Mehdi Khalil

Last updated

Mehdi Khalil
Mehdi Khalil, Ahed 2021 AFC Cup (cropped).jpg
Khalil with Ahed in 2021
Personal information
Full name Mehdi Salim Khalil [1]
Date of birth (1991-09-19) 19 September 1991 (age 32)
Place of birth Bouaké, Ivory Coast [1]
Height 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) [2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Ahed
Youth career
2004–2007 Young Sportsmen Club
2007–2011 Johansen
2010 → Kallon (loan)
2011 → Djurgårdens IF (loan)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2009–2012 Johansen
2011 → Köping FF (loan) 7 (0)
2011 → Djurgårdens IF (loan) 0 (0)
2011–2012 → Kallon (loan)
2013–2017 Safa 50 (0)
2017– Ahed 71 (0)
2020 → Zob Ahan (loan) 8 (0)
2023–2024 → Al-Faisaly (loan) 1 (0)
2024 → Safa (loan) 7 (0)
International career‡
2013– Lebanon 56 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 June 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 4 January 2023

Mehdi Salim Khalil (Arabic : مهدي سليم خليل, Lebanese Arabic pronunciation: [ˈmahdisaˈliːmxaˈliːl,-de] ; born 19 September 1991) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Lebanese Premier League club Ahed and the Lebanon national team. Khalil is known as "the Mountain" (Arabic: الجبل) because of his height.

Contents

Khalil started his senior career in Sierra Leone at Johansen, before moving to Sweden in 2011, first playing at Köping FF before transferring to Djurgården. Following his experience in Sweden, Khalil moved back to his native country, at Kallon, before joining Lebanese club Safa in 2013. After spending four years at the club, Khalil moved to Lebanese Premier League reigning champions Ahed in 2017. He won the 2019 AFC Cup with the side, the first in Lebanese history, as the competition's Most Valuable Player. In 2020, Khalil moved to Iranian side Zob Ahan on a six-month loan, and in 2023 he joined Al-Faisaly in Jordan on a one-year loan. Khalil returned to Safa on a six-month loan in 2024.

Born in the Ivory Coast and raised in Sierra Leone to Lebanese parents, Khalil was called up to represent Sierra Leone at youth level, without featuring. He has represented Lebanon at senior level since 2013. Khalil played at the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, and was Lebanon's main goalkeeper at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

Early life

Born in Bouaké, Ivory Coast to Lebanese parents, [1] Khalil moved to Freetown, Sierra Leone with his family at a young age. [3] He started playing six-a-side football, a popular form of football in Sierra Leone, at age 12 at Young Sportsmen Club (YSC) as a defender. [3] [4] Noticing his physical attributes, namely his height, Khalil's coach advised him to switch position to goalkeeper. [3] [5]

At age 15–16, he was noticed by Isha Johansen – owner of football club Johansen alongside her Norwegian husband Arne Birger Johansen [6] – in a match between YSC and Johansen. [5] His performance in the game prompted Isha to sign Khalil to Johansen's under-17 team. [3] [4]

Club career

2009–2012: Sierra Leone and Sweden

Khalil began his senior career in Sierra Leone in 2009 at Johansen. [6] In 2010, he participated with Kallon U19 at the Viareggio Cup – an annual youth tournament held in Italy – where he played two of the three games. [7]

Thanks to Johansen's Scandinavian connections, in March 2011 Khalil joined Swedish Division 3 side Köping FF on a three-month loan. [8] [9] Talking about his first training session at the club, Khalil said that "[it] was fun [...] the guys seem lovely, and many of them are young, just like me". [8] He played seven games for the club. [10] Between April and June 2011, Khalil trained with Allsvenskan clubs AIK and Trelleborg. [9] [11] [12]

On 20 July 2011, Khalil moved to Djurgården, AIK's rivals, on a four-month loan. [13] He had been noticed by the club's manager Magnus Pehrsson the previous year at a friendly tournament in Ghana; Khalil was named best goalkeeper of the tournament. [13] On 1 August 2011, he made his debut for the club's under-21 team in the U21 Allsvenskan  [ sv ] against Brage, helping his side win 5–1. [14] [15] On 25 October 2011, Djurgården announced that Khalil's contract would not be renewed. [16]

Following his experience in Sweden, Khalil moved back to Sierra Leone, [17] playing for Kallon during the 2011–12 season. [3]

2013–2017: Safa

Through his links with Roda Antar, a Sierra Leonean-born Lebanese footballer, Khalil trained with the Lebanon national team in 2012, which caught the attention of various Lebanese clubs. [5] Khalil moved to Safa in the Lebanese Premier League in early 2013, [5] [6] signing a three-and-a-half-year contract. [3] [5]

Khalil was initially a reserve for Ziad Al Samad in his first season (2012–13). [3] His debut came during the 2013 AFC Cup, playing in a group stage game against Riffa on 2 April 2013; the match ended in a 1–0 win. [18] On 24 April 2013, Khalil was sent off against Regar-TadAZ in the 79th minute, with the opposing team scoring from the subsequent penalty kick. [19] However, Safa still won the encounter 3–2 through a 92nd-minute goal by Mohamad Haidar. [19] In Khalil's first experience in the AFC Cup he played three matches, finishing third in the group. [20]

Khalil's league debut came in the 2013–14 season, on 23 November 2013, in a 5–0 win over Tadamon Sour. [21] He participated in the 2014 AFC Cup, playing two games. [20] Khalil became the club's first-choice goalkeeper from the 2014–15 season, [3] playing 17 league games. [22] In the 2015–16 season, Khalil played 16 league games, [22] helping Safa win their second league title. [6] He was included in the 2015–16 Lebanese Premier League Team of the Season for his performances. [23]

Following the expiration of his contract in mid-2016, Khalil tried out with several Eerste Divisie teams in the Netherlands. [3] He remained with Safa for one more year, playing 16 games in the league during the 2016–17 season. [22] He also made two appearances in the 2017 AFC Cup. [20] In five seasons at the Beirut-based club, Khalil won two league titles (2012–13 and 2015–16), one FA Cup (2013–14), and one Super Cup (2013). [6]

Ahed

2017–2020: Two domestic trebles and AFC Cup MVP

Khalil with Ahed in 2019 Mehdi Khalil Ahed, 2019 02.jpg
Khalil with Ahed in 2019

In July 2017, Khalil moved to Lebanese Premier League holders Ahed, [6] [24] for a fee of around $250,000. [25] Khalil quickly asserted himself as the team's first-choice goalkeeper, playing 18 league games in the 2017–18 season. [22] He helped his team win the domestic treble—the league title, cup, and Super Cup. [22] Khalil was Ahed's goalkeeper at the 2018 AFC Cup, playing eight games and reaching the zonal semi-finals, [20] where they lost to Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 5–3 on aggregate. [26] [27] In his first season at the club, Khalil was included in the 2017–18 Lebanese Premier League Team of the Season as the league's best goalkeeper. [28]

His next season with the team was also successful, as he won his second domestic treble. He played 21 league games in the 2018–19 season. [22] Khalil featured in the 2018–19 Lebanese Premier League Team of the Season. [29] On 4 November 2019, after beating April 25 in the final, he won the 2019 AFC Cup as the competition's Most Valuable Player. [6] [30] Conceding just three goals in 11 matches, Khalil kept nine clean sheets (of which five were consecutive in the knock-out stages) as Ahed went unbeaten throughout the whole tournament. [30] The 2019 AFC Cup win was the first for a Lebanese club. [31]

2020: Loan to Zob Ahan

Khalil celebrating with his teammates at Zob Ahan in 2020 Zob Ahan FC vs Sanat Naft Abadan FC, 7 February 2020.jpg
Khalil celebrating with his teammates at Zob Ahan in 2020

On 7 January 2020, Khalil joined Persian Gulf Pro League side Zob Ahan on a six-month loan, [32] reuniting him with former Lebanon national team coach Miodrag Radulović. [32] [33] He cited the conditions in his country and the ambiguity surrounding the resumption of sports activity as the reasons for the transfer. [34] Khalil became the fourth Lebanese player to play for the Iranian side, after Walid Ismail, Ali Hamam, and Rabih Ataya. [32] [33]

He made his league debut for Zob Ahan on 25 January 2020 against Pars Jonoubi Jam; despite being booked in the 64th minute, Khalil kept a clean sheet, helping his side win 1–0 at home. [35] In Khalil's third game, on 7 February 2020, he again kept a 1–0 clean sheet against Sanat Naft, while being booked in the 89th minute. [36] Thanks to his performances in the two fixtures, Khalil was included in the Team of the Week on both occasions. [32] Khalil finished the 2019–20 season with eight games. [20]

2020–2023: Return to Ahed

Despite Zob Ahan extending Khalil's loan for an additional year on 27 June 2020, [37] Khalil returned to Ahed as their first-choice goalkeeper. In the first matchday of the 2020–21 season on 4 October 2020, he helped Ahed win 3–2 over Bourj. [38] Khalil played 12 league games, helping Ahed to a fourth-place finish with four clean sheets. [39] He also played a game in the 2021 Lebanese Elite Cup, which Ahed won. [39]

Due to an ACL injury he sustained while training with the Lebanon national team in August 2021, Khalil was sidelined for six months. [40] He did not feature for Ahed during the 2021–22 season. [1] Khalil returned to action as Ahed's first-choice goalkeeper in the first matchday of the 2022–23 season, against Akhaa Ahli Aley on 4 September 2022. [41] He had played his previous league game 16 months prior, also against Akhaa, on 23 April 2021. [42] On 28 October, Khalil saved a penalty and kept a clean sheet in a 1–0 league win against Tadamon Sour. [43] He was a starter in 2022–23, playing 19 league games [1] and helping Ahed win the league title as a key player. [44]

2023–2024: Loan to Al-Faisaly

On 15 June 2023, Ahed announced Khalil's loan for one season to Al-Faisaly in the Jordanian Pro League; [45] he arrived in Jordan on 10 July. [46] Khalil played in Al-Faisaly's last game in the 2023 Jordan Shield Cup, a 0–0 draw against Ma'an on 14 July, which won his team the tournament. [47] He became the first foreign goalkeeper to play in the Jordan Super Cup, [48] taking part in the 2023 edition between Al-Faisaly and Al-Wehdat which his side lost. [49]

On 7 January 2024, Al-Faisaly announced the termination of his contract by mutual consent, following their elimination from the AFC Champions League group stage. [50]

2024: Loan to Safa

On 28 January 2024, Khalil returned to former club Safa on a six-month loan from Ahed. [51]

International career

Khalil was called up for Sierra Leone at the under-17 and under-20 levels, without featuring in any match. [8] [52] Eligible to represent Lebanon through his parents' nationality, Khalil received a call from former Lebanese international player Roda Antar in 2012, who informed him that national team coach Theo Bücker had called him for a training session. [5] [6]

Khalil made his debut for Lebanon in a 0–0 draw against Bahrain on 17 March 2013. [53] [54] He was part of the squad that played in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers between 2015 and 2016; initially Abbas Hassan's reserve for the first three matches, [55] Khalil became Lebanon's first-choice goalkeeper in the final five games of the second round of qualification. [54] Lebanon finished in second place in their group and, despite being eliminated from the World Cup, qualified them for to the final round of qualification for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. [56]

Drawn with North Korea, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, Khalil helped Lebanon finish top of the group unbeaten, conceding only four goals in six games. [57] Lebanon reached the Asian Cup finals for the first time through qualification. [57] Khalil was included on the 2019 AFC Asian Cup squad as Lebanon's main goalkeeper. [58] In the first two group stage matches, Lebanon lost 2–0 to both Qatar and Saudi Arabia. [59] [60] Needing a win by four goals or more, Lebanon won 4–1 against North Korea for the first time in their history. [61] However, the three points were not enough to qualify Lebanon for the knockout stage. [61] Khalil played all 90 minutes in the three group stage games. [6]

Khalil stopping a shot by South Korean forward Son Heung-min in 2019 Lebanon v South Korea, 14 November 2019 16.jpg
Khalil stopping a shot by South Korean forward Son Heung-min in 2019

In the second round of qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, in a group with South Korea, North Korea, Turkmenistan and Sri Lanka, Khalil took part in all six of Lebanon's games. [lower-alpha 1] [39] With three wins, one draw and two defeats, Lebanon finished second in their group and qualified to the final qualification round for the World Cup for the second time in their history, and the finals of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup for the second time. [62] On 20 August 2021, during a training session in view of the first qualification game against the United Arab Emirates, Khalil sustained an ACL injury, [63] keeping him on the sidelines for six months. [40] He was called back up to the national team in September 2022 for a training camp in Bnachii, Zgharta, [64] and played his first game on 19 November, in a 2–0 defeat to Kuwait. [65]

In December 2023, Khalil was included in the Lebanese squad for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. [66]

Style of play

Known as "the Mountain" (Arabic : الجبل) because of his height, [30] [67] Khalil is a goalkeeper with good reflexes and a large physical presence. [6] At 1.96 m (6.4 ft) tall, Khalil was the fifth tallest goalkeeper at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. [58] He is a fine shot stopper, and has a tendency to punch balls away from crosses. [6] [68] In 2011 his agent Patrick Mörck described him as a "resilient, witty, and responsive goalkeeper", drawing similarities to Swedish former goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson. [8] The same year Magnus Pehrsson, his coach at Djurgården, reaffirmed the similarities with Isaksson, noting "his size and his actions". [13]

Personal life

Khalil's younger brother, Hadi, is also footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. [69] His uncle, Hussein Khalil, was also a footballer; he encouraged Mehdi to pursue football as more than a hobby. [5] Khalil's favourite club is Manchester United, [5] and his favourite player is former Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. [5] [8] Other than football, Khalil enjoys tennis and swimming. [5]

On 11 January 2020, Khalil and his partner Myriam Damoury got married. [70] Their son Salim was born on 24 May 2021. [71]

Career statistics

International

As of match played 4 January 2023 [39]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Lebanon 201310
201400
201570
2016100
201760
201870
2019100
202000
202160
202220
202360
202410
Total560

Honours

Safa [72] [73]

Ahed [72] [73]

Al-Faisaly

Individual

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Khalil took part in only one of Lebanon's two games against North Korea, which were both voided.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Football in Lebanon</span>

Football is the most popular sport in Lebanon. It was introduced to Lebanon in the late-19th century, becoming particularly popular among teachers and students Christian schools. The Lebanese Football Association (LFA) was formed in 1933 as one of the earliest administrative bodies for association football in the Middle East. The Lebanon national team made its unofficial debut in 1935 against Romanian club CA Timișoara (T.A.C.), while their first official FIFA game was in 1940 against Mandatory Palestine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moussa Hojeij</span> Lebanese international football player and manager (born 1974)

Moussa Ali Hojeij is a Lebanese football manager and former player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Ahed FC</span> Association football club in Beirut, Lebanon

Al Ahed Football Club is a football club based in Ouzai, a district in Beirut, Lebanon, that competes in the Lebanese Premier League, the top flight of Lebanese football. The club was founded in 1964 as Al Ahed Al Jadeed, initially starting in the Third Division before reaching the Premier League for the first time in 1996.

The Lebanese First Division, commonly known as the Lebanese Premier League, is the top division of the Lebanese football league system. There are 12 teams competing in the league, which operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Lebanese Second Division.

Ziad Ali Al Samad is a Lebanese professional football coach and former player who is the goalkeeper coach of Lebanese Premier League club Ansar and the Lebanon national under-23 team. As a player, Al Samad played as a goalkeeper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ali Al Saadi</span> Lebanese footballer (born 1986)

Ali Mahmoud Al Saadi is a Lebanese footballer who plays as a centre-back for Lebanese Second Division club Irshad Chehim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hassan Maatouk</span> Lebanese footballer (born 1987)

Hassan Ali Maatouk is a Lebanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Lebanese Premier League club Ansar. Known for his pace and technical skills, Maatouk is the Lebanon national team's all-time top goalscorer and most-capped player, and was captain of the team between 2016 and 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nejmeh SC</span> Lebanese association football club

Nejmeh Sporting Club is a football club based in Manara, a neighbourhood in Ras Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon, that competes in the Lebanese Premier League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walid Ismail</span> Lebanese footballer (born 1984)

Walid Bahij Ismail is a Lebanese former professional footballer who played as a left-back.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohamad Haidar</span> Lebanese footballer (born 1989)

Mohamad Faouzi Haidar is a Lebanese professional footballer who plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for Lebanese Premier League club Ahed and captains the Lebanon national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haytham Faour</span> Lebanese footballer (born 1990)

Haytham Moussa Faour is a Lebanese footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Lebanese Premier League club Shabab Sahel. He is known for his tackling and defensive reading of the game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nour Mansour</span> Lebanese footballer (born 1989)

Nour Nayef Mansour is a Lebanese footballer who plays as a centre-back for Lebanese Premier League club Ahed and the Lebanon national team. Known for his defensive capabilities, Mansour also offers good attacking options through his aerial threat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hilal El-Helwe</span> Association football player (born 1994)

Hilal Bassam El-Helwe is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for German club SGV Freiberg and the Lebanon national team. A versatile forward, he can play both centrally and as a winger on either flank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mostafa Matar</span> Lebanese footballer (born 1995)

Mostafa Ali Matar is a Lebanese footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Lebanese Premier League club Safa and the Lebanon national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khalil Khamis (footballer, born 1995)</span> Lebanese footballer (born 1995)

Khalil Georges Khamis is a Lebanese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Lebanese Premier League club Safa and the Lebanon national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ali Al Haj</span> Lebanese footballer (born 2001)

Ali Jamal Al Haj is a Lebanese footballer who plays as a forward for Lebanese Premier League club Ahed and the Lebanon national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mahdi Fahs</span> Lebanese footballer (born 1994)

Mahdi Hassan Fahs is a Lebanese footballer who plays as a midfielder for Lebanese Premier League club Ahed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bassem Marmar</span> Lebanese footballer and coach (born 1977)

Bassem Ali Marmar is a Lebanese football coach and former player who is head coach of Lebanese Premier League club Safa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohamad Hammoud (footballer, born 1980)</span> Lebanese footballer (born 1980)

Mohamad Hassan Hammoud is a Lebanese football coach and former player who is the goalkeeper coach of Ahed's youth setup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khalil Bader</span> Lebanese footballer (born 1999)

Khalil Abdel Salam Bader is a Lebanese footballer who plays as a winger for Bahraini club Manama and the Lebanon national team.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mehdi Khalil". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  2. ↑ "AFC Asian Cup 2023 Qatar Squad Lists" (PDF). Asian Football Confederation. p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Hawwash, Ayman (4 August 2016). حارس مرمى الصفاء والمنتخب اللبناني مهدي خليل: هدفي المقبل الاحتراف في أوروبا [Goalkeeper of Safa and the Lebanon national team Mehdi Khalil: My next goal is to be a professional in Europe]. Saida City Net (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Mehdi Khalil har landat" [Mehdi Khalil has landed]. Djurgården Fotboll (in Swedish). 22 July 2011. Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Khaled, Nasser (15 April 2020). مهدي خليل يروي في حوار ل قصته المثيرة مع الساحرة المستديرة [Mehdi Khalil, in an interview, tells his exciting story with football]. Kooora. Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Ghanem, Boris (8 December 2019). "Mehdi Khalil, l'impassable cèdre" [Mehdi Khalil, the impassable cedar]. Lucarne Opposée (in French). Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  7. ↑ "AIK var intresserade av Mehdi Khalil – hade inte plats" [AIK were interested in Mehdi Khalil – did not have a place]. Fotbolltransfers.com (in Swedish). 20 July 2011. Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Eriksson, Kristina (30 March 2011). "Mehdi vaktar KFF-målet". Magazin24.se (in Swedish). p. 11. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Mehdi Khalil ska provträna med AIK: "Oslipad diamant"" [Mehdi Khalil to test train with AIK: "Uncut diamond"]. Fotbolltransfers.com (in Swedish). 22 April 2011. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  10. ↑ "Mehdi Khalil". svenskfotboll.se. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  11. ↑ "Officiellt: Mehdi Khalil klar för Djurgårdens IF". Fotbolltransfers.com (in Swedish). Official: Mehdi Khalil ready for Djurgårdens IF. 20 July 2011. Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  12. ↑ "Trelleborg testar målvakten Mehdi Khalil – vill plocka in fler" [Trelleborg tests goalkeeper Mehdi Khalil – wants to pick more]. Fotbolltransfers.com (in Swedish). 10 June 2011. Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  13. 1 2 3 "Ung målvakt klar för Djurgården" [Young goalkeeper ready for Djurgården]. Djurgården Fotboll (in Swedish). 20 July 2011. Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  14. ↑ "U21 mot Brage på Hjorthagen" [U21 against Brage at Hjorthagen]. Djurgården Fotboll (in Swedish). 1 August 2011. Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  15. ↑ "Klar seger för U21" [Clear victory for U21]. Djurgården Fotboll (in Swedish). 1 August 2011. Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  16. ↑ "Guira och Khalil lämnar DIF" [Guira and Khalil leave DIF]. Djurgården Fotboll (in Swedish). 25 October 2011. Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  17. ↑ Eriksson, David (19 March 2013). "Ex KFF-are nybliven landslagsman". bblat.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  18. ↑ "Safa vs. Al Riffa". Soccerway. 2 April 2013. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  19. 1 2 "Regar-TadAZ vs. Safa". Soccerway. 24 April 2013. Archived from the original on 29 May 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 Mehdi Khalil at Soccerway. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  21. ↑ "Safa vs. Tadamon Sour". Soccerway. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Mehdi Khalil". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  23. 1 2 محمد حيدر والنيجيري كابيروموسى الافضل في مهرجان كرة المنار الـ20 [Mohamad Haidar and the Nigerian Musa Kabiru were the best in the 20th Al-Manar Football Festival]. An-Nahar (in Arabic). 6 June 2016. Archived from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  24. ↑ العهد يفوز بقلب دفاع الصفاء [Ahed wins Safa's centre-back]. newlebanon.info. 7 July 2017. Archived from the original on 8 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  25. ↑ Khaled, Nasser (1 August 2020). حراس المرمى.. رقم صعب في معادلة الكرة اللبنانية [Goalkeepers ... a difficult number in the Lebanese football equation]. Kooora. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  26. ↑ "Al Quwa Al Jawiya vs. Al Ahed". Soccerway. 8 May 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  27. ↑ "Al Ahed vs. Al Quwa Al Jawiya". Soccerway. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  28. 1 2 النجماوي حسن معتوق أفضل لاعب في لبنان! [Nejmeh player Hassan Matouk is the best player in Lebanon!]. aliwaa.com.lb (in Arabic). 1 May 2018. Archived from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  29. 1 2 معتوق ومرمر الأفضل هذا الموسم بحسب مهرجان المنار الـ 23 [Maatouk and Marmar are the best this season according to the 23rd Al Manar Festival]. Mulhak (in Arabic). 12 June 2019. Archived from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 "Al Ahed's Khalil named MVP". Asian Football Confederation . 4 November 2019. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  31. ↑ "Al Ahed clinch historic title". Asian Football Confederation . 4 November 2019. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  32. 1 2 3 4 Nehme, Ale (18 February 2020). "Lebanese abroad: winter transfer window summary". FA Lebanon. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  33. 1 2 "Mehdi Khalil interview: debut at Zob Ahan". FA Lebanon. 25 January 2020. Archived from the original on 25 January 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  34. ↑ Khaled, Nasser (6 January 2020). مهدي خليل يرحل للدوري الإيراني [Mehdi Khalil goes to the Iranian league]. Kooora. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  35. ↑ "Zob Ahan vs. Pars Jam Bushehr". Soccerway. 25 January 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  36. ↑ "Zob Ahan vs. Sanat Naft". Soccerway. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  37. ↑ Mahfoud, Maroun (27 June 2020). "Official: Mehdi Khalil renews his loan at Zob Ahan". FA Lebanon. Archived from the original on 29 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  38. ↑ "Ahed vs Bourj". FA Lebanon. 4 October 2020. Archived from the original on 12 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  39. 1 2 3 4 "Mehdi Khalil". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  40. 1 2 Khaled, Nasser (26 August 2021). "The goalkeeper of Ahed undergoes surgery" حارس العهد يخضع لعملية جراحية. Kooora. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  41. ↑ Khaled, Nasser (3 September 2022). مرمر يعلن غياب ثنائي العهد أمام الإخاء [Marmar announces the absence of the two Ahed players against Akhaa]. Kooora (in Arabic). Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  42. ↑ عودة مهدي خليل وعلي الحاج بعد غياب امتد 16 شهراً [The return of Mehdi Khalil and Ali Al Haj after an absence of 16 months]. El Maestro Sport. 4 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  43. ↑ Khaled, Nasser (28 October 2022). بالصور: العهد يحقق فوزا صعبا على التضامن [In pictures: Ahed achieves a difficult victory over Tadamon]. Kooora (in Arabic). Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  44. ↑ حمود: الحارس مهدي خليل يستحق الحصول على جائزة أفضل حارس مرمى في لبنان لهذا الموسم [Hammoud: Goalkeeper Mehdi Khalil deserves to be awarded the best goalkeeper in Lebanon for this season]. El Maestro Sport (in Arabic). 18 April 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  45. ↑ الفيصلي يضم حارس منتخب لبنان [Al-Faisaly signs the Lebanon national team goalkeeper]. khaberni.com (in Arabic). 15 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  46. ↑ هل تُعيد تجربة الفيصلي الأردني نهوض الحارس اللبناني مهدي خليل؟ [Will the experience in Jordan with Al-Faisaly bring back the rise of Lebanese goalkeeper Mehdi Khalil?]. alaraby.co.uk/ (in Arabic). 10 July 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  47. 1 2 Ayoub, Nada (15 July 2023). مهدي خليل يتوج مع الفيصلي بلقب الدرع الأردني [Mehdi Khalil crowns Al-Faisaly with the Jordanian Shield Cup]. Football Lebanon (in Arabic). Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  48. ↑ مهدي خليل.. أول حارس عربي في السوبر الأردني [Mehdi Khalil.. the first Arab goalkeeper in the Jordan Super Cup]. Kooora (in Arabic). 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  49. 1 2 الوحدات يحقق لقبه ال 15 في السوبر الأردني على حساب الفيصلي [Al-Wehdat achieves its 15th title in the Jordanian Super Cup at the expense of Al-Faisaly]. Al Mashhad (in Arabic). 28 July 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  50. ↑ الفيصلي يفسخ عقد مهدي خليل (in Arabic). Kooora. 7 January 2024.
  51. ↑ "مهدي خليل للصفاء".
  52. ↑ Barrie, Mohamed Fajah (19 May 2011). "Two different Sierra Leone squads have been announced". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  53. ↑ كالديرون يستدعي جمال راشد ويختار تشكيلة قطر في تجربة لبنان والأولمبي [Calderon calls up Jamal Rashid and chooses the squad for the game against Qatar in the friendlies against Lebanon and the Olympic team]. Al-Wasat (in Arabic). 16 March 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  54. 1 2 Mamrud, Roberto. "Mehdi Salim Khalil – International Appearances". RSSSF . Archived from the original on 24 January 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  55. ↑ "Khalil: Würde gern in der Zukunft im Ausland spielen" [Khalil: Would like to play overseas in the future]. Fussball aus dem Libanon (in German). 3 December 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  56. ↑ Windon, Jacob (2 September 2018). "How Lebanon qualified for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup". Socceroos . Archived from the original on 10 December 2018. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  57. 1 2 "Radulovic's Lebanon continue to climb". FIFA . 14 December 2017. Archived from the original on 12 October 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  58. 1 2 "AC2019 Final Squads". Asian Football Confederation. p. 19. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  59. ↑ "Group E: Qatar 2–0 Lebanon". Asian Football Confederation . 9 January 2019. Archived from the original on 4 May 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  60. ↑ "Group E: Lebanon 0–2 Saudi Arabia". Asian Football Confederation . 12 January 2019. Archived from the original on 3 May 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  61. 1 2 "Group E: Lebanon 4–1 DPR Korea". Asian Football Confederation . Archived from the original on 3 May 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  62. ↑ Abou Diab, Rami (15 June 2021). "Historic day for Lebanon". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  63. ↑ Khaled, Nasser (20 August 2021). ضربات موجعة للبنان قبل لقاء الإمارات [Painful blows to Lebanon before meeting the Emirates]. Kooora. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  64. ↑ استدعاء ٢٥ لاعبًا للانضمام الى معسكر منتخب لبنان في ١٩ الحالي [Calling 25 players to join the Lebanon national team camp on 19 September]. Lebanese Football Association (in Arabic). 17 September 2022. Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  65. ↑ لبنان يخسر أمام الكويت ودياً في أول اختبار للمدرب ألكسندر إليتش [Lebanon loses to Kuwait in a friendly match, in coach Aleksandar Ilić's first test]. Lebanon Football Guide (in Arabic). 10 November 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  66. ↑ "منتخب لبنان يعلن تشكيلته إلى كأس آسيا" [The Lebanon national team announces its squad for the Asian Cup] (in Arabic). Lebanese Football Association. 30 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  67. ↑ 5 أسلحة في جعبة لبنان من أجل الحلم الآسيوي [5 weapons at Lebanon's disposal for the Asian dream]. Kooora. 10 December 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  68. ↑ Afiouni, Nadim (9 January 2019). "The final 23: who are they?". Lebanese Football Review. Archived from the original on 26 July 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  69. ↑ هادي خليل يوقع للتضامن صور [Hadi Khalil signs for Tadamon Sour]. Elsport News (in Arabic). 17 September 2015. Archived from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  70. ↑ Haddad, Elie (12 January 2020). حارس المرمى مهدي خليل يعقد قرانه [Goalkeeper Mehdi Khalil tied the knot]. fanwfan.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  71. ↑ زملاء مهدي خليل يهنونه بمولوده الأول سليم مهدي خليل.… [Mehdi Khalil's colleagues congratulate him on his first child, Salim Mehdi Khalil...]. Al Ahed FC . Retrieved 28 May 2021– via Facebook.
  72. 1 2 Fujioka, Atsushi. "Lebanon – List of Champions". RSSSF . Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  73. 1 2 Stokkermans, Karel. "Lebanon – List of Cup Winners". RSSSF . Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.