided to replace him and signed a new foreigner player during the April transfer window.
Return to Kelantan
2014 season
Ghaddar made a return to Malaysia Super League after signing a two-year contract with his former club, Kelantan. He scored a brace in his return against Selangor in the opening day of the 2014 season, which Kelantan won 2–1. On 23 April, his contract was terminated by Kelantan.
2017 season
Ghaddar re-signed for the third time with Kelantan after he was unveiled as one of their new import players on 15 January 2017. He scored two goals during his 2017 season debut against PKNS. Ghaddar scored 18 goals in 11 matches for Kelantan.
Johor Darul Ta'zim
After much speculation about his future, on 16 May 2017 Johor Darul Ta'zim announced that they had reached an agreement for the transfer of Ghaddar for an undisclosed fee. It was reported that Ghaddar had cost around RM 1,000,000 to RM 5,000,000 and he was reported to be paid from RM 170,000 to RM 200,000 monthly which will make him the highest wage receiver in Malaysia football history. Ghaddar made his debut for Johor Darul Ta'zim in a 1–0 win over PKNS, and provided the assist for the winning goal of the match on 24 May 2017.
Ghaddar scored his first goal for Johor Darul Ta'zim in a 2–0 home win over Penang on 1 July 2017. On 15 July 2017, Ghaddar scored two goals in five games as his club defeated Sarawak 3–1. He then scored another two goals on 22 July 2017 against T-Team and, on 26 July 2017, against Perak. Ghaddar concluded his season with five goals in 10 league appearances for Johor Darul Ta'zim.
In November 2017, Melaka United showed their interest in signing Ghaddar on a season-long move. On 22 November 2017, Ghaddar rejected Melaka United's offer. He was released from the club after the 2017 season.
Fourth return to Kelantan
On 12 February 2018, Ghaddar returned to Kelantan for a fourth time, before the transfer window closed on 11 February, replacing Morgaro Gomis who was reportedly injured. Ghaddar made his debut in 3–2 win over Perak on 24 February 2018, at Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium. After suffering from ACL injuries and a loss of form, his contract was terminated by mutual consent on May.
Johor Darul Ta'zim II
Ghaddar made his debut for Malaysian Premier League side Johor Darul Ta'zim II, the reserve team of Johor Darul Ta'zim, in 2–1 win over Sabah on 2 February 2019, scoring a header to equalise the game. Ghaddar scored seven goals in 15 league games.
Return to Nejmeh
On 7 September 2020, Ghaddar returned to Nejmeh in Lebanon. He retired in June 2022, at the end of the 2021–22 season, aged 38.
International career
Youth
Ghaddar played for the Lebanon national under-20 football team alongside national teammates Ali El Atat and Ramez Dayoub.
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.
Senior
On 8 September 2014, Ghaddar scored a goal against the Brazil Olympic team in a 2–2 draw.
On 12 June 2017, Ghaddar refused a call-up to the national team for a match against Malaysia, where he was playing his club football. He did not appear for the national team since.
Controversies
League match controversy
On 12 June 2012, Mohd Amri Yahyah and Mohd Bunyamin Omar physically attacked Ghaddar in a Malaysian Super League match. During the game, Ghaddar was left in pain after Amri Yahyah unsportingly punched his private parts. Ghaddar took a few minutes to recover as he laid on the ground.
Following the incident, Selangor's Amri Yahyah and Bunyamin Omar were handed three-match suspensions and fined RM 1,500 each, while Ghaddar was handed a one-match suspension and fined RM 2,000 by the Disciplinary Committee of the Football Association of Malaysia.
Kelantan FA controversy
Ghaddar was brought to the disciplinary committee of Kelantan FA after he failed to report to the team on 5 August 2012, for their 2012 Malaysia Cup campaign that would begin on 22 August. He arrived on 16 August, after he had returned to Lebanon to get married after the 2012 Malaysia Super League season ended on 14 July 2012.
Career statistics
Club
International
Scores and results list Lebanon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ghaddar goal.
Honours
The Lebanon national team's technical unit honoured Ghaddar for being the top scorer of the 2007 AFC Cup. National team coach Emile Rustom presented Ghaddar the golden boot during a ceremony at the Meridien Commodore hotel in Beirut. On 28 March 2021, the AFC nominated Ghaddar among the best all-time strikers of the AFC Cup.
Nejmeh
Lebanese Premier League: 2003–04, 2004–05
Lebanese FA Cup: 2021–22
Lebanese Elite Cup: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Lebanese Super Cup: 2002, 2004
Al Ahly
Egyptian Premier League: 2010–11
Kelantan
Malaysia Super League: 2012
Malaysia Cup: 2012
Malaysia FA Cup: 2012, 2013
Johor Darul Ta'zim
Malaysia Super League: 2017
Malaysia Cup: 2017
Johor Darul Ta'zim II
Malaysia Challenge Cup: 2019
Individual
Lebanese Premier League Team of the Season: 2006–07, 2007–08
AFC Cup top scorer: 2007
Lebanese Premier League top scorer: 2006–07, 2007–08
Malaysia Super League top scorer: 2017
See also
List of Lebanon international footballers
References
External links
Mohamad Ghaddar at RSSSF
1984 births
Living people
Footballers from Beirut
Lebanese men's footballers
Men's association football forwards
Nejmeh SC players
Al-Shabab Club (Manama) players
Al Ahly SC players
Tishreen SC players
Al-Jaish SC (Syria) players
Kelantan F.C. players
FELDA United F.C. players
Al-Faisaly SC players
Naft Al-Wasat SC players
Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C. players
Johor Darul Ta'zim II F.C. players
Lebanese Premier League players
Bahraini Premier League players
Egyptian Premier League players
Syrian Premier League players
Malaysia Super League players
Jordanian Pro League players
Iraq Stars League players
Malaysia Premier League players
Lebanese expatriate men's footballers
Lebanese expatriate sportspeople in Bahrain
Lebanese expatriate sportspeople in Egypt
Lebanese expatriate sportspeople in Syria
Lebanese expatriate sportspeople in Malaysia
Lebanese expatriate sportspeople in Jordan
Lebanese expatriate sportspeople in Iraq
Expatriate men's footballers in Bahrain
Expatriate men's footballers in Egypt
Expatriate men's footballers in Syria
Expatriate men's footballers in Malaysia
Expatriate men's footballers in Jordan
Expatriate men's footballers in Iraq
Lebanon men's youth international footballers
Lebanon men's international footballers
Lebanese Premier League top scorers