Mostafa Matar

Mostafa Ali Matar (Arabic: مصطفى علي مطر, Lebanese Arabic pronunciation: [ˈmosˤtˤɑfa mɑtˤɑr]; born 10 September 1995) is a Lebanese footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Lebanese Premier League club Ahed and the Lebanon national team.

In this Lebanese name, the father's name is Ali and the family name is Matar.
Mostafa Matar
Matar with Ahed in 2021
Personal information
Full name Mostafa Ali Matar[1]
Date of birth (1995-09-10) 10 September 1995
Place of birth Miniyeh, Lebanon[1]
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Ahed
Number 21
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2020 Salam Zgharta 63 (0)
2020– Ahed 0 (0)
2020–2021 → Tripoli (loan) 10 (0)
National team‡
2017 Lebanon U23 3 (0)
2019– Lebanon 16 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:23, 5 May 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 March 2022

Matar began his senior career in 2015 with Lebanese Premier League side Salam Zgharta. In summer 2020 he joined league champions Ahed for a national-record fee of LBP 525 million; Matar promptly moved to Tripoli on a one-year loan.

Having represented Lebanon internationally at under-23 level, Matar was called up for the senior team to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. He made his senior debut at the 2019 WAFF Championship, and participated in the qualifications for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Club career
Matar with Tripoli against Tadamon Sour in 2020

Following five years at Salam Zgharta, Matar joined AFC Cup champions Ahed on 2 July 2020, on a five-year deal for LBP 525 million (around $333,000).[3][4] The fee was the highest ever paid by a Lebanese club.[5] He joined Tripoli on a one-year loan on 29 September 2020.[6] He returned from loan on 5 May 2021.[7]

International career
Matar with the Lebanon national team against Iran in 2022

2017–2019: Early career

Matar played for the Lebanon national under-23 team at the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship qualification, captaining them on one occasion.[8]

In December 2018, Matar was called up for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup squad for the senior team.[2] His debut came on 8 August 2019, against Yemen at the 2019 WAFF Championship.[9]

2021–present: Breakthrough

Called-up as the team's third-choice keeper, Matar played as a starter in the third round of qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, following Mehdi Khalil's ACL injury and Ali Daher resulting positive to COVID-19.[10] He kept a clean sheet in a 0–0 draw against the United Arab Emirates in the opening game, and was nominated Man of the Match.[11]

Matar continued playing as a starter for Lebanon at the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup in December 2021 where, despite conceding three goals to Egypt and Algeria, he was praised for his performances.[12]

Style of play

A good shot-stopper, Matar is a quick and agile goalkeeper with good positioning and handling.[13]

Career statistics

International
As of match played 29 March 2022[14]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Lebanon 201810
201920
202000
202190
202240
Total 160

Honours

Ahed

Individual

References
  1. "Mostafa Matar". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  2. "AC2019 Final Squads". www.the-afc.com. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  3. Mahfoud, Maroun (2 July 2020). "Official: Mostafa Matar joins Al Ahed FC". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  4. Khaled, Nasser (1 August 2020). حراس المرمى.. رقم صعب في معادلة الكرة اللبنانية [Goalkeepers ... a difficult number in the Lebanese football equation]. kooora.com. Retrieved 9 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. Mahfoud, Maroun (9 July 2020). "Official: Al Ahed FC loans out Ali Daher to Shabab Al Sahel". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  6. Abdallah, Rakan (28 September 2020). "Swap deal between Ahed FC and AC Tripoli". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  7. Mahfoud, Maroun (5 May 2021). "Ahed's players return from loan". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  8. "Lebanon U23 vs Nepal U23 2 - 0 | AFC U-23 Qualifiers | 2018 China PR | Group Stage | World Football". www.worldfootball.com. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  9. "قدوح يقود تشكيلة لبنان أمام اليمن". كووورة. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  10. "مصطفى مطر: "طريق منتخب لبنان طويل ولا أخشى أي مهاجم"". lebanonfg.com. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  11. "مصطفى مطر رجل مباراة لبنان والامارات". Elsport News (in Arabic). Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  12. الدين, حسن زين (7 December 2021). "حارسا لبنان وسوريا.. نجمان في كأس العرب". شبكة الميادين (in Arabic). Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  13. "The final 23: who are they?". Lebanese Football Review. 9 January 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  14. "Mostafa Matar". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  15. "مهرجان كرة المنار الـ 21 لونه "أصفر"" (in Arabic). Retrieved 26 February 2019.
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