Tony Mikhael

In this Lebanese name, the father's name is Camille and the family name is Mikhael.
Tony Mikhael
Mikhael in 2021
Personal information
Full name Anthony Elias Camille Mikhael[1]
Date of birth (2000-03-01) March 1, 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Ottawa, Ontario, Canada[1]
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Nepean Hotspurs SC
2014–2017 Ottawa South United
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2019 Carleton Ravens 25 (0)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2019 Ottawa South United 11 (0)
2021–2022 Valour FC 17 (0)
International career‡
2021 Lebanon U22 2 (0)
2021 Lebanon U23 5 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 03:03, 13 October 2022 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:02, 31 October 2021 (UTC)

Anthony Elias Camille Mikhael (Arabic: انطوني إلياس كميل مخائيل; born 1 March 2000) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender. A versatile defender, Mikhael can play as both a centre-back and a full-back.[3] Born in Canada, Mikhael has represented Lebanon at youth level. He has also won gold with Team Ontario at the Canada Games.

Early life

Mikhael was born on 1 March 2000, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, to Lebanese parents Camille and Helena.[4] He studied at St. Pius X High School.[3]

Mikhael began playing at the youth level with Nepean Hotspurs SC, later moving to Ottawa South United when he was 14.[5][3] He won an OYSL League Championship (2014),[3] an Ontario Cup (2015),[3] and a Quebec-Ontario Cup (2014).[6] Mikhael also represented Team Ontario at the 2017 Canada Summer Games,[7] helping them win the gold medal,[3] and was awarded player of the match in the final.[8]

University career

On 12 April 2018, Mikhael joined Carleton University's soccer side Carleton Ravens.[3] In 2018–19, he won the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East,[9] and won bronze at the U Sports championship.[10] In 2019–20 Mikhael won the OUA East for the second time,[11] as well as the play-offs,[12] and finished in fourth place at the U Sports championship.[13] He also won the 2019–20 RSEQ Indoor Winter League.[14]

Club career

While at Carleton, he also played with Ottawa South United in League1 Ontario from 2017 to 2019.[15] He made his debut on 9 September 2017, against Master's FA.[16] He didn't return in 2020, due to him suffering a fracture in his foot and undergoing surgery in March.[17]

On 29 January 2021, Mikhael was selected by Canadian Premier League side Valour FC in the 2021 CPL–U Sports Draft,[18][19] and invited to the team's preseason training camp to compete for a roster spot.[20] He signed a developmental contract on 11 June allowing him to retain his university eligibility,[21][22] although in September, he announced that he had decided to forgo his remaining university sports eligibility to remain with Valour,[23] and completing his degree after the season.[24] On 30 June 2021, Mikhael made his debut as a substitute in a 2–0 win over HFX Wanderers.[25] His debut from the first minute came on 4 July, helping Valour FC win 2–0 against Atlético Ottawa.[26] In January 2022, Mikhael re-signed with Valour ahead of the upcoming season.[27] His contract expired after the end of the 2022 season.[28]

International career

Born in Canada, Mikhael is also eligible to represent Lebanon through his parents.[29] In 2015, Mikhael attended a training camp with the Canada national under-15 team.[30]

In late 2020, Mikhael was identified by Lebanon U23 head coach Jamal Al Haj; Mikhael's Ottawa-based personal trainer had trained Al Haj's son in Beirut, Lebanon.[4] In November 2020, he played for the U22 team in three unofficial friendlies against Lebanese Premier League sides, scoring a penalty goal against Ahed.[18] In March 2021, he made his official U22 debut in two friendly matches against Bahrain U22.[4][31][32]

In 2021, Mikhael represented the under-23 team in the 2021 WAFF U-23 Championship,[33] and the qualifiers for the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.[1]

Personal life

Mikhael's favorite national team is Brazil, while his favorite club is Spanish side Barcelona.[3] He has described defenders Paolo Maldini and Sergio Ramos as points of reference.[3] Mikhael enjoys fishing in the summer and studying Arabic, and has volunteered at the St. Elias Cathedral in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.[3]

While playing for the Carleton Ravens, Mikhael studied finance at Carleton University.[3] He is the cousin of Canada women's national team player Clarissa Larisey.[34]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 13 October 2022[35]
Club Season League Playoffs National cup[a] League cup[b] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Ottawa South United 2017[36] League1 Ontario 2 0 — — 0 0 2 0
2018[37] League1 Ontario 3 0 — — 0 0 3 0
2019[38] League1 Ontario 6 0 — — — 6 0
Total 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 0
Valour FC 2021 Canadian Premier League 12 0 — 1 0 — 13 0
2022 Canadian Premier League 5 0 — 1 0 — 6 0
Total 17 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 19 0
Career total 28 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 30 0
  1. ^ Includes Canadian Championship
  2. ^ Includes League1 Ontario Cup

International

As of match played 31 October 2021
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Lebanon U22 2021 2 0
Total 2 0
Lebanon U23 2021 5 0
Total 5 0
Career total 7 0

Honours

Team Ontario

References

  1. ^ a b c "Tony Mikhael". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Valour FC Select Two Players in 2021 CPL-U Sports Draft". OurSports Central. 29 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "MSOC: Prized recruit Tony Mikhael lands at Carleton". Go Ravens. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Ed Tait (14 March 2021). "Valour draft pick Tony Mikhael headed to Lebanon's U-23 team camp". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  5. ^ Plouffe, Dan (28 July 2017). "One-time rivals in top youth boys' soccer league link up for Canada Games". Ottawa Sportspages.
  6. ^ "4 latest OSU players hit next level". SportsOttawa.com / Ottawa Sportspage. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Ontario Soccer announces its Canada Games rosters". Ontario Soccer Association. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Ontario wins gold at 2017 Canada Games". Ontario Soccer Association. 13 August 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  9. ^ "2018-19 Men's Soccer Standings". oua.ca. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Bronze Medal Match: Bitar, Malekos power Ravens to 3-0 win over Spartans". U SPORTS. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  11. ^ "2019-20 Men's Soccer Standings". oua.ca. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  12. ^ "2019 Carleton Mens Soccer Playoffs - Ontario University Athletics". oua.ca. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  13. ^ "Bronze medal game: Bent secures third-place finish for Capers with penalty strike". U SPORTS. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  14. ^ "Saisons écourtées – 2019–2020" [Shortened seasons – 2019–2020] (PDF). RSEQ (in French). Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  15. ^ Thompson, Marty (30 January 2021). "Four L1O grads picked in 2021 CPL-U SPORTS Draft". League1 Ontario.
  16. ^ "Master's Futbol at OSU Force". League1 Ontario. 9 September 2017.
  17. ^ Diamandas, Ethan (30 January 2021). "Three Carleton soccer players taken in 2021 CPL-U Sports Draft". Capital Current.
  18. ^ a b Abou Diab, Rami (30 January 2021). "A new Lebanese in the Canadian Premier League". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  19. ^ "Valour FC selects Tony Mikhael 14th overall in 2021 CPL U-Sports Draft". Valour FC. 29 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  20. ^ Tait, Ed (11 June 2021). ""It means everything to me" - Mikhael joins the squad for 2021". Valour FC.
  21. ^ Jacques, John (11 June 2021). "Valour FC Sign Draft Pick Tony Mikhael". Northern Tribune.
  22. ^ "Valour adds Mikhael for 2021 season". Winnipeg Free Press. 11 June 2021.
  23. ^ Dill, Jayden (24 September 2021). "Men's soccer national title hopes take hit as Karajovanovic, Mikhael choose not to return". The Charlatan.
  24. ^ Jacques, John (4 October 2021). "Tony Mikhael Reflects On 'Gained Experience And Life Lessons' Amidst Lebanon U-23 Call-Up". Northern Tribune.
  25. ^ "Valour vs. HFX Wanderers - 30 June 2021". Soccerway. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  26. ^ Abou Diab, Rami (5 July 2021). "Lebanese Player Abroad: July 2021, Week 1". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  27. ^ "Valour FC sign defender Tony Mikhael and goalkeeper Rayane Yesli". Valour FC. 28 January 2022.
  28. ^ "CPL Off-Season Roster Tracker: Who's in and who's out for 2023?". Canadian Premier League. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  29. ^ Tait, Ed (12 March 2021). ""It's crazy how things can happen. I feel like it's a greater plan." - Valour draft pick Tony Mikhael headed to national team camp". Valour FC.
  30. ^ "Tony Mikhael Canada Soccer profile". Canadian Soccer Association. 28 January 2020.
  31. ^ "Match Report of Bahrain U22 vs Lebanon U22". Global Sports Archive. 24 March 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  32. ^ "Match Report of Bahrain U22 vs Lebanon U22". Global Sports Archive. 27 March 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  33. ^ بعثة لبنان الأولمبي تغادر الى الدمام غدا السبت [The Lebanese Olympic delegation will leave for Dammam tomorrow, Saturday]. Lebanese Football Association (in Arabic). 1 October 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  34. ^ "Clarissa Larisey Canada Soccer profile". Canadian Soccer Association. 28 January 2020.
  35. ^ Tony Mikhael at Soccerway. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  36. ^ "Tony Mikhael 2017 Stats". League1 Ontario.
  37. ^ "Tony Mikhael 2018 Stats". League1 Ontario.
  38. ^ "Tony Mikhael 2019 Stats". League1 Ontario.
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