Mahdi Zein

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mahdi Zein

| image = 2020-21 Shabab Bourj vs Nejmeh 03 (Mahdi Zein).jpg

| caption = Zein with Nejmeh in 2020

| fullname = Mahdi Wissam Zein{{GSA player|mahdi-zein/140519|access-date=22 August 2021}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|5|23|df=y}}

| birth_place = Burj el-Shemali, Lebanon

| height = 1.70 m{{cite web |url=https://fdp.fifa.org/assetspublic/ce14/pdf/SquadLists-English.pdf |title=FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021: List of players: Lebanon |publisher=FIFA |page=9 |date=4 December 2021 |access-date=13 December 2022 |archive-date=3 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230303000411/https://fdp.fifa.org/assetspublic/ce14/pdf/SquadLists-English.pdf |url-status=live }}

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Nejmeh

| clubnumber = 10

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Nejmeh

| years1 = 2020–

| clubs1 = Nejmeh

| caps1 = 89

| goals1 = 5

| nationalyears1 = 2015

| nationalteam1 = Lebanon U16

| nationalcaps1 = 3

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2017

| nationalteam2 = Lebanon U19

| nationalcaps2 = 1

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 2021

| nationalteam3 = Lebanon U23

| nationalcaps3 = 6

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| nationalyears4 = 2021–2023

| nationalteam4 = Lebanon

| nationalcaps4 = 15

| nationalgoals4 = 1

| club-update = 20:14, 12 March 2025 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update = 31 December 2023

}}

Mahdi Wissam Zein ({{langx|ar|مَهْدِيّ وِسَام الزَّيْن}}; born 23 May 2000) is a Lebanese footballer who plays as a midfielder for {{Lebanese football updater|Nejmeh}} club Nejmeh.

Club career

On 29 April 2019, Nejmeh renewed the contract of Zein for five years, renewable for two additional seasons.{{Cite web|date=2019-07-09|title=النجمة يجدد عقد مهدي الزين|url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=811125|access-date=2021-08-22|website=كووورة|archive-date=22 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822203211/https://www.kooora.com/?n=811125|url-status=live}} On 2 April 2021, Zein scored his first senior goal against Shabab Sahel, helping his side win 3–0 in the league.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-02|title=بالصور: النجمة يحافظ على الصدارة بثلاثية في شباك الساحل|url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1017852|access-date=2021-08-22|website=كووورة|archive-date=22 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822211558/https://www.kooora.com/?n=1017852|url-status=live}} In July 2024, Zein renewed his contract with Nejmeh for 2 more years. {{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=908223141337705&set=pcb.908223294671023|title=Facebook|website=www.facebook.com}}

International career

File:Iran v Lebanon, 29 March 2022 (Fars) 19.jpg against Iran in 2022]]

Zein represented Lebanon at under-16, under-19 and under-23 levels. His senior debut came on 4 December 2021, as a substitute in a 2–0 defeat to Algeria in the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup.{{Cite web|title=Match Report of Lebanon vs Algeria - 2021-12-04 - FIFA Arab Cup - Global Sports Archive|url=https://globalsportsarchive.com/match/soccer/2021-12-04/lebanon-vs-algeria/2373634/|access-date=2021-12-04|website=globalsportsarchive.com|archive-date=4 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204152701/https://globalsportsarchive.com/match/soccer/2021-12-04/lebanon-vs-algeria/2373634/|url-status=live}} On 25 June 2023, Zein scored his first senior international goal in a 4–1 win against Bhutan in the 2023 SAFF Championship.{{Cite web |title=Lebanon thrash Bhutan, put one foot in semis |url=https://www.the-aiff.com/article/lebanon-thrash-bhutan-put-one-foot-in-semis |access-date=2023-06-25 |website=www.the-aiff.com}}

Style of play

Regarded as one of Lebanon's most promising players,{{Cite web |date=2022-06-03 |title=تقرير كووورة.. 5 مواهب خطفت الأنظار في الدوري اللبناني |url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1144660 |access-date=2022-06-05 |website=كووورة |archive-date=5 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220605000635/https://www.kooora.com/?n=1144660 |url-status=live }} Zein is a playmaking midfielder, capable of moving play from the defence to the attack.{{Cite web|title=مهدي الزين ليس أفضل ناشئ في لبنان|url=https://arabindependent.com/?p=10281|access-date=2021-11-24|website=العربي المستقل|language=ar|archive-date=24 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211124163154/https://arabindependent.com/?p=10281|url-status=live}} His main abilities are his through passes and ball control.

Personal life

Mahdi Zein's paternal uncle, Haitham Zein, is a former Lebanese international.{{Cite web|last=Hijazi|first=Alloffs|date=2021-08-08|title=الهداف مهدي الزين يعيد سيرة عمه هيثم الزين|url=https://elmaestrosport.com/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81-%D9%85%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B2%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%8A%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%87-%D9%87%D9%8A%D8%AB%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84/|access-date=2021-08-09|website=El Maestro Sport|language=ar|archive-date=9 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210809184513/https://elmaestrosport.com/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81-%D9%85%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B2%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%8A%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%87-%D9%87%D9%8A%D8%AB%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84/|url-status=live}}

Career statistics

= International =

National team	Year	Apps
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+Appearances and goals by national team and year
rowspan="3" \|Lebanon \|2021	2	0
2022	3	0
2023	10	1
colspan="2" \|Total !15	1

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

class="wikitable sortable" \|+ List of international goals scored by Mehdi Zein
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\|25 June 2023}} \|Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bangalore, India \|{{fb\|BHU}} \|align="center"\|4–0 \|align="center"\|4–1 \|2023 SAFF Championship

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ List of international goals scored by Mehdi Zein

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|25 June 2023}}

|Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bangalore, India