Mohammad Ali Kassas (Arabic: محمد علي قصاص; born 1 July 1976) is a Lebanese former professional footballer who played as a striker. He is the technical director of Lebanese Premier League club Nejmeh.

Mohammad Kassas
Personal information
Full name Mohammad Ali Kassas[1]
Date of birth (1976-07-01) 1 July 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth Maqne, Lebanon[1]
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
Nejmeh (technical director)
Youth career
Mabarra
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1997 Mabarra
1997 Ansar 0 (0)
1997–1998 Safa
1999–2000 Shabab Sahel (2)
2000–2002 Sagesse 45 (18)
2002–2003 Olympic Beirut
2003–2005 Nejmeh (43)
2005–2006 Al-Qadsiah (6)
2006–2007 Sagesse (4)
2007 Ahed (2)
2008 Nawair (5)
2009 Shabab Sahel (6)
2009–2010 Sagesse
2010–2011 Safa (16)
2011–2013 Al-Ramtha 33 (16)
2012Mabarra (loan)
2013–2014 Nabi Chit
2014 Al-Ramtha 9 (2)
2014–2016 Sagesse
2016–2017 Safa 11 (3)
2021 Sagesse
International career
2002 Lebanon U23 (3)
2001–2009 Lebanon 26 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Kassas was the Lebanese Premier League top goal-scorer for Nejmeh twice in a row, scoring 22 goals in 2003–04 and 21 goals in 2004–05. He also represented the Lebanon national team, scoring three goals in 23 appearances.

Club career

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Kassas started his senior career in 1988, aged 12, at Mabarra in the Lebanese Fourth Division.[2] He helped the side reach the Lebanese Second Division, before moving on a trial to Ansar during the summer of 1997.[2] In 1997 Kassas moved to Safa and played for one season. During the 1999–2000 season, Kassas played for Shabab Sahel,[2] before moving to Sagesse for two seasons;[2] he scored 18 league goals in 45 games with the side.[3] In 2002, Kassas moved to Olympic Beirut for $500,000 in the largest deal in Lebanese history,[2] with whom he won the domestic double, then to Nejmeh in 2003.[2][3] At Nejmeh, Kassas was crowned top goalscorer of the Lebanese Premier League twice in a row, scoring 22 goals in 2003–04 and 21 goals in 2004–05.[4] He also won the Lebanese Premier League in both seasons.[5]

In 2005, Kassas moved to Saudi Arabian side Al-Qadsiah for one season,[2] where he scored six league goals.[3] He returned to Lebanon the following season, signing for Sagesse in 2006.[3] He then moved to Ahed,[2] before moving to Syria in 2008 as he signed for Nawair.[2][3] After half a season in Syria, Kassas returned once again to Lebanon, signing first for Shabab Sahel in 2009,[2] for whom he scored 6 league goals, then for Sagesse in 2009.[2][3]

In 2010, Kassas joined Safa, helping them reach the final of the 2010 AFC Cup. In 2011, he left Lebanon and signed for Jordanian side Al-Ramtha;[2] he scored 16 league goals in 33 games in two seasons at the club.[3] Kassas was also sent on loan to Mabarra in 2012. helping them gain promotion to the Lebanese Premier League.[2] Kassas returned to Lebanon in 2013, signing for Nabi Chit and also helping them gain promotion to the Lebanese Premier League. In 2014 Kassas returned to Al-Ramtha, before making his final return to Lebanon in 2014, signing for Sagesse.[2] In 2016, Kassas joined Safa and scored three goals in 11 matches during the 2016–17 season, where he retired.[3]

In March 2021, Kassas returned from retirement, resigning for Sagesse in the Lebanese Second Division ahead of the second leg.[6]

International career

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In 2002, Kassas played for the Lebanon Olympic team at the 2002 Asian Games, scoring a hat-trick in an 11–0 win against Afghanistan.[7]

Managerial career

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In April 2022, Kassas was appointed technical director of Nejmeh.[8]

Honours

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Olympic Beirut

Nejmeh

Ahed

Individual

References

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  1. ^ a b "Mohammad Kassas". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "MOHAMMAD KASSAS". www.abdogedeon.com. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Mohammad Kassas". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Lebanon - List of Topscorers". RSSSF. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Lebanon - List of Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  6. ^ "الأندية غير راضية.. والحكمة في طريق العودة". www.alahednews.com.lb (in Arabic). Retrieved 20 March 2021.
  7. ^ Díaz Rubio, Julián; Zlotkowski, Andre. "Asian Games 2002". RSSSF. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  8. ^ "محمد قصاص مستشارا فنيا للنجمة". كووورة. 29 April 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  9. ^ "مهرجان كرة المنار". Shoot (599 ed.). 20 June 2005. p. 13.
  10. ^ مهرجان كرة المنار. Shoot (in Arabic) (440 ed.). 3 June 2002. p. 23.
  11. ^ البرازيلي أديلسون أفضل لاعب في استفتاء المنار للبطولة الأخيرة في بيروت. saba.ye (in Arabic). 18 August 2004. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  12. ^ مهرجان كرة المنار. Shoot (in Arabic) (599 ed.). 20 June 2005. p. 13.
  13. ^ مهرجان المنار... والكأس بين العهد والساحل. al-akhbar (in Arabic). 13 May 2009. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
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