Mostafa Matar

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mostafa Matar

| image = Mostafa Matar, Ahed 2021 AFC Cup (cropped).jpg

| caption = Matar with Ahed in 2021

| fullname = Mostafa Ali Matar

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|09|10|df=y}}

| birth_place = Miniyeh, Lebanon{{GSA player|mostafa-matar/55022|access-date=2019-08-13}}

| height = 1.85 m{{Cite web |title=AFC Asian Cup 2023 Qatar Squad Lists |url=https://assets.the-afc.com/2023_AFC_Asian_Cup/Squad_Lists/AFC-Asian-Cup-2023%E2%84%A2-Qatar-Squad-Lists.pdf |access-date=4 January 2022 |publisher=Asian Football Confederation |page=13 |archive-date=4 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104040059/https://assets.the-afc.com/2023_AFC_Asian_Cup/Squad_Lists/AFC-Asian-Cup-2023%E2%84%A2-Qatar-Squad-Lists.pdf |url-status=dead }}{{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=29 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329114842/https://fdp.fifa.org/assetspublic/ce14/pdf/SquadLists-English.pdf |url-status=live }}

| position = Goalkeeper

| currentclub = Safa

| clubnumber = 95

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 2015–2020

| clubs1 = Salam Zgharta

| caps1 = 63

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2020–2024

| clubs2 = Ahed

| caps2 = 44

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2020–2021

| clubs3 = → Tripoli (loan)

| caps3 = 10

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2022–2023

| clubs4 = → Al-Orobah (loan)

| caps4 = 23

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2024–

| clubs5 = Safa

| caps5 = 10

| goals5 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2017

| nationalteam1 = Lebanon U23

| nationalcaps1 = 3

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2018–

| nationalteam2 = Lebanon

| nationalcaps2 = 36

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| club-update = 23 April 2025

| nationalteam-update = 29 May 2025

}}

Mostafa Ali Matar ({{Langx|ar|مصطفى علي مطر}}, {{IPA|apc-LB|ˈmosˤtˤɑfa mɑtˤɑr}}; born 10 September 1995) is a Lebanese footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for {{Lebanese football updater|Safa}} club Safa and the Lebanon national team.

Matar began his senior career in 2015 with Salam Zgharta in the Lebanese Premier League. In summer 2020, he joined league champions Ahed for a national-record fee of LBP 525 million, and was promptly moved to Tripoli on a one-year loan. Matar returned to Ahed in 2021 and was their first-choice goalkeeper in their 2021–22 league title win. In summer 2022, he moved to Saudi side Al-Orobah on loan.

Having represented Lebanon internationally at under-23 level, Matar was called up for the senior team to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. He made his senior debut at the 2019 WAFF Championship, and participated in the qualifications for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Club career

File:2020-21 Tripoli vs Tadamon Sour 01.jpg against Tadamon Sour in 2020]]

Following five years at Salam Zgharta, Matar joined AFC Cup champions Ahed on 2 July 2020, on a five-year deal for £L525 million (around $333,000).{{Cite web|last=Mahfoud|first=Maroun|date=2020-07-02|title=Official: Mostafa Matar joins Al Ahed FC|url=https://www.falebanon.com/official-mostafa-matar-joins-al-ahed-fc/|access-date=2020-07-02|website=FA Lebanon|language=en-US|archive-date=5 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605053530/https://www.falebanon.com/official-mostafa-matar-joins-al-ahed-fc/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Khaled|first=Nasser|date=1 August 2020|title=|script-title=ar:حراس المرمى.. رقم صعب في معادلة الكرة اللبنانية|trans-title=Goalkeepers ... a difficult number in the Lebanese football equation|url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=942192&pg=4&o=nclb|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605053529/https://www.kooora.com/?n=942192&pg=4&o=nclb|archive-date=5 June 2023|access-date=9 August 2020|website=kooora.com|url-status=live}} The fee was the highest ever paid by a Lebanese club.{{Cite web|last=Mahfoud|first=Maroun|date=2020-07-09|title=Official: Al Ahed FC loans out Ali Daher to Shabab Al Sahel|url=https://www.falebanon.com/official-al-ahed-fc-loans-out-ali-daher-to-shabab-al-sahel-2/|access-date=2020-07-09|website=FA Lebanon|language=en-US|archive-date=5 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605053532/https://www.falebanon.com/official-al-ahed-fc-loans-out-ali-daher-to-shabab-al-sahel-2/|url-status=live}} He joined Tripoli on a one-year loan on 29 September 2020.{{Cite web|last=Abdallah|first=Rakan|date=2020-09-28|title=Swap deal between Ahed FC and AC Tripoli|url=https://www.falebanon.com/swap-deal-between-ahed-fc-and-ac-tripoli/|access-date=2020-09-28|website=FA Lebanon|language=en-GB|archive-date=5 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005160440/https://www.falebanon.com/swap-deal-between-ahed-fc-and-ac-tripoli/|url-status=live}} He returned from the loan on 5 May 2021,{{Cite web|last=Mahfoud|first=Maroun|date=2021-05-05|title=Ahed's players return from loan|url=https://www.falebanon.com/26860/|access-date=2021-05-05|website=FA Lebanon|language=en-GB|archive-date=10 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610171554/https://www.falebanon.com/26860/|url-status=live}} and was Ahed's main goalkeeper in their 2021–22 league title win, conceding only six goals in 19 games.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-19 |title=الإدارة والنجوم على رأس أسباب حسم العهد لقب الدوري اللبناني |url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1131991 |access-date=2022-06-21 |website=كووورة |archive-date=5 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605140317/https://www.kooora.com/?n=1131991 |url-status=live }}

On 21 June 2022, Matar moved to Al-Orobah in the Saudi First Division League on a 10-month loan.{{Cite web |date=2022-06-21 |title=اللبناني مصطفى مطر يوقع للعروبة السعودي |url=https://www.kooora.com/?n=1149748 |access-date=2022-06-21 |website=كووورة |archive-date=5 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605053530/https://www.kooora.com/?n=1149748 |url-status=live }}

He returned to Ahed ahead of the 2023–24 Lebanese Premier League season, filling the gap of Mehdi Khalil who had left on loan to Jordan.{{Cn|date=October 2023}}

Prior to the 2024–25 Lebanese Premier League, Matar moved to Safa on a five-year contract.https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=479435964828560&set=a.138908352214658 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}

International career

File:Iran v Lebanon, 29 March 2022 (Tasnim) 17.jpg against Iran in 2022]]

= 2017–2019: Early career =

Matar played for the Lebanon national under-23 team at the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship qualification, and was their captain on one occasion.{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldfootball.com/m/538043/2017-07-19/afc-u-23-qualifiers/lebanon-u23/nepal-u23|title=Lebanon U23 vs Nepal U23 2 - 0 {{!}} AFC U-23 Qualifiers {{!}} 2018 China PR {{!}} Group Stage {{!}} World Football|website=www.worldfootball.com|access-date=7 January 2019|archive-date=27 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127114725/http://www.worldfootball.com/m/538043/2017-07-19/afc-u-23-qualifiers/lebanon-u23/nepal-u23|url-status=dead}}

In December 2018, Matar was called up for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup squad for the senior team.{{Cite web |title=AC2019 Final Squads |url=https://assets.the-afc.com/migration/a/f/afc-asian-cup-uae-2019-complete-squad-lists |access-date=25 June 2022 |publisher=Asian Football Confederation |page=19 |archive-date=4 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004190231/https://assets.the-afc.com/migration/a/f/afc-asian-cup-uae-2019-complete-squad-lists |url-status=live }} His debut came on 8 August 2019, against Yemen at the 2019 WAFF Championship.{{Cite web|url=http://www.kooora.com/?n=837962|title=قدوح يقود تشكيلة لبنان أمام اليمن|website=كووورة|date=8 August 2019|access-date=2019-08-08|archive-date=6 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606043610/https://www.kooora.com/?n=837962|url-status=live}}

= 2021–present: Breakthrough =

Having been called-up as Lebanon's third-choice keeper, Matar played as a starter in the third round of qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, following Mehdi Khalil's ACL injury and Ali Daher resulting positive to COVID-19.{{Cite web|title=مصطفى مطر: "طريق منتخب لبنان طويل ولا أخشى أي مهاجم"|url=http://lebanonfg.com/single/3067|access-date=2021-09-28|website=lebanonfg.com|language=en|archive-date=7 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607184804/http://lebanonfg.com/single/3067|url-status=dead}} He kept a clean sheet in a 0–0 draw against the United Arab Emirates in the opening game, and was nominated Man of the Match.{{Cite web|title=مصطفى مطر رجل مباراة لبنان والامارات|url=https://www.elsport.com/news/show/615032/%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B7%D9%81%D9%89-%D9%85%D8%B7%D8%B1-%D8%B1%D8%AC%D9%84-%D9%85%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A9-%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA|access-date=2021-09-02|website=Elsport News|language=ar|archive-date=5 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605053535/https://www.elsport.com/news/show/615032/%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B7%D9%81%D9%89-%D9%85%D8%B7%D8%B1-%D8%B1%D8%AC%D9%84-%D9%85%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A9-%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA|url-status=live}} Matar continued playing as a starter for Lebanon at the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup in December 2021 where, despite having conceded three goals to Egypt and Algeria, he was praised for his performances.{{cn|date=November 2023}}

In December 2023, Matar was included in the Lebanese squad for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.{{cite web|title=منتخب لبنان يعلن تشكيلته إلى كأس آسيا|trans-title=The Lebanon national team announces its squad for the Asian Cup|url=https://the-lfa.com.lb/news/Asian_cup23-squad-list.php|publisher=Lebanese Football Association|date=30 December 2023|access-date=30 December 2023|language=ar|archive-date=1 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101093737/https://the-lfa.com.lb/news/Asian_cup23-squad-list.php|url-status=live}}

Style of play

A good shot-stopper, Matar is a quick and agile goalkeeper with good positioning and handling.{{Cite web|url=https://lebfootballreview.com/2019/01/09/the-final-23-who-are-they/|title=The final 23: who are they?|date=2019-01-09|website=Lebanese Football Review|language=en|access-date=2019-07-27|archive-date=15 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415062437/https://lebfootballreview.com/2019/01/09/the-final-23-who-are-they/|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="8" \|Lebanon \|2018	1	0
2019	2	0
2020	0	0
2021	9	0
2022	4	0
2023	5	0
2024	12	0
2025	3	0
colspan="2" \|Total !36	0

Honours

Ahed

Individual

Lebanese Premier League Team of the Season: 2016–17{{Cite web|url=http://www.al-binaa.com/archives/article/166927|title=مهرجان كرة المنار الـ 21 لونه "أصفر"|last=|language=AR|access-date=26 February 2019|archive-date=31 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531165725/http://www.al-binaa.com/archives/article/166927|url-status=live}}