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Haitham Ali Mohamad Al Haj Ali Zein (Arabic: هيثم علي محمد الحج علي زين; born 6 January 1979), or simply Haitham Zein, is a Lebanese former footballer who played as a forward. He played for numerous Lebanese Premier League clubs, mainly at Tadamon Sour, and represented Lebanon internationally.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Haitham Ali Mohamad Al Haj Ali Zein[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 6 January 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Fallujah, Iraq[1] | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–1995 | Tadamon Sour | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–2005 | Tadamon Sour | (94) | |
| 2005–2006 | Nejmeh | (0) | |
| 2006–2008 | Bahrain SC | (7) | |
| 2008–2009 | Chabab Ghazieh | (2) | |
| 2009–2011 | Islah Borj Shmali | (13) | |
| 2011–2012 | Salam Sour | 15 | (3) |
| Total | ? | (119) | |
| International career | |||
| 2002 | Lebanon U23 | (1) | |
| 1997–2004 | Lebanon | 50 | (16) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Zein was born in Iraq to parents from Borj Ech Chemali, Lebanon; he began playing football aged 11 in the streets of the Al-Anbar Governorate.[2] He then moved to Lebanon with his family due to the Gulf War.[2]
Tadamon Sour
Zein signed for Tadamon Sour's youth team in 1994.[2] He made his senior debut in 1995, coming on as an 80th-minute substitute against Bourj at the Saida Municipal Stadium; trailing 2–1, Zein scored a goal and assisted two, helping his side overturn the result to 4–2.[2] He played with Tadamon until 2005, scoring 94 league goals.[3]
Nejmeh
On 9 November 2005, Zein moved to Nejmeh,[4] spending half a season. He described his short experience at Nejmeh as negative.[3]
Bahrain SC
He moved abroad to Bahrain SC in 2006.[5]
Return to Lebanon
He returned to Lebanon in 2008, signing for Chabab Ghazieh,[5] before moving to Islah Borj Shmali the following season.[6] Zein was among the league's top scorers in the 2010–11 Lebanese Premier League, scoring eight goals.[7] In October 2011, he signed for Salam Sour,[8] making 15 appearances for the side and scoring three goals. He retired that season.[9]
Zein scored 113 goals in the Lebanese Premier League – 138 considering his goals scored in the cancelled 2000–01 season.[3]
In 2002, Zein played for the Lebanon Olympic team at the 2002 Asian Games, scoring a goal in an 11–0 win against Afghanistan.[10] He played for the senior team between 1998 and 2004. He played 50 international matches, scoring 16 goals.[11]
Between 2016 and 2017, Zein was part of the technical staff of his former club Islah Borj Shmali.[12][13]
Zein's nephew, Mahdi Zein, also plays football.[14]
Tadamon Sour
- Lebanese FA Cup: 2000–01
Individual
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