Andrew Sawaya

Andrew Kameel Sawaya (Arabic: أندرو كميل صوايا; born 30 April 2000) is a Lebanese footballer who plays as a right-back for Lebanese Premier League club Safa and the Lebanon national team.

In this Lebanese name, the father's name is Kameel and the family name is Sawaya.
Andrew Sawaya
Sawaya with Nejmeh in 2022
Personal information
Full name Andrew Kameel Sawaya[1]
Date of birth (2000-04-30) 30 April 2000
Place of birth Dhour El Choueir, Lebanon[1]
Position(s) Right-back
Team information
Current team
 Safa
Youth career
2005–2012 Al Ain
2012–2017 Athletico
2017–2018 Nejmeh
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2022 Nejmeh 36 (1)
2022–2023 Ahed 11 (0)
2023– Safa 0 (0)
International career‡
2017 Lebanon U19 2 (0)
2019–2021 Lebanon U23 4 (0)
2022– Lebanon 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 May 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 December 2022

Club career

Born in Dhour El Choueir, Lebanon,[1] Sawaya moved to the United Arab Emirates aged five, where he lived for seven years.[2] During this time, he played for the academy of Al Ain.[2] In 2012, he moved back to Lebanon, playing for the Athletico football academy for five years.[2]

In July 2017, Sawaya joined Nejmeh, initially playing for both the youth and senior teams.[3] He made one appearance in the 2017–18 Lebanese Premier League, on 15 April 2018, as a starter in a 3–1 defeat to Ahed.[4] Sawaya scored against cross-city rivals Ansar in the 2021–22 league season, to help Nejmeh win 1–0.[5]

On 13 June 2022, Sawaya moved to Ahed on a free contract.[6] After one season, Sawaya moved to Safa on 13 May 2023, also based in Beirut.[7]

International career

Sawaya represented Lebanon internationally at youth level, and was called up to the senior team's training camp ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[6] He made his senior debut on 30 December 2022, in a 1–0 friendly defeat to the United Arab Emirates.[8]

Style of play

Sawaya initially started out as a forward and winger during his youth career; he later developed into a right-back.[2] He has been likened to former Lebanese international Ali Hamam.[2] Sawaya stated that he drew inspiration from former German international Philipp Lahm.[2]

Career statistics

International
As of match played 30 December 2022[9]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Lebanon 202210
Total 10

Honours

Nejmeh

Ahed

References
  1. "Andrew Sawaya". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  2. تحدث لاعب النجمة اندرو صوايا اثناء حلوله ضيفاً على محمود ترحيني في برنامج ريبلاي عن قدرة فريقه على مقارعة الانصار والعهد على لقب الدوري اللبناني فماذا قال؟ (Television production) (in Arabic). Aljadeed Sport. 5 November 2020.
  3. "الشاب آندرو صوايا لصفوف النجمة". Elsport News (in Arabic). Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  4. "Al Nejmeh vs. Al Ahed – 15 April 2018 – Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  5. "«الدربي» يقحم النجمة بالمنافسة ويبعد الأنصار عنها". الأخبار (in Arabic). Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  6. Al Ahed FC [@alahedfc] (13 June 2022). "وقع على كشوفات نادي العهد الرياضي اللاعب أندرو صوايا (مدافع-ظهير) مواليد سنة ٢٠٠٠" – via Instagram.
  7. "الصفاء يبرم ثامن صفقاته". كووورة. 13 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  8. "UAE 1–0 Lebanon". FA Lebanon. 30 December 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  9. "Andrew Sawaya". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
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