Nader Matar

In this Lebanese name, the father's name is Charbel and the family name is Matar.
Nader Matar
Matar with Nejmeh in 2019
Personal information
Full name Nader Charbel Matar[1]
Date of birth (1992-05-12) 12 May 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Abidjan, Ivory Coast[1]
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Ansar
Number 14
Youth career
Alcorcón
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Sporting CP B
2009–2010 Oeiras
2010–2011 Atlético Madrid C
2011–2012 Canillas
2012–2014 Asante Kotoko
2014 Beira-Mar 3 (0)
2016–2020 Nejmeh 60 (8)
2020–2021 Ansar 14 (2)
2021–2022 Muaither
2022– Ansar 40 (5)
International career‡
2012– Lebanon 71 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 May 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11 June 2024

Nader Charbel Matar (Arabic: نادر شربل مطر, Lebanese Arabic pronunciation: [ˈneːdir ˈʃarbil ˈmɑtˤɑr, ˈnæː-]; born 12 May 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Lebanese Premier League club Ansar and the Lebanon national team.

Matar began his senior career in 2008 in Portugal, playing for Sporting CP B and Oeiras. He moved to Spain in 2010, where he played for Atlético Madrid C and Canillas, before moving to Ghana-based Asante Kotoko in 2012. He returning to Portugal in 2014, playing six months at Beira-Mar. Matar signed for his first Lebanese club in 2016, Nejmeh, where he won three Lebanese Elite Cups and one Lebanese Super Cup in his four-year stay. In 2020, Matar moved to cross-city rivals Ansar, helping them win their first league title in 14 years in his first season. He then moved back abroad, joining Qatar-based Muaither, before returning to Ansar in 2022.

Born in the Ivory Coast to a Lebanese father and a Moroccan mother, Matar chose to represent Lebanon internationally. He made his debut in a friendly against Iraq in 2012, and also played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Matar helped Lebanon qualify to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, where he played. His first goal came at the 2019 WAFF Championship, against Syria.

Early life

Matar was born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, to a Lebanese father and Moroccan mother.[3] He grew up in Angola, and played for several local clubs.[3]

Club career

Early career

After playing at youth level for Alcorcón in Spain,[3] in 2008 Matar moved to Portugal, playing one year for Sporting CP B, and one year for Oeiras.[4] He returned to Spain in 2010, joining Atlético Madrid C, before moving to Canillas, Real Madrid's de facto C team.[4][5]

Matar signed for Ghana Premier League side Asante Kotoko in 2012.[4] In 2014 he returned to Portugal, at Beira-Mar in the Liga Portugal 2, where he was released after six months.[4]

Nejmeh

On 2 September 2016, Matar moved to Lebanon and signed for Nejmeh.[6] He scored one goal in 17 league games in 2016–17, helping his team win the Lebanese Super Cup and Lebanese Elite Cup.[7] He was included in the Lebanese Premier League Team of the Year.[8] In 2017–18 Matar improved his tally, scoring four in 19, winning the Lebanese Elite Cup once again.[7] He renewed his contract for an additional season on 28 March 2018.[9]

The following season, in 2018–19, Matar scored three goals in 20 games, and helped Nejmeh win the Lebanese Elite Cup for the third time in a row.[7] He renewed his contract for three more years on 21 March 2019.[10] On 25 October 2019, Matar was warned and fined by Nejmeh for throwing his kit on the floor following a substitution against Racing Beirut in a friendly.[11] On 20 January 2020, Matar's contract was terminated by mutual consent following financial disputes between the two parties.[12]

Ansar

Matar joined cross-city rivals Ansar on 21 September 2020.[13] In 2020–21, he helped them win their first league title since 2007, and their 14th overall.[14] Matar scored two goals and made three assists in 14 games.[15] He also helped Ansar win the double, scoring a long-distance goal against Nejmeh in the 2020–21 Lebanese FA Cup final, which Ansar won on penalty shoot-outs.[16]

Muaither

On 16 August 2021, Matar moved to Qatari Second Division side Muaither on a free transfer.[17] He made his debut on 15 September, in a 1–0 defeat to Lusalil.[18]

Return to Ansar

On 17 January 2022, Matar returned to Ansar in the Lebanese Premier League, signing a contract until the end of the 2021–22 season.[19] He renewed his contract for two years until the end of the 2023–24 season, and once more for two years until end of 2025–26 season.[20]

International career

Matar (left) celebrating teammate Soony Saad's (right) goal for Lebanon against Iran in 2021

Matar made his debut for Lebanon in a 1–0 home win against Iraq in a friendly on 22 January 2012.[3][21] He was called up for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup squad, playing in all three group stage games.[2] Matar's first international goal came on 2 August 2019, in a 2–1 win against Syria at the 2019 WAFF Championship.[22]

Style of play

An attacking-minded midfielder, Matar's main characteristics are his dribbling and flair; he is also a set-piece specialist.[3] Starting out as an attacking midfielder, Matar developed into a more central role during his stay at Nejmeh.[4]

Personal life

On 9 January 2021,[23] Matar and his Moroccan wife got married in Casablanca, Morocco.[24]

Career statistics

International

As of match played 11 June 2024[15]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Lebanon 2012 8 0
2013 6 0
2014 0 0
2015 0 0
2016 0 0
2017 5 0
2018 6 0
2019 11 2
2020 1 0
2021 14 0
2022 4 0
2023 12 1
2024 4 1
Total 71 4
Scores and results list Lebanon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Matar goal.
List of international goals scored by Nader Matar
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 2 August 2019 Karbala Sports City, Karbala, Iraq  Syria 1–1 2–1 2019 WAFF Championship
2 10 October 2019 Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon  Turkmenistan 2–1 2–1 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
3 9 June 2023 Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, India  Vanuatu 1–0 3–1 2023 Intercontinental Cup
4 11 June 2024 Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar  Bangladesh 2–0 4–0 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Asante Kotoko

Nejmeh

Ansar

Individual

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Nader Matar". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b "AC2019 Final Squads". Asian Football Confederation. p. 19. Archived from the original on 4 October 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e Bruchet, Benjamin (14 November 2018). "Nader Matar, du club des enfants des stars du Real en D5 à la sélection : l'ailier aux mille vies et une histoire typiquement libanaise". Furia Liga (in French). Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e Afiouni, Nadim (9 January 2019). "The final 23: who are they?". Lebanese Football Review. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  5. ^ "elnashrasports تجري اول لقاء مع اللاعب المدريدي الجديد في المنتخب اللبناني". Elsport News (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  6. ^ "رسمياً - النجمة يتعاقد مع نادر مطر". Elsport News (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  7. ^ a b c Nader Matar at Soccerway. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  8. ^ a b "مهرجان كرة المنار الـ 21 لونه "أصفر"" (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  9. ^ "نادر مطر يجدد عقده مع نادي النجمة لموسم اضافي". Elsport News (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  10. ^ "رسميًا: نادر مطر يُجدّد عقده مع نادي النجمة". Elsport News (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  11. ^ "النجمة يعاقب نادر مطر". كووورة. 25 October 2019. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  12. ^ "إنهاء أزمة مطر والنجمة بالتراضي". كووورة. 20 January 2020. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  13. ^ Mahfoud, Maroun (21 September 2020). "Official: Nader Matar joins Ansar FC". FA Lebanon. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  14. ^ لقب 14 قياسي للأنصار على حساب النجمة بعد انتظار 14 سنة في بطولة كرة القدم [A record 14th title for Ansar at the expense of Nejmeh after waiting 14 years in the football championship]. bintjbeil.org (in Arabic). 24 April 2021. Archived from the original on 24 April 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  15. ^ a b "Nader Matar". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  16. ^ "بالصور: ركلات الترجيح تتوج الأنصار بالكأس". كووورة. 12 May 2021. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  17. ^ "رسميا.. نادر مطر ينضم إلى معيذر القطري". كووورة. 16 August 2021. Archived from the original on 17 August 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  18. ^ Naim, Anas. "فوز الشيحانية الذي يلعب له روبرت..." EPLWorld (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  19. ^ "الأنصار يضم نادر مطر". كووورة. 17 January 2022. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  20. ^ https://al-akhbar.com/Sport/382485 [bare URL]
  21. ^ "Lebanon move into phase 2". www.dailystar.com.lb. Archived from the original on 4 January 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  22. ^ "رجال الأرز اصطادوا نسور قاسيون في كربلاء!". An-Nahar. 3 August 2019. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  23. ^ "لاعب الانصار يدخل القفص الذهبي". Elsport News (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  24. ^ "صور.. اللاعب اللبناني نادر مطر يتزوج من فتاة مغربية". ريحانة (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
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