Aref Al-Haj

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Aref Al-Haj

| image =

| fullname = Aref Haitham Aref Al Haj Mohammad

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2001|5|28|df=y}}

| birth_place = Irbid, Jordan

| height = 1.77 m

| currentclub = Al-Hussein

| clubnumber = 77

| position = Winger

| youthyears1 = –2022

| youthclubs1 = Al-Sareeh

| years1 = 2022–2024

| clubs1 = Al-Sareeh

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 2022–2023

| clubs2 = →Jabal Al-Mukaber (loan)

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| years3 = 2023–2024

| clubs3 = →Al-Faisaly (loan)

| caps3 =

| goals3 =

| years4 = 2024–

| clubs4 = Al-Hussein

| caps4 =

| goals4 =

| nationalyears1 = 2024

| nationalteam1 = Jordan U-23

| nationalcaps1 = 8

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| nationalyears2 = 2024–

| nationalteam2 = Jordan

| nationalcaps2 = 2

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| pcupdate =

| ntupdate = 3 October 2024

}}

Aref Haitham Aref Al Haj Mohammad ({{langx|ar|عَارِف هَيْثَم عَارِف الْحَاجّ مُحَمَّد}}; born 28 May 2001) is a Jordanian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Jordanian Pro League side Al-Hussein SC and the Jordan national team.

Club career

=Al-Sareeh=

Born in Irbid, Aref is a youth product of Al-Sareeh.{{cite web|website=Kooora.com |title=الوحدات يطلب استعارة نجم الصريح|url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1230534&pg=1&o=n3171958|publisher=Kooora|language=Arabic |last1=Hassouna|first1=Fawzi|date=9 April 2023}}

==Jabal Al-Mukaber (loan)==

Following his promotion to Al-Sareeh's first team, he was loaned out to Palestinian club Jabal Al-Mukaber, where he became one of the main contributors to their 2023 West Bank Premier League title.{{cite web |last1=Hassouna |first1=Fawzi |title=الوحدات يطلب استعارة نجم الصريح |url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1230534&pg=1&o=n3171958 |website=Kooora.com |publisher=Kooora |language=Arabic}}

==Al-Faisaly (loan)==

Jordanian clubs such as Al-Wehdat and Al-Hussein were interested in Aref Al-Haj, following the relegation of Al-Sareeh from the Jordanian first tier.{{cite web |last1=Hassouna |first1=Fawzi |title=الوحدات يطلب استعارة نجم الصريح |url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1230534&pg=1&o=n3171958 |website=Kooora.com |publisher=Kooora |language=Arabic}}{{cite web |title=عارف الحاج على أعتاب الحسين إربد|url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1254112&pg=1&o=n3171958|website=Kooora.com |publisher=Kooora |language=Arabic|date=16 May 2023}} However, on 12 July 2023, Aref Al-Haj signed a season-long loan deal with Al-Faisaly SC.{{cite web |title=الفيصلي يتعاقد مع نجم الصريح|url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1254112&pg=1&o=n3171958|website=Kooora.com |publisher=Kooora |language=Arabic|date=12 July 2023}}

He was a contributor to Al-Faisaly's first-ever AFC Champions League win, by scoring in the 85 minute mark against Al-Sadd.{{cite web |title=Hayel urges Al Faisaly to push on after landmark victory |url=https://www.the-afc.com/en/club/afc_champions_league/news/hayel_urges_al_faisaly_to_push_on_after_landmark_victory.html |website=the-afc.com |publisher=AFC |date=6 November 2023}}{{cite web |title=Al Faisaly record first-ever AFC CL victory |url=https://www.gulf-times.com/article/671395/sports/al-faisaly-record-first-ever-afc-cl-victory |website=Gulf Times |publisher=AFC |date=7 November 2023}}

Aref Al-Haj finished his loan tenure with 9 goals and 10 assists.{{cite web |title=رسميا.. عارف الحاج ينتقل للحسين إربد |url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1341497&pg=1&o=n3171958 |website=kooora.com |publisher=Kooora |language=Arabic |date=16 July 2024}}

=Al-Hussein=

On 16 July 2024, Aref Al-Haj signed a permanent contract with Al-Hussein SC.{{cite web |title=رسميا.. عارف الحاج ينتقل للحسين إربد |url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1341497&pg=1&o=n3171958 |website=kooora.com |publisher=Kooora |language=Arabic |date=16 July 2024}}

International career

Al-Haj was a youth international for Jordan, having represented the Jordanian under-23 team at the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup that took place in Qatar.{{cite web |url=https://www.jfa.jo/news.php?id=29736&title=%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B7%D9%86%D9%8A-%D8%AA23-%D9%8A%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%86-%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%85%D8%AA%D9%87-%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%B7%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%BA%D8%B1%D8%A8-%D8%A2%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9|title=إعلان القائمة الأولية للمنتخب الوطني ت23 لمعسكر قطر والنهائيات الآسيوية|trans-title=Announcing the preliminary list of the U23 national team for the Qatar camp and the Asian Cup finals|publisher=Jordan Football Association|date=6 April 2024}} In December 2023, Al-Haj was included in the Jordan national team for the preliminary 30-man squad for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.{{cite news|title=قائمة النشامى الأولية للنهائيات الآسيوية 🇯🇴|trans-title=Al-Nashama preliminary list for the Asian Finals 🇯🇴|url=https://twitter.com/JordanFA/status/1737197089174540493|publisher=Jordan Football Association|website=Twitter|date=20 December 2023|access-date=23 December 2023|language=ar}} However, he failed to make the cut.{{cite news|title=قائمة النشامى لنهائيات كأس آسيا 🇯🇴|trans-title=Al-Nashama list for the Asian Cup Finals 🇯🇴

|url=https://twitter.com/JordanFA/status/1741356148530299195|publisher=Jordan Football Association|website=Twitter|date=31 December 2023|access-date=1 January 2024|language=ar}}

Playing style

Aref Al-Haj is described as a tall and graceful player, who has exceptional close control, dazzling feet, a real eye for a pass and strong finishing ability.{{cite web |title=Korea Republic shine in Men's Olympic Football Tournament warm-up |url=https://www.fifa.com/en/news/articles/korea-republic-shine-in-mens-olympic-football-tournament-warm-up |website=fifa.com |publisher=FIFA |date=28 March 2024}} He is capable of playing at an advanced role on the right, in behind a central striker or as a part of a front two.{{cite web |title=Korea Republic shine in Men's Olympic Football Tournament warm-up |url=https://www.fifa.com/en/news/articles/korea-republic-shine-in-mens-olympic-football-tournament-warm-up |website=fifa.com |publisher=FIFA |date=28 March 2024}}

Career statistics

=Club=

{{updated|8 August 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://ca.soccerway.com/players/aref-haitham-aref-al-haj-mohammad/930376/|title=Aref Al-Haj|website=Soccerway|access-date=25 August 2024}}

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Cup{{Efn\|Includes Jordan FA Cup}} !colspan="2"\|League Cup{{Efn\|Includes Jordan Shield Cup}} !colspan="2"\|Continental{{Efn\|Includes AFC Champions League and AFC Champions League Two}} !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="2" valign="center"\|Al-Faisaly \|2023–24 \|Jordanian Pro League \|0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
colspan="2" \| Total !0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0\|\|0
rowspan="2" valign="center"\|Al-Hussein \|2024–25 \|Jordanian Pro League \|0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
colspan="2" \| Career total !0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0