Lili Iskandar

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Lili Iskandar
2020 SAS vs Safa (friendly) 07 (Lili Iskandar).jpg
Iskandar with SAS in 2020
Personal information
Full name Layla Pascal Iskandar [1]
Date of birth (2002-05-16) 16 May 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth Zgharta, Lebanon [1]
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Al-Ittihad
Number 12
Youth career
Salam Zgharta
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2018–2019 Salam Zgharta (10)
2019–2021 SAS (15)
2021–2022 HB Køge 0 (0)
2022–2024 Etihad 24 (19)
2023–2024Al-Ittihad (loan) 13 (4)
2024– Al-Ittihad 12 (4)
International career
2018–2019 Lebanon U18 7 (7)
2019–2020 Lebanon U19 6 (3)
2018– Lebanon 27 (13)
Medal record
Women's football
Representing Flag of Lebanon.svg  Lebanon
WAFF Women's Championship
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2022
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2019
WAFF U-18 Girls Championship
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2019 U-18 Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 January 2025
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:34, 23 February 2025 (UTC)

Layla Pascal "Lili" Iskandar (Arabic : ليلى باسكال "ليلي" اسكندر; born 16 May 2002) is a Lebanese footballer who plays as a forward for Saudi Women's Premier League club Al-Ittihad and the Lebanon national team. A versatile forward, Iskandar can also play as a winger.

Contents

Starting out at Salam Zgharta in 2018–19, Iskandar moved to reigning champions SAS. In her first season at the club (2019–20), she helped SAS lift their fifth league title, scoring 15 goals in the process. Iskandar joined Danish side HB Køge for the 2021–22 season. In 2022 she moved to Etihad in Jordan, winning the 2023 league title as top goalscorer (14 goals). At the end of the season, Iskandar joined Saudi club Al-Ittihad.

Iskandar represented Lebanon at the youth level, winning the 2019 WAFF U-18 Girls Championship as the competition's top scorer. Iskandar has also played at senior level since 2018. She helped Lebanon finish runners-up at the WAFF Women's Championship in 2022 as the competition's best player, and in third place in 2019. Iskandar is the Lebanon women's national team top goalscorer.

Club career

Lebanon

Iskandar played for hometown club Salam Zgharta during the 2018–19 season, scoring 10 goals. [2] [3] In 2019 she moved to reigning champions SAS. In the final matchday of the season, Iskandar scored a brace against EFP to help her side win the 2019–20 league title. [4] She ended the season with 15 goals, [3] [5] scoring at a rate of more than one goal per game. [6]

HB Køge

On 9 July 2021, Iskandar joined HB Køge ahead of the 2021–22 Danish Women's League on a one-year contract. [7]

Etihad

On 3 July 2022, Iskandar moved to Jordan Women's Pro League club Etihad. [8] She cited reuniting with former Lebanon national team coach Wael Gharzeddine as the main reason for joining the club. [9] Iskandar scored her first goal on 17 July, helping Etihad beat Al-Nasr 3–0 in the league. [10] She finished the season with five goals in 12 games, [11] helping her side finish runners-up in the league and the cup. [12]

On 2 September 2023, Iskandar led Ettihad to win the 2023 Jordanian-Saudi Women's Clubs Championship as top scorer with four goals. [13] She finished the 2023 Jordan Women's Pro League as top scorer with 14 goals in 12 games, [11] helping Etihad win their first league title. [14]

Al-Ittihad

In October 2023, Iskandar joined Al-Ittihad during the 2023–24 Saudi Women's Premier League on loan until the end of the season. [15] [16] She finished the season with seven goals and one assist in 17 games in all competitions. [16] In July 2024, Al-Ittihad signed her on a permanent contract for one year. [17]

International career

Youth

Iskandar's first international goal came on her debut for the Lebanon under-19 national team, on 24 October 2018, in a 2019 AFC U-19 Championship qualification match against Hong Kong U19. [18] She played four games during the qualifiers, scoring once. [1] Iskandar was the top goalscorer of the 2019 WAFF U-18 Championship, which she won, scoring seven goals in five matches. [3] [19]

In December 2020, Iskandar played two friendly games against Egypt U19, a 3–1 defeat and a 3–2 win, scoring in both games. [20] [21] With her two goals against Egypt, Iskandar became the first player to reach 10 goals for the under-18 and under-19 teams. [22]

Senior

Iskandar's senior debut for Lebanon came on 8 November 2018, coming on as a substitute against Iran in a 2020 AFC Olympic qualification match. [23] Iskandar also played four games for Lebanon at the 2019 WAFF Championship, [1] helping her team reach third place. [24]

On 24 October 2021, Iskandar scored her first goal in a 2022 AFC Asian Cup qualification game against Guam, which ended in a 3–0 win. [25] Iskandar took part in the 2022 WAFF Championship; she helped her side finish runners-up as the tournament's best player, [26] scoring one goal against Palestine on 29 August. [27] On 8 April 2023, Iskandar scored her first international brace in a 5–0 win against Indonesia in the 2024 AFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament. [28] On 30 September 2023, Iskandar scored in the 102nd minute of the 2023 SAFF Friendly Tournament final, a 1–0 win against Bhutan. In the process, she broke Christy Maalouf's record of eight international goals for Lebanon. [29]

Iskandar opened the 2024 WAFF Championship with a hat-trick against Guam on 19 February 2024, helping her side win 4–3; she became the first player to score 10 goals for her national team. [30] Iskandar's third goal of the match was also the Lebanon women's national team's 100th of all time. [31]

Style of play

Iskandar is an attacking midfielder with good finishing, who is also capable of creating attacking chances. [6]

Personal life

Iskandar speaks three languages: English, French, and Arabic. [6] Her idol is American footballer Alex Morgan, who she described as a "lady on and off the pitch". [32]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 16 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cup [a] ContinentalOthersTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Salam Zgharta 2018–19 LWFL 510510
Total510000000510
SAS 2019–20 LWFL 14154 [b] 11816
Total14150000411816
HB Køge 2021–22 DWL 00
Total0000000000
Etihad 2022 JWPL 12530155
2023 15144 [c] 41918
Total27193000443423
Al-Ittihad 2023–24 SWPL 14433177
2024–25 16512177
Total3094500003414
Career total76537500859163

International

As of 17 February 2025 [11]
Scores and results list Lebanon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Iskandar goal.
List of international goals scored by Lili Iskandar
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
124 October 2021 Dolen Omurzakov Stadium, Bishkek, KyrgyzstanFlag of Guam.svg  Guam 2–03–0 2022 AFC Asian Cup qualification
229 August 2022 Petra Stadium, Amman, JordanFlag of Palestine.svg  Palestine 3–03–0 2022 WAFF Championship
322 March 2023 Fouad Chehab Stadium, Jounieh, LebanonFlag of Egypt.svg  Egypt 1–11–2 Friendly
48 April 2023Fouad Chehab Stadium, Jounieh, LebanonFlag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia 1–05–0 2024 AFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament
55–0
618 July 2023 Ansar Stadium, Ansar, LebanonFlag of Palestine.svg  Palestine 3–05–0Friendly
718 September 2023 King Fahd Sports City, Taif, Saudi ArabiaFlag of Laos.svg  Laos 4–04–1 2023 SAFF Friendly Tournament
821 September 2023King Fahd Sports City, Taif, Saudi ArabiaFlag of Bhutan.svg  Bhutan 1–03–22023 SAFF Friendly Tournament
930 September 2023King Fahd Sports City, Taif, Saudi ArabiaFlag of Bhutan.svg  Bhutan 1–01–02023 SAFF Friendly Tournament
1019 February 2024 King Abdullah Sports City Reserve Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaFlag of Guam.svg  Guam 1–24–3 2024 WAFF Championship
113–3
124–3
1317 February 2025 Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu, NepalFlag of Myanmar.svg  Myanmar 1–11–3 2025 Vianet Championship


Honours

SAS

Etihad

Lebanon U18

Lebanon

Individual

Records

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Lili Iskandar". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  2. Schöggl, Hans. "Lebanon (Women) 2018/19". RSSSF . Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Rocchi, Filippo (28 March 2021). "La giovane Layla "Lili" Iskandar alla conquista dell'Europa". Calcio Femminile Italiano (in Italian). Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  4. "SAS champions of the 2019–20 Lebanese Women's Football League!". FA Lebanon. 1 March 202. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  5. Nehme, Ale. "Lebanon (Women) 2019/20". RSSSF . Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 "GameChangers: Lili Iskandar's unshakeable dream". The AFC . 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  7. ليلي اسكندر تنضم إلى نادي HB Køge الدنماركي [Lili Iskandar joins Danish club HB Køge]. Lebanese Football Association . 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  8. Etihad Club [@etihadclubjo] (3 July 2022). "Etihad Club officially signs with Lebanon Women's National Team player Layla Iskandar" via Instagram.
  9. "إسكندر: آمل الفوز بلقب "المحترفات" مع الاتحاد.. ولا أهتم بالأرقام الفردية (فيديو)". جريدة الغد (in Arabic). 8 August 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  10. "الاتحاد يكسب النصر بثلاثية في دوري المحترفات". جريدة الغد (in Arabic). 17 July 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  11. 1 2 3 "Layla Iskandar". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  12. "نادي الاتحاد يدخل التاريخ في أول مشاركة له" (in Arabic). Etihad Club. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022 via Facebook.
  13. "JFA - الاتحاد يتوج بلقب بطولة أندية السيدات 2023". JFA - الاتحاد الاردني لكرة القدم (in Arabic). Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  14. "الذهب لا يفارق ليلى اسكندر" (in Arabic). Lebanese Women's Football. 19 September 2023 via Facebook.
  15. FA Lebanon [@falebanon] (14 October 2023). تعاقد نادي الاتحاد السعودي مع الهدافة التاريخية للمنتخب اللبناني ليلى اسكندر [Saudi club Al-Ittihad signed the Lebanon national team top scorer Layla Iskandar] via Instagram.
  16. 1 2 Lebanese Women's Football [@thelfawomen] (19 July 2024). ليلى اسكندر تنتقل بصفة دائمة لنادي الاتحاد السعودي بعد أن مثّلت الفريق في الموسم الماضي على سبيل الإعارة من نادي الاتحاد الأردني [Layla Iskandar is moving to Saudi Arabia on a permanent basis after representing the team last season on loan from Jordanian club Etihad.] via Instagram.
  17. Aljadaani, Rayan (18 July 2024). صورة: اتحاد جدة يعلن بقاء نجمة لبنان [Photo: Al-Ittihad Jeddah announces the stay of the Lebanese star]. Kooora. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  18. "Match Report of Hong Kong U19 vs Lebanon U19". Global Sports Archive. 24 October 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  19. 1 2 3 "Lebanon Crowned the WAFF U18 Girls Title". The WAFF . 13 August 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  20. Mahfoud, Maroun (23 December 2020). "Lebanon's U-19 lose their first friendly". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  21. فوز شابات لبنان على مصر وديّاً [Lebanon's young women beat Egypt in a friendly]. Lebanese Football Association (in Arabic). 26 December 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  22. @falebanon (28 December 2020). "Lili Iskandar needed just 13 matches to reach her 10th goal with the U-19 National Team" via Instagram.
  23. "Match Report of Iran vs Lebanon". Global Sports Archive. 8 November 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  24. "WAFF Women's Championship 2019 Bahrain". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  25. "Lebanon finish in style". the-afc.com. 24 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  26. الأردن يتوج ببطولة السيدات السابعة.. ويضيف اللقب الخامس إلى سجله [Jordan win the seventh women's championship.. and add a fifth title to their record]. West Asian Football Federation (in Arabic). 5 September 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  27. "بطولة غرب اسيا لكرة القدم للسيدات: ثلاثية نظيفة للبنان امام فلسطين". Elsport News (in Arabic). Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  28. أول 3 نقاط في التصفيات الأولمبية.. خماسية لبنانية في مرمى إندونيسيا [The first 3 points in the Olympic qualifiers... five goals for Lebanon against Indonesia]. Al Joumhouria (in Arabic). 8 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  29. "منتخب لبنان بطلاً للبطولة الدولية للسيدات" (in Arabic). Lebanese Football Association. 1 October 2023.
  30. Toufaily, Assile (19 February 2024). "WAFF Women's Championship: Lili Iskandar Offers Lebanon The Win, Jordan Defeats Saudi Arabia". Forbes . Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  31. Lebanese Football Association [@thelfawomen] (20 February 2024). هدف ليلى اسكندر الثالث الأمس امام غوام هو الهدف رقم ١٠٠ في تاريخ المنتخب (in Arabic). Retrieved 21 February 2024 via Instagram.
  32. "New horizons for women's football in Lebanon". FIFA . 5 March 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  33. "Lebanon National Team All-Time Stats Women". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 15 April 2021.