Mohamed Al-Taay

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mohamed Al-Taay

| fullname = Mohamed Huseian Reda Khafaji Al Taay

| image = Mohamed Al-Taay.jpg

| image_size = 200px

| caption = Al-Taay playing for the Wellington Phoenix in 2024.

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|2000|6|15}}

| birth_place = Campbelltown, Australia

| height = 1.72 m

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Western Sydney Wanderers

| clubnumber = 6

| youthyears1 = 2012–2015

| youthclubs1 = Blacktown City

| youthyears2 = 2016

| youthclubs2 = Marconi Stallions FC

| youthyears3 = 2017–2021

| youthclubs3 = Western Sydney Wanderers

| years1 = 2017–2021

| clubs1 = Western Sydney Wanderers NPL

| caps1 = 76

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2020–2021

| clubs2 = Western Sydney Wanderers

| caps2 = 0

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2021–2023

| clubs3 = Newcastle Jets

| caps3 = 29

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2023–2025

| clubs4 = Wellington Phoenix

| caps4 = 36

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2025–

| clubs5 = Western Sydney Wanderers

| caps5 = 8

| goals5 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2024–

| nationalteam1 = Iraq

| nationalcaps1 = 3

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| club-update = 14 May 2025

| nationalteam-update = 6 June 2024

}}

Mohamed Al-Taay ({{langx|ar|محمد الطائي}}; born 15 June 2000) is a professional football midfielder who plays for Western Sydney Wanderers. Born in Australia, he represents the Iraq national team.

Early life

Al-Taay was born in Campbelltown, New South Wales with two older brothers and one younger sister.{{cite web |title=Five things to know about Mohamed Al-Taay |url=https://wellingtonphoenix.com/news/five-things-to-know-about-mohamed-al-taay |publisher=Wellington Phoenix |access-date=12 November 2023 |date=7 June 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Comito |first1=Matt |title=My dad escaped war, chose Australia & worked 20 hours a day so I could make it to the A-Leagues |url=https://aleagues.com.au/news/wellington-phoenix-mohamed-al-taay-aleague-men-2023-24-iraq-asian-cup-2007/ |website=A-League |access-date=23 December 2023 |language=en-AU |date=21 December 2023}} His parents, who hailed from Iraq, fled to Australia in 1994 due to the conflicts under Saddam Hussein. His father fled Iraq in 1991 to a refugee camp in Saudi Arabia before moving to Australia.

Al-Taay began playing football at the age of six with his father and brothers and attended Campbelltown Performing Arts High School growing up.{{cite web |last1=Elmerhebe |first1=Tarik |title=Aspiring soccer teen Mohamed Al-Taay aims high |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/macarthur/aspiring-soccer-teen-mohamed-altaay-aims-high/news-story/8e7e3fad0ced3f1866d1938a8475b977 |website=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=12 November 2023 |date=22 November 2016}} He joined his first football clubs with Blacktown City and Marconi Stallions in their junior age groups.{{cite web |title=Get to know new recruit Mohamed Al-Taay |url=https://www.newcastlejetsfc.com.au/news/get-know-new-recruit-mohamed-al-taay |publisher=Newcastle Jets |access-date=12 November 2023 |date=22 July 2021}}

Despite being born in Australia, Al-Taay developed interest in representing the Iraq national football team.{{cite web |last1=Clarke |first1=George |title=Phoenix new boy Al-Taay targets Iraqi national team |url=https://thewest.com.au/sport/soccer/phoenix-new-boy-al-taay-targets-iraqi-national-team-c-12189959 |website=The West Australian |access-date=12 November 2023 |language=en |date=12 October 2023}} He is a devoted Muslim and frequently participates in Ramadan. Al-Taay is fluent in Arabic and English, having learnt the former first growing up.

Club career

=Newcastle Jets=

Having come through the Western Sydney Wanderers academy and NPL program, Al-Taay joined Newcastle Jets ahead of the 2021–22 season, in the hope of breaking through for his A-League debut.{{Cite web|url=https://newcastlejetsfc.com.au/news/jets-secure-defensive-utility-mohamed-al-taay|title=Jets secure defensive utility Mohamed Al-Taay - Newcastle Jets|website=Newcastlejetsfc.com.au|date=4 July 2021 |access-date=14 December 2021}}

At the conclusion of the 2022–23 A-League season, Al-Taay departed Newcastle after 29 appearances in all competitions across two seasons.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newcastlejetsfc.com.au/news/newcastle-jets-confirm-a-league-men-departures-2|title=Newcastle Jets Confirm A-League Men departures|date=7 May 2023|website=Newcastle Jets FC}}

=Wellington Phoenix=

Al-Taay signed for Wellington Phoenix ahead of the 2023–24 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/132011000/wellington-phoenix-begin-rebuild-with-signing-of-midfielder-mohamed-altaay|title=Wellington Phoenix begin rebuild with signing of midfielder Mohamed Al-Taay|date=11 May 2023|website=Stuff}} On 17 January 2025, Al-Taay was granted an early release from his contract with the Phoenix.{{cite news|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360551857/midfielder-mohamed-al-taay-joins-wellington-phoenix-exodus|title=Midfielder Mohamed Al-Taay joins Wellington Phoenix exodus

|date=17 January 2025|access-date=18 January 2025|website=Stuff|author=Rollo, Phillip}}

=Western Sydney Wanderers=

Following his mid-season release from Wellington, Al-Taay returned to the Western Sydney Wanderers, where he had previously been part of their youth academy.{{Cite web|url=https://wswanderersfc.com.au/news/wanderers-confirm-the-return-of-al-taay/|title=Wanderers confirm the return of Al-Taay|date=23 January 2025|publisher=Western Sydney Wanderers FC}}

International career

On 21 May 2024, Al-Taay was named in Iraq’s 26 man squad for their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Indonesia and Vietnam.{{cite twitter|user=IraqNT_EN|number=1792863484398456852|title=

📋 <img src= " style="width: 0.9em; padding: 0 0.05em"> Our 26-man squad for the #AsianQualifiers with Indonesia and Vietnam: GK: Jalal Hassan, Hussein Hassan, Ali Kadhim, Kumel Saadi DF: Rebin Sulaka, Akam Hashim, Frans Putros, Zaid Tahseen, Manaf Younis, Ahmed Yahya, Ahmed Maknzi, Hussein Ali, Mustafa Saadoun MF: Amir Al-Ammari, Osama Rashid, Safaa Hadi, Mohamed Al-Taay, Ali Jasim, Marko Farji, Bashar Resan, Louai Al-Ani, Zidane Iqbal, Ibrahim Bayesh, Youssef Amyn FW: Aymen Hussein, Mohanad Ali|date=21 May 2024}}{{better source needed|date=February 2025}} He made his debut in the former on 6 June 2024, substituting Osama Rashid in the 86th minute as Iraq beat Indonesia with the score of 2–0.{{cite web|publisher=ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/687447|title=Indonesia v Iraq game report|date=6 June 2024}}

Style of play

Al-Taay is primarily positioned as a defensive midfielder but is also able to play as a centre-back and right back. He is characterised more to be a ball-winning midfielder and is noted for his work rate and defensive abilities by Giancarlo Italiano. He is also described as having a similar playing style towards Cameron Devlin.{{cite web |last1=D'Urbano |first1=Nick |title=Wellington Phoenix start rebuild with 'no-brainer' signing: 'He reminds me of Cam Devlin' |url=https://aleagues.com.au/news/a-league-men-transfers-news-wellington-phoenix-mohamed-al-taay-signing/ |publisher=A-League |access-date=12 November 2023 |language=en-AU |date=11 May 2023}}