Lili Iskandar

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Lili Iskandar

| image = 2020 SAS vs Safa (friendly) 07 (Lili Iskandar).jpg

| caption = Iskandar with SAS in 2020

| fullname = Layla Pascal Iskandar{{GSA player|lili-iskandar/288746|access-date=12 April 2021}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|05|16|df=y}}

| birth_place = Zgharta, Lebanon

| height = 1.72 m

| position = Forward

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Salam Zgharta

| years1 = 2018–2019

| clubs1 = Salam Zgharta

| caps1 =

| goals1 = 10

| years2 = 2019–2021

| clubs2 = SAS

| caps2 =

| goals2 = 15

| years3 = 2021–2022

| clubs3 = HB Køge

| caps3 = 0

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2022–2024

| clubs4 = Etihad

| caps4 = 24

| goals4 = 19

| years5 = 2023–2024

| clubs5 = → Al-Ittihad (loan)

| caps5 = 13

| goals5 = 4

| years6 = 2024–2025

| clubs6 = Al-Ittihad

| caps6 = 18

| goals6 = 6

| nationalyears1 = 2018–2019

| nationalteam1 = Lebanon U18

| nationalcaps1 = 7

| nationalgoals1 = 7

| nationalyears2 = 2019–2020

| nationalteam2 = Lebanon U19

| nationalcaps2 = 6

| nationalgoals2 = 3

| nationalyears3 = 2018–

| nationalteam3 = Lebanon

| nationalcaps3 = 31

| nationalgoals3 = 15

| club-update = 25 April 2025

| nationalteam-update = 1 June 2025

| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport|Women's football}}

{{Medal|Country|{{fbw|Lebanon}}}}

}}

Layla Pascal "Lili" Iskandar ({{langx|ar|ليلى باسكال "ليلي" اسكندر}}; born 16 May 2002) is a Lebanese footballer who plays as a forward for the Lebanon national team.

Starting out at Salam Zgharta in 2018–19, Iskandar moved to reigning champions SAS. In her first season at the club (2019–20), she helped SAS lift their fifth league title, scoring 15 goals in the process. Iskandar joined Danish side HB Køge for the 2021–22 season. In 2022 she moved to Etihad in Jordan, winning the 2023 league title as top goalscorer (14 goals). At the end of the season, Iskandar joined Saudi club Al-Ittihad.

Iskandar represented Lebanon at the youth level, winning the 2019 WAFF U-18 Girls Championship as the competition's top scorer. Iskandar has also played at senior level since 2018. She helped Lebanon finish runners-up at the WAFF Women's Championship in 2022 as the competition's best player, and in third place in 2019.

Club career

= Lebanon =

Iskandar played for hometown club Salam Zgharta during the 2018–19 season, scoring 10 goals.{{Cite web|last=Schöggl|first=Hans|title=Lebanon (Women) 2018/19|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesl/leb-wom2019.html|access-date=9 July 2021|website=RSSSF}}{{Cite web|last=Rocchi|first=Filippo|date=28 March 2021|title=La giovane Layla "Lili" Iskandar alla conquista dell'Europa|url=https://www.calciofemminileitaliano.it/calcio-femminile-internazionale/la-giovane-layla-lili-iskandar-alla-conquista-delleuropa/|access-date=7 April 2020|website=Calcio Femminile Italiano|language=it-IT}} In 2019 she moved to reigning champions SAS. In the final matchday of the season, Iskandar scored a brace against EFP to help her side win the 2019–20 league title.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=1 March 202|title=SAS champions of the 2019–20 Lebanese Women's Football League!|url=https://www.falebanon.com/17706/|access-date=9 July 2021|website=FA Lebanon|language=en}} She ended the season with 15 goals,{{Cite web|last=Nehme|first=Ale|title=Lebanon (Women) 2019/20|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesl/leb-wom2020.html|access-date=9 July 2021|website=RSSSF}} scoring at a rate of more than one goal per game.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=7 September 2020|title=GameChangers: Lili Iskandar's unshakeable dream|url=https://www.the-afc.com/afc-home/technical/womens-football/news/gamechangers-lili-iskandar-s-unshakeable-dream|access-date=7 September 2020|website=The AFC|language=en-GB}}

= HB Køge =

On 9 July 2021, Iskandar joined HB Køge ahead of the 2021–22 Danish Women's League on a one-year contract.{{Cite web|date=9 July 2021|title=|script-title=ar:ليلي اسكندر تنضم إلى نادي HB Køge الدنماركي|trans-title=Lili Iskandar joins Danish club HB Køge|url=https://the-lfa.com/skandar-hbhoge/|access-date=9 July 2021|website=Lebanese Football Association}}

= Etihad =

On 3 July 2022, Iskandar moved to Jordan Women's Pro League club Etihad.{{Cite Instagram|postid=Cfj9GF5IzcZ|user=etihadclubjo|title=Etihad Club officially signs with Lebanon Women’s National Team player Layla Iskandar|date=3 July 2022|author=Etihad Club}} She cited reuniting with former Lebanon national team coach Wael Gharzeddine as the main reason for joining the club.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-08 |title=إسكندر: آمل الفوز بلقب "المحترفات" مع الاتحاد.. ولا أهتم بالأرقام الفردية (فيديو) |url=https://alghad.com/إسكندر-آمل-الفوز-بلقب-المحترفات-مع-ال/ |access-date=2022-08-13 |website=جريدة الغد |language=ar}} Iskandar scored her first goal on 17 July, helping Etihad beat Al-Nasr 3–0 in the league.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-17 |title=الاتحاد يكسب النصر بثلاثية في دوري المحترفات |url=https://alghad.com/الاتحاد-يكسب-النصر-بثلاثية-في-دوري-الم/ |access-date=2022-08-13 |website=جريدة الغد |language=ar}} She finished the season with five goals in 12 games,{{FA Lebanon|24202|access-date=28 July 2023|name=Layla Iskandar}} helping her side finish runners-up in the league and the cup.{{Cite web |date=21 December 2022 |title=نادي الاتحاد يدخل التاريخ في أول مشاركة له |url=https://www.facebook.com/etihadclubjo/posts/pfbid02ZkZXzmmHEnBcAdzhWhUWBVH2mC7ySJsLUysHHTpXSCsawMd99MQcCVvEVSbdSkgNl |access-date=23 December 2022 |publisher=Etihad Club |language=ar |via=Facebook}}

On 2 September 2023, Iskandar led Ettihad to win the 2023 Jordanian-Saudi Women's Clubs Championship as top scorer with four goals.{{Cite web |title=JFA - الاتحاد يتوج بلقب بطولة أندية السيدات 2023 |url=https://www.jfa.com.jo/news.php?id=29380&title=%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%8A%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%AC-%D8%A8%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A8-%D8%A8%D8%B7%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%A3%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AA-2023 |access-date=2023-09-02 |website=JFA - الاتحاد الاردني لكرة القدم |language=ar}} She finished the 2023 Jordan Women's Pro League as top scorer with 14 goals in 12 games, helping Etihad win their first league title.{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/thelfawomen/posts/pfbid0vkxFZ8AmvPf84gNiMbRCG7ESvyUTSYBgUSc3nGJMQqNhx6rThe9R9rohWn3dQVAal |title=الذهب لا يفارق ليلى اسكندر |publisher=Lebanese Women's Football |via=Facebook |language=ar |date=19 September 2023 }}

= Al-Ittihad =

In October 2023, Iskandar joined Al-Ittihad during the 2023–24 Saudi Women's Premier League on loan until the end of the season.{{Cite Instagram|postid=CyYvNM8sv0B|user=falebanon|title=|date=14 October 2023|author=FA Lebanon|script-title=ar:تعاقد نادي الاتحاد السعودي مع الهدافة التاريخية للمنتخب اللبناني ليلى اسكندر|trans-title=Saudi club Al-Ittihad signed the Lebanon national team top scorer Layla Iskandar}}{{Cite Instagram |postid=C9mLuxcMxJw |user=thelfawomen |title= |author=Lebanese Women's Football |date=19 July 2024 |script-title=ar: ليلى اسكندر تنتقل بصفة دائمة لنادي الاتحاد السعودي بعد أن مثّلت الفريق في الموسم الماضي على سبيل الإعارة من نادي الاتحاد الأردني |trans-title=Layla Iskandar is moving to Saudi Arabia on a permanent basis after representing the team last season on loan from Jordanian club Etihad.}} She finished the season with seven goals and one assist in 17 games in all competitions. In July 2024, Al-Ittihad signed her on a permanent contract for one year.{{Cite web |last=Aljadaani |first=Rayan |date=18 July 2024 |title= |script-title=ar:صورة: اتحاد جدة يعلن بقاء نجمة لبنان |trans-title=Photo: Al-Ittihad Jeddah announces the stay of the Lebanese star |url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1341876 |access-date=19 July 2024 |website=Kooora}} Iskandar left the club at the end of the season; she played 31 games over two seasons in the Saudi Women's Premier League, scoring 10 goals in the process.{{Cite web |title=اتحاد جدة ينهي رحلة ليلى إسكندر {{!}} كووورة |url=https://www.kooora.com/%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%85/%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1/%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%AC%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%87%D9%8A-%D8%B1%D8%AD%D9%84%D8%A9-%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%83%D9%86%D8%AF%D8%B1/1409551 |access-date=2025-06-16 |website=www.kooora.com |language=ar}}

International career

= Youth =

Iskandar's first international goal came on her debut for the Lebanon under-19 national team, on 24 October 2018, in a 2019 AFC U-19 Championship qualification match against Hong Kong U19.{{Cite web|date=24 October 2018|title=Match Report of Hong Kong U19 vs Lebanon U19|url=https://globalsportsarchive.com/match/soccer/2018-10-24/hong-kong-u19-vs-lebanon-u19/1336102/|access-date=9 July 2021|website=Global Sports Archive}} She played four games during the qualifiers, scoring once. Iskandar was the top goalscorer of the 2019 WAFF U-18 Championship, which she won, scoring seven goals in five matches.{{Cite web|date=13 August 2020|title=Lebanon Crowned the WAFF U18 Girls Title|url=http://www.the-waff.com/eng/Lebanon-crowned-the-WAFF-U18-title|access-date=9 July 2021|website=The WAFF}}

In December 2020, Iskandar played two friendly games against Egypt U19, a 3–1 defeat and a 3–2 win, scoring in both games.{{Cite web|last=Mahfoud|first=Maroun|date=23 December 2020|title=Lebanon's U-19 lose their first friendly|url=https://www.falebanon.com/lebanons-u-19-lose-their-first-friendly/|access-date=26 December 2020|website=FA Lebanon|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|date=26 December 2020|title=|script-title=ar:فوز شابات لبنان على مصر وديّاً|trans-title=Lebanon's young women beat Egypt in a friendly|url=https://the-lfa.com/%d9%81%d9%88%d8%b2-%d8%b4%d8%a7%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d9%84%d8%a8%d9%86%d8%a7%d9%86-%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%89-%d9%85%d8%b5%d8%b1-%d9%88%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%91%d8%a7%d9%8b/|access-date=28 December 2020|website=Lebanese Football Association|language=ar}} With her two goals against Egypt, Iskandar became the first player to reach 10 goals for the under-18 and under-19 teams.{{Cite instagram|postid=CJVlU7vAS-8|user=falebanon|title=Lili Iskandar needed just 13 matches to reach her 10th goal with the U-19 National Team|date=28 December 2020}}

= Senior =

File:Layla Iskandar(1), training 2025-02-22 (cropped).jpg in 2025]]

Iskandar's senior debut for Lebanon came on 8 November 2018, coming on as a substitute against Iran in a 2020 AFC Olympic qualification match.{{Cite web|date=8 November 2018|title=Match Report of Iran vs Lebanon|url=https://globalsportsarchive.com/match/soccer/2018-11-08/iran-vs-lebanon/1417416/|access-date=8 March 2020|website=Global Sports Archive}} Iskandar also played four games for Lebanon at the 2019 WAFF Championship, helping her team reach third place.{{Cite web|title=WAFF Women's Championship 2019 Bahrain|url=https://globalsportsarchive.com/competition/soccer/waff-womens-championship-2019-bahrain/final-round/37947/|access-date=28 December 2020|website=Global Sports Archive}}

On 24 October 2021, Iskandar scored her first goal in a 2022 AFC Asian Cup qualification game against Guam, which ended in a 3–0 win.{{Cite web|date=24 October 2021|title=Lebanon finish in style|url=https://www.the-afc.com/en/national/afc_womens_asian_cup/news/report_guam_v_lebanon.html|access-date=24 October 2021|website=the-afc.com}} Iskandar took part in the 2022 WAFF Championship; she helped her side finish runners-up as the tournament's best player,{{Cite web |date=5 September 2022 |title= |script-title=ar:الأردن يتوج ببطولة السيدات السابعة.. ويضيف اللقب الخامس إلى سجله |trans-title=Jordan win the seventh women's championship.. and add a fifth title to their record |url=http://www.the-waff.com/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%86-%D9%8A%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%AC-%D8%A8%D8%A8%D8%B7%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%A9-%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%B6%D9%8A%D9%81-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B3-%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AE%D9%87 |access-date=5 September 2022 |website=West Asian Football Federation |language=ar}} scoring one goal against Palestine on 29 August.{{Cite web |title=بطولة غرب اسيا لكرة القدم للسيدات: ثلاثية نظيفة للبنان امام فلسطين |url=https://www.elsport.com/news/show/661370/بطولة-غرب-اسيا-لكرة-القدم-للسيدات-ثلاثية-نظيفة-للب |access-date=2022-08-29 |website=Elsport News |language=ar}} On 8 April 2023, Iskandar scored her first international brace in a 5–0 win against Indonesia in the 2024 AFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament.{{Cite web |date=8 April 2023 |title= |script-title=ar:أول 3 نقاط في التصفيات الأولمبية.. خماسية لبنانية في مرمى إندونيسيا |trans-title=The first 3 points in the Olympic qualifiers... five goals for Lebanon against Indonesia |url=https://www.aljoumhouria.com/ar/news/680926 |access-date=11 April 2023 |website=Al Joumhouria |language=ar}} On 30 September 2023, Iskandar scored in the 102nd minute of the 2023 SAFF Friendly Tournament final, a 1–0 win against Bhutan. In the process, she broke Christy Maalouf's record of eight international goals for Lebanon.{{cite web |url=https://the-lfa.com.lb/news/2023/10/01/news620.php |title=منتخب لبنان بطلاً للبطولة الدولية للسيدات |publisher=Lebanese Football Association |language=ar |date=1 October 2023 }}

Iskandar opened the 2024 WAFF Championship with a hat-trick against Guam on 19 February 2024, helping her side win 4–3; she became the first player to score 10 goals for her national team.{{Cite web |last=Toufaily |first=Assile |date=19 February 2024 |title=WAFF Women’s Championship: Lili Iskandar Offers Lebanon The Win, Jordan Defeats Saudi Arabia |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/assiletoufaily/2024/02/19/waff-womens-championship-lili-iskandar-offers-lebanon-the-win-jordan-defeats-saudi-arabia/ |access-date=19 February 2024 |website=Forbes}} Iskandar's third goal of the match was also the Lebanon women's national team's 100th of all time.{{Cite Instagram |postid=C3k2FXJsp-S |user=thelfawomen |title= |author=Lebanese Football Association |date=20 February 2024 |access-date=21 February 2024 |language=ar |script-title=ar:هدف ليلى اسكندر الثالث الأمس امام غوام هو الهدف رقم ١٠٠ في تاريخ المنتخب}}

Style of play

In her youth, Iskandar was an attacking midfielder with good finishing and capable of creating attacking chances.

Personal life

Iskandar speaks three languages: English, French, and Arabic. Her idol is American footballer Alex Morgan, who she described as a "lady on and off the pitch".{{Cite web|date=5 March 2020|title=New horizons for women's football in Lebanon|url=https://www.fifa.com/womens-football/news/new-horizons-for-women-s-football-in-lebanon?fbclid=IwAR1BhNGOu16jNHdycs86_G8SuKdBVELjUoHj1wKVs5MDCSWnNKmSeoTaACg|access-date=6 March 2020|website=FIFA}}

Career statistics

=Club=

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|National cup{{efn\|Includes Women's Jordan Cup and Saudi Women's Cup}} !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Others !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="2" \|Salam Zgharta \|2018–19 \| rowspan="1" \|LWFL \|5	10	colspan="2" \|—	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2" \|—	5	10
colspan="2" \|Total !5	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	10
rowspan="2" \|SAS \|2019–20 \| rowspan="1" \|LWFL \|14	15	colspan="2" \|—	colspan="2"\|—	4{{efn\|Four appearances and one goal in 2019 WAFF Women's Clubs Championship}}	1	18	16
colspan="2" \|Total !14	15	0	0	0	0	4	1	18	16
rowspan="2" \|HB Køge \|2021–22 \| rowspan="1" \|DWL \| colspan="2" \|—	colspan="2" \|—	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2" \|—	0	0
colspan="2" \|Total !0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
rowspan="3" \|Etihad \|2022 \| rowspan="2" \|JWPL \|12	5	3	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2" \|—	15	5
2023 \|15	14	colspan="2" \|—	colspan="2" \|—	4{{efn\|Four appearances and four goals in 2023 Jordanian-Saudi Women's Clubs Championship}}	4	19	18
colspan="2" \|Total !27	19	3	0	0	0	4	4	34	23
rowspan="3" \|Al-Ittihad \|2023–24 \| rowspan="2" \|SWPL \|14	4	3	3	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2" \|—	17	7
2024–25 \|17	6	1	2	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2" \|—	18	8
colspan="2" \|Total !31	10	4	5	0	0	0	0	35	15
colspan="3" \|Career total !77	54	7	5	0	0	8	5	92	64

=International=

:Scores and results list Lebanon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Iskandar goal.

class="wikitable sortable" \|+ List of international goals scored by Lili Iskandar
scope="col"\|No. !scope="col"\|Date !scope="col"\|Venue !scope="col"\|Opponent !scope="col"\|Score !scope="col"\|Result !scope="col"\|Competition
align="center"\|1 \|{{dts\|24 October 2021}} \|Dolen Omurzakov Stadium, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan \|{{fbw\|GUM}} \|align="center"\|2–0 \|align="center"\|3–0 \|2022 AFC Asian Cup qualification
align="center"\|2 \|{{dts\|29 August 2022}} \|Petra Stadium, Amman, Jordan \|{{fbw\|PLE}} \|align="center"\|3–0 \|align="center"\|3–0 \|2022 WAFF Championship
align="center"\|3 \|{{dts\|22 March 2023}} \|Fouad Chehab Stadium, Jounieh, Lebanon \|{{fbw\|EGY}} \|align="center"\|1–1 \|align="center"\|1–2 \|Friendly
align="center"\|4 \|rowspan="2"\|{{dts\|8 April 2023}} \|rowspan="2"\|Fouad Chehab Stadium, Jounieh, Lebanon \|rowspan="2"\|{{fbw\|IDN}} \|align="center"\|1–0 \|rowspan="2" align="center"\| 5–0 \|rowspan="2"\|2024 AFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament
align="center"\|5 \|align="center"\|5–0
align="center"\|6 \|{{dts\|18 July 2023}} \|Ansar Stadium, Ansar, Lebanon \|{{fbw\|PLE}} \|align="center"\|3–0 \|align="center"\|5–0 \|Friendly
align="center"\|7 \|{{dts\|18 September 2023}} \|King Fahd Sports City, Taif, Saudi Arabia \|{{fbw\|LAO}} \|align="center"\|4–0 \|align="center"\|4–1 \|2023 SAFF Friendly Tournament
align="center"\|8 \|{{dts\|21 September 2023}} \|King Fahd Sports City, Taif, Saudi Arabia \|{{fbw\|BHU}} \|align="center"\|1–0 \|align="center"\|3–2 \|2023 SAFF Friendly Tournament
align="center"\|9 \|{{dts\|30 September 2023}} \|King Fahd Sports City, Taif, Saudi Arabia \|{{fbw\|BHU}} \|align="center"\|1–0 \|align="center"\|1–0 \|2023 SAFF Friendly Tournament
align="center"\|10 \|rowspan="3"\|{{dts\|19 February 2024}} \|rowspan="3"\|King Abdullah Sports City Reserve Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia \|rowspan="3"\|{{fbw\|GUM}} \|align="center"\|1–2 \|rowspan="3" align="center"\|4–3 \|rowspan="3"\|2024 WAFF Championship
align="center"\|11 \|align="center"\|3–3
align="center"\|12 \|align="center"\|4–3
align="center"\|13 \|{{dts\|17 February 2025}} \|Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu, Nepal \|{{fbw\|MYA}} \|align="center"\|1–1 \|align="center"\|1–3 \|2025 Vianet Championship
align="center"\|14 \|{{dts\|29 May 2025}} \|Champville Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon \|{{fbw\|PLE}} \|align="center"\|1–1 \|align="center"\|1–1 \|Friendly
align="center"\|15 \|{{dts\|1 June 2025}} \|Fouad Chehab Stadium, Jounieh, Lebanon \|{{fbw\|PLE}} \|align="center"\|2–1 \|align="center"\|2–1 \|Friendly

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ List of international goals scored by Lili Iskandar

scope="col"|No.

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Venue

!scope="col"|Opponent

!scope="col"|Score

!scope="col"|Result

!scope="col"|Competition

align="center"|1

|{{dts|24 October 2021}}

|Dolen Omurzakov Stadium, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan