Karim Mekkaoui

Karim Mekkaoui
Mekkaoui in 2026
Personal information
Full name Karim Muhieddine Mekkaoui[1]
Date of birth (2001-04-19) 19 April 2001
Place of birth Beirut, Lebanon[1]
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position Winger
Team information
Current team
 Ethnikos Achna
Youth career
2017–2018 Safa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2021 Racing Beirut
2021–2022 Othellos Athienou 16 (2)
2022–2023 Ayia Napa 25 (3)
2023–2026 Omonia Aradippou 55 (6)
2026 Doxa Katokopias 4 (0)
2026– Ethnikos Achna 0 (0)
International career‡
2019 Lebanon U19 3 (1)
2021–2023 Lebanon U23 10 (1)
2025– Lebanon 3 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 3 May 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 8 September 2025

Karim Muhieddine Mekkaoui (Arabic: كريم محيي الدين مكاوي; born 19 April 2001) is a Lebanese professional footballer who plays as a winger for Cypriot club Ethnikos Achna and the Lebanon national team.

Club career

Racing Beirut

Mekkaoui played for Lebanese side Safa's youth team in 2017, but left due to limited senior playing time.[2] He joined Racing Beirut mid-2017–18 season in 2018,[2] and made his Lebanese Premier League debut under coach Roda Antar aged 16.[3] He "quickly caught the eye with his skills, high technique, and scoring sense" while playing for the club.[4] Mekkaoui was awarded the 2018–19 Lebanese Premier League Best Young Player while playing for them.[5] Following this season, Mekkaoui had a trial with Dutch club AZ Alkmaar, but did not sign due to passport-related issues.[2]

Cyprus

In 2021, Mekkaoui signed for Cypriot Second Division side Othellos Athienou on a two-year contract,[6] and scored twice in 16 games in the 2021–22 season.[7] In 2022, Mekkaoui signed for Second Division side Ayia Napa,[8] making 25 league appearances and scoring three goals in 2022–23.[9] In 2023, he moved to side Omonia Aradippou,[10] helping the club achieve promotion to the Cypriot First Division in his first season.[3] Mekkaoui played 55 games between 2023 and 2026, scoring six goals in the process.[7]

On 28 January 2026, Mekkaoui joined Doxa Katokopias mid-2025–26 Second Division.[7] During a match against Omonia 29M on 21 February, he suffered a pelvic fracture and was sidelined for the rest of the season.[11] On 6 July 2026, Mekkaoui moved to newly-relegated Second Division side Ethnikos Achna, ahead of the 2026–27 season.[12]

International career

Mekkaoui played for Lebanon internationally at the under-14 level and progressed through the youth teams.[2] He played for the under-23 team at the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification.[13]

Mekkaoui was first called up to the Lebanon national team ahead of the friendly match against Oman on 28 May 2025,[14] and made his debut as a second-half substitute.[15]

Personal life

Mekkaoui cited France international Paul Pogba and Lebanon international Mohamad Haidar as his football idols. He is a supporter of the Portugal national team and Spanish side Real Madrid.[16]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 21 February 2026[1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cypriot Cup Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Othellos Athienou 2021–22[17] Cypriot Second Division 162—162
Ayia Napa 2022–23[9] Cypriot Second Division 253—253
Omonia Aradippou 2023–24[18] Cypriot Second Division 25510265
2024–25[19] Cypriot First Division 20121222
2025–26[20] Cypriot First Division 10020120
Total 55651607
Doxa Katokopias 2025–26[21] Cypriot Second Division 400040
Ethnikos Achna 2026–27 Cypriot Second Division 000000
Career total 100115110512

International

As of match played 8 September 2025[22]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Lebanon 202530
Total 30

Honours

Individual

Omonia Aradippou

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Karim Mekkaoui". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 4 March 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 The whistlepodcast (14 May 2026). Interview with Karim Mekkaoui (Video) (in Arabic). Retrieved 21 May 2026 – via YouTube.
  3. 1 2 كريم مكاوي في لبنان [Karim Mekkaoui in Lebanon]. Time Out Super Sport (in Arabic). 15 June 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  4. ↑ كريم مكاوي موهبة جديدة على الساحة الكروية [Karim Mekkaoui is a new talent on the football scene]. Nida Al Watan (in Arabic). 3 August 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 مهرجان كرة المنار الـ 23: حسن معتوق أفضل لاعب في لبنان [Al-Manar Football Festival 23: Hassan Maatouk, best player in Lebanon]. Al-Manar (in Arabic). 13 June 2019. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  6. ↑ "Karim Mekkaoui". Othellos Athienou FC. Retrieved 24 July 2026 – via Facebook.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. 1 2 3 Το Σωματείο ΔΟΞΑ Θ.Ο.Ι. ΚΑΤΩΚΟΠΙΑΣ ανακοινώνει την απόκτηση του ποδοσφαιριστή Karim Mekkaoui από την Ομόνοια Αραδίππου. [Doxa Katokopias FC announces the acquisition of Karim Mekkaoui from Omonia Aradippou] (in Greek). Doxa Katokopias FC. 28 January 2026. Retrieved 24 July 2026 – via Facebook.
  8. ↑ Khaled, Nasser (20 June 2022). مكاوي ينتقل إلى أيا نابا القبرصي [Mekkaoui moves to Ayia Napa, Cyprus]. Kooora (in Arabic). Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Karim Mekkaoui – 2022–2023". Cyprus Football Association (in Greek). Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "Omonoia Aradippou's newest signing". Omonia Aradippou. 5 August 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2026 – via Facebook.
  11. ↑ Άτυχος στάθηκε ο ποδοσφαιριστής μας Καρίμ Μεκαουί στο παιχνίδι με την Ομόνοια 29Μ, καθώς υπέστη κάταγμα περόνης [Our footballer Karim Mekkaoui was unlucky in the game with Omonia 29M, as he suffered a pelvis fracture]. Doxa Katokopias FC (in Greek). 22 February 2026. Retrieved 24 July 2026 – via Facebook.
  12. ↑ "@karimmekkaoui is BLUE". Ethnikos Achna FC. 6 July 2026. Retrieved 24 July 2026 – via Facebook.
  13. ↑ بعثة المنتخب الأولمبي تغادر إلى أبها غدًا [Lebanon Olympic team leaves for Abha] (in Arabic). Lebanese Football Association. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  14. ↑ عودة بيطار ولحود واستدعاء مكاوي وفرحات للمرّة الأولى الى منتخب لبنان [Bitar and Lajud return, and Mekkaoui and Farhat are called up to the Lebanon national team for the first time]. Lebanese Football Association (in Arabic). 21 May 2025. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  15. ↑ خسارة وديّة للبنان امام عُمان بهدفٍ وحيد [Lebanon suffered a friendly defeat against Oman, losing by a single goal]. Lebanese Football Association (in Arabic). 28 May 2025. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  16. ↑ Saad, Abdulkader (7 February 2019). مواهب لبنان البعض أخذوا فرصهم... وكثر ينتظرون [Some Lebanese talents have seized their opportunities... and many more are waiting] (in Arabic). Al-Akhbar. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  17. ↑ "Karim Mekkaoui – 2021–2022". Cyprus Football Association (in Greek). Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  18. ↑ "Karim Mekkaoui – 2023–2024". Cyprus Football Association (in Greek). Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  19. ↑ "Karim Mekkaoui – 2024–2025". Cyprus Football Association (in Greek). Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  20. ↑ "Karim Mekkaoui – 2025–2026 (Omonia Aradippou)". Cyprus Football Association (in Greek). Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "Karim Mekkaoui – 2025–2026 (Doxa Katokopias)". Cyprus Football Association (in Greek). Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  22. ↑ "Karim Mekkaoui". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
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