Ali Kassas

Ali Kassas
Personal information
Full name Ali Mohamad Kassas[1]
Date of birth (2003-02-25) 25 February 2003
Place of birth Younine, Lebanon[1]
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
 Nejmeh
Number 11
Youth career
2016–2021 Nejmeh
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2023 Nejmeh 5 (0)
2022 → AC Sporting (loan) 3 (0)
2023–2024 Bourj 22 (5)
2024–2025 Safa 25 (8)
2025– Nejmeh 25 (12)
International career‡
2021 Lebanon U18
2022 Lebanon U20 3 (3)
2023– Lebanon U23 10 (0)
2024– Lebanon 10 (1)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Lebanon
WAFF U-18 Championship
Silver medal – second place2021U-18 Team
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 10:21, 3 August 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 13 January 2026

Ali Mohamad Kassas (Arabic: علي محمد قصاص; born 25 February 2003) is a Lebanese footballer who plays as a forward for Lebanese Premier League club Nejmeh and the Lebanon national team.

Club career

Nejmeh and loan to AC Sporting

Kassas joined Nejmeh's youth setup in 2016,[3] and was crowned top scorer of the U18 league with 29 goals in 2021.[4][5] He made his senior debut for Nejmeh on 29 April 2021, coming on as a substitute against Tripoli in the Lebanese FA Cup.[6]

In February 2022, Kassas was loaned out to AC Sporting for the remainder of the 2021–22 season,[7] in which he made three appearances in the league.[1] He was released by Nejmeh in June 2023.[8]

Bourj and Safa

Kassas signed for Bourj as a free agent in June 2023.[9] He scored his first senior goal on 27 October 2023, helping Bourj win 2–1 over Shabab Sahel.[10] Kassas finished the 2023–24 season with five goals in 22 league appearances.[1]

In June 2024, Kassas signed a three-year deal with Safa.[11] He made an immediate impact for Safa, scoring in the fourth minute of his league debut in a 4–1 victory over Racing Beirut on 21 September.[12] On 25 February 2025, he scored a stoppage time goal in a 3–0 win over Sagesse, taking Safa to second place in the league.[13] Kassas finished the 2024–25 season with eight goals in 25 appearances.[1]

Return to Nejmeh

In August 2025, Kassas returned to Nejmeh ahead of the 2025–26 season.[14] With 12 goals in the league, Kassas was the second-highest goalscorer and the best-scoring Lebanese player of the season.[15] He renewed his contract with Nejmeh in August 2026.[3]

International career

Youth

Kassas represented Lebanon at under-18 team at the 2021 WAFF U-18 Championship in Iraq, where Lebanon finished runners-up.[8] He later represented the under-20 team in the 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualification.[1] He scored a hat-trick in a 6–1 victory over Singapore on 18 September 2022.[16]

Kassas was subsequently part of the under-23 team and represented Lebanon at the 2023 WAFF U-23 Championship.[17] He was selected for the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification,[18] contributing to Lebanon's first-ever qualification for the final tournament.[19] Kassas was included in Lebanon's squad for the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.[20] He started all three of Lebanon's group-stage matches.[1]

Senior

Kassas was first called up to the Lebanon national team in December 2024 for two friendly matches against Kuwait.[21] He made his first start for the national team and scored in the fourth minute of a 2–0 friendly victory over Kuwait on 15 December, his first international goal.[22]

Personal life

Kassas's father, Mohammad, was also a footballer.[23]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 2 August 2026[1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Lebanon Cup League cup[a] Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Nejmeh 2020–21 Lebanese Premier League 0010——10
2021–22 Lebanese Premier League 000030—30
2022–23 Lebanese Premier League 501010—70
Total 50204000110
AC Sporting (loan) 2021–22 Lebanese Premier League 300000—30
Bourj 2023–24 Lebanese Premier League 2251000—235
Safa 2024–25 Lebanese Premier League 258———258
Nejmeh 2025–26 Lebanese Premier League 251231—3[b]23115
2026–27 Lebanese Premier League 000000—00
Total 25123100323115
Career total 80256140329328

International

As of match played 26 November 2025[24]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Lebanon 202421
202580
Total 101
Scores and results list Lebanon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kassas goal.
List of international goals scored by Ali Kassas
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 15 December 2024 Suheim bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar  Kuwait 1–0 2–0 Friendly

Honours

Nejmeh

Lebanon U18

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Ali Kassas". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  2. ↑ "AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 - Squad Lists" (PDF). the-afc.com. AFC. 4 January 2026. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  3. 1 2 Nejmeh SC [@nejmeh_sc]; (13 August 2026). علي محمد قصّاص… بتوقيعٍ جديد، يمدّد مسيرته مع النجمة [Ali Mohamad Kassas… with a new signature, extends his career with Nejmeh] (in Arabic). Retrieved 13 August 2026 – via Instagram.
  4. ↑ Bashir, Alaa (10 August 2021). علي قصاص قناص دوري الناشئين [Ali Kassas, sniper in the youth league]. Football Lebanon (in Arabic). Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  5. ↑ Khaled, Nasser (8 August 2021). العهد يهزم النجمة ويتوج بدوري الناشئين [Ahed defeats Nejmeh and wins the youth league title]. Kooora (in Arabic). Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  6. ↑ النجمة والانصار والبرج والغازية إلى ربع نهائي كأس لبنان [Nejmeh, Ansar, Bourj and Ghazieh reach the quarter-finals of the Lebanese Cup]. El Maestro Sport (in Arabic). 29 April 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  7. ↑ Khaled, Nasser (28 February 2022). ثنائي النجمة يرحل إلى سبورتينج [Nejmeh duo leaves for Sporting]. Kooora (in Arabic). Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  8. 1 2 Khaled, Nasser (24 June 2023). النجمة يستغني عن قصاص بشكل مفاجئ [Nejmeh shockingly part ways with Kassas]. Kooora (in Arabic). Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  9. ↑ موقع المنار الرياضي » الدوري اللبناني| البرج يضم علي قصاص [Lebanese League | Bourj signs Ali Kassas]. Al-Manar (in Arabic). 28 June 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  10. ↑ البرج يتقدم لوصافة الدوري الكروي بتخطيه الساحل [Bourj advances to second place in the football league after surpassing Sahel.]. MTV Lebanon (in Arabic). 23 October 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  11. ↑ علي قصاص ينضم الى الصفاء [Ali Kassas joins Safa]. Al Manar (in Arabic). 24 June 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  12. ↑ بداية مثالية للصفاء والعهد بالدوري اللبناني لكرة القدم [A perfect start for Safa and Ahed in the Lebanese Football League]. MTV Lebanon (in Arabic). 22 September 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  13. ↑ Younes, Tarek (25 February 2025). فوز متأخر للصفاء على الحكمة (0/3) يرفعه للوصافة [A late victory for Safa over Sagesse (3–0) lifts them to second place]. El Maestro Sport (in Arabic). Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  14. ↑ التونسي راضي الجعايدي مدرباً للنجمة اللبناني [Tunisian Radhi Jaïdi appointed as coach of Lebanese club Nejmeh]. Al Arabiya (in Arabic). 13 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  15. ↑ Younes, Tarek (5 August 2026). علي قصاص هداف اللاعبين اللبنانيين في الدوري [Ali Kassas is the top scorer among Lebanese players in the league]. El Maestro Sport (in Arabic). Retrieved 12 August 2026.
  16. ↑ Keuchkerian, Karine (19 September 2022). "Lebanon Concluded Its Journey At The AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers By Scoring A Big Win Against Singapore". the961.com. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
  17. ↑ لبنان يواجه سوريا وديًّا استعدادًا لغرب آسيا تحت 23 عامًا [Lebanon will face Syria in a friendly match in preparation for the WAFF U-23 Championship] (in Arabic). Lebanese Football Association. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  18. ↑ Lebanese Football Association [@thelfadotcom]; (28 August 2025). قائمة منتخبنا الأولمبي المستدعاة للمشاركة في تصفيات كأس آسيا دون 23 عامًا 2026 [Our Olympic team's roster called up to participate in the 2026 AFC U-23 Championship qualifiers] (in Arabic). Retrieved 13 August 2026 – via Instagram.
  19. ↑ الأولمبي اللبناني يسجل اسمه بين كبار آسيا [The Lebanon Olympic team registers its name among the top Asian teams] (in Arabic). Lebanese Football Association. 9 September 2025. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  20. ↑ طه يعلن قائمة المنتخب الأولمبي المشاركة في نهائيات كأس آسيا 2026 ويستعد للانطلاق إلى الرياض [Taha announces the squad for the Olympic team participating in the 2026 AFC U-23 Championship and prepares to depart for Riyadh] (in Arabic). Lebanese Football Association. 1 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  21. ↑ لبنان يخوض وديّة أولى امام الكويت بتشكيلة شبه محلية ووجهين جديدين [Lebanon plays its first friendly match against Kuwait with a semi-local lineup and two new faces]. Lebanese Football Association (in Arabic). 11 December 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  22. ↑ منتخب لبنان يجدّد فوزه على الكويت بهدفين نظيفين [The Lebanon national team renews its victory over Kuwait with two goals without response]. Lebanese Football Association (in Arabic). 15 December 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  23. ↑ علي قصاص: الولد سرّ أبيه [Ali Kassas: like father, like son] (Video) (in Arabic). MTV Sports. 16 February 2025. Retrieved 28 February 2025 – via Facebook.
  24. ↑ "Ali Kassas". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
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