{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}} {{Short description|Lebanese footballer (born 1979)}} {{Family name hatnote|Ali Mohamad Al Haj Ali|Zein|lang=Lebanese}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Haitham Zein | image = | fullname = Haitham Ali Mohamad Al Haj Ali Zein<ref name=GSA/> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|01|06|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Fallujah]], Iraq<ref name=GSA>{{GSA player|haitham-zein/250746|access-date=2020-11-15}}</ref> | height = 1.76 m | position = [[Forward (association football)|Forward]] | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = 1994–1995 | youthclubs1 = [[Tadamon Sour SC|Tadamon Sour]] | years1 = 1995–2005 | clubs1 = [[Tadamon Sour SC|Tadamon Sour]] | caps1 = | goals1 = 94 | years2 = 2005–2006 | clubs2 = [[Nejmeh SC|Nejmeh]] | caps2 = | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2006–2008 | clubs3 = [[Bahrain SC]] | caps3 = | goals3 = 7 | years4 = 2008–2009 | clubs4 = [[Chabab Ghazieh SC|Chabab Ghazieh]] | caps4 = | goals4 = 2 | years5 = 2009–2011 | clubs5 = [[Islah Borj Al Shmali Club|Islah Borj Shmali]] | caps5 = | goals5 = 13 | years6 = 2011–2012 | clubs6 = [[Salam Sour SC|Salam Sour]] | caps6 = 15 | goals6 = 3 | totalcaps = ? | totalgoals = 119 | nationalyears1 = 2002 | nationalteam1 = [[Lebanon national under-23 football team|Lebanon U23]] | nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 = 1 | nationalyears2 = 1997–2004 | nationalteam2 = [[Lebanon national football team|Lebanon]] | nationalcaps2 = 50 | nationalgoals2 = 16 }} '''Haitham Ali Mohamad Al Haj Ali Zein''' ({{Langx|ar|هيثم علي محمد الحج علي زين}}; born 6 January 1979), or simply '''Haitham Zein''', is a Lebanese former [[Association football|footballer]] who played as a [[Forward (association football)|forward]]. He played for numerous [[Lebanese Premier League]] clubs, mainly at [[Tadamon Sour SC|Tadamon Sour]], and represented [[Lebanon national football team|Lebanon]] internationally.
== Early life == Zein was born in Iraq to parents from [[Burj el-Shamali]], Lebanon; he began playing football aged 11 in the streets of the [[Al-Anbar Governorate]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=منتديات كووورة |url=https://forum.kooora.com/?t=30021496 |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=forum.kooora.com| date=24 January 2012 }}</ref> He then moved to Lebanon with his family due to the [[Gulf War]].<ref name=":1" />
== Club career ==
=== Tadamon Sour === Zein signed for [[Tadamon Sour SC|Tadamon Sour]]'s youth team in 1994.<ref name=":1" /> He made his senior debut in 1995, coming on as an 80th-minute substitute against [[Bourj FC|Bourj]] at the [[Saida Municipal Stadium]]; trailing 2–1, Zein scored a goal and assisted two, helping his side overturn the result to 4–2.<ref name=":1" /> He played with Tadamon until 2005, scoring 94 league goals.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://forum.kooora.com/f.aspx?t=3258740|title=منتديات كووورة|website=forum.kooora.com|date=14 January 2007 |access-date=29 April 2019}}</ref>
=== Nejmeh === On 9 November 2005, Zein moved to [[Nejmeh]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=26 November 2005|title=First Team List 2005/2006 [PENDING]|url=http://www.nejmeh.com/teams/firstteam-present.html|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051126044256/http://www.nejmeh.com/teams/firstteam-present.html|archive-date=26 November 2005|access-date=9 May 2021|website=[[Nejmeh SC]]}}</ref> spending half a season. He described his short experience at Nejmeh as negative.<ref name=":2" />
=== Bahrain SC === He moved abroad to [[Bahrain SC]] in 2006.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=هيثم زين ينتقل إلى شباب الغازية |url=https://www.albayan.ae/sports/2008-08-08-1.663884 |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=www.albayan.ae |date=7 August 2008 |language=ar}}</ref>
=== Return to Lebanon === He returned to Lebanon in 2008, signing for [[Chabab Ghazieh SC|Chabab Ghazieh]],<ref name=":0" /> before moving to [[Islah Borj Al Shmali Club|Islah Borj Shmali]] the following season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=تعادل سلبي بين الاصلاح – برج الشمالي والشباب الغازية ضمن استعدادت الفريقين لانطلاقة الدوري |url=https://www.yasour.org/news.php?go=fullnews&newsid=4048 |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=YASOUR |language=en |archive-date=23 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230223104937/https://www.yasour.org/news.php?go=fullnews&newsid=4048 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Zein was among the league's top scorers in the [[2010–11 Lebanese Premier League]], scoring eight goals.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-04-24 |title=التضامن ينجو والغازية يرافق الاصلاح الى الدرجة الثانية |url=https://elaph.com/Web/Sports/2011/4/649526.html |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=Elaph - إيلاف |language=ar}}</ref> In October 2011, he signed for [[Salam Sour SC|Salam Sour]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=هيثم زين ينتقل الى السلام صور عشية اقفال باب التواقيع |url=https://www.elsport.com/news/show/50246/هيثم-زين-ينتقل-الى-السلام-صور-عشية-اقفال-باب-التوا |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=Elsport News |language=ar}}</ref> making 15 appearances for the side and scoring three goals. He retired that season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hussien.Ghazi |title=هدافو لبنان الدوليون.. قائمة أبرز من هزوا الشباك |url=https://www.alaraby.co.uk/%D9%87%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%81%D9%88-%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A3%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%B2-%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%87%D8%B2%D9%88%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%83 |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=alaraby.co.uk |language=ar}}</ref>
Zein scored 112 goals in the [[Lebanese Premier League]] – 96 without considering his goals scored in the cancelled [[2000–01 Lebanese Premier League|2000–01 season]].<ref name=":2" />
== International career == In 2002, Zein played for the [[Lebanon national under-23 football team|Lebanon Olympic team]] at the [[Football at the 2002 Asian Games – Men's tournament|2002 Asian Games]], scoring a goal in an 11–0 win against [[Afghanistan national under-23 football team|Afghanistan]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Díaz Rubio |first1=Julián |last2=Zlotkowski |first2=Andre |title=Asian Games 2002 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesa/asgames02.html |access-date=14 June 2022 |website=[[RSSSF]]}}</ref> He played for the [[Lebanon national football team|senior team]] between 1998 and 2004. He played 50 international matches, scoring 16 goals.<ref name="FAL">{{FA Lebanon|16432|access-date=7 January 2022}}</ref>
== Managerial career == Between 2016 and 2017, Zein was part of the technical staff of his former club Islah Borj Shmali.<ref>{{Cite web |title=نجوم من الماضي: خاص هيثم زين غير راض عن عدم تطوير الاتحاد للعبة |url=https://www.elsport.com/news/show/329756/نجوم-الماضي-خاص-هيثم-زين-غير-راض-عدم-تطوير-الاتحاد |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=Elsport News |language=ar}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=نصر الله إلى الإصلاح والشباب العربي يضم مزهر |url=http://lebanonfg.com/single/1096 |access-date=2022-03-08 |website=lebanonfg.com |language=en }}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
== Personal life == Zein's nephew, [[Mahdi Zein]], also plays football.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hijazi|first=Alloffs|date=2021-08-08|title=الهداف مهدي الزين يعيد سيرة عمه هيثم الزين|url=https://elmaestrosport.com/الهداف-مهدي-الزين-يعيد-سيرة-عمه-هيثم-ال/|access-date=2021-08-09|website=El Maestro Sport|language=ar}}</ref>
==Career statistics==
=== International === {| class="wikitable"
|+List of international goals scored by Haitham Zein<ref>{{cite web |title=Haitham Zein |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/3749/Haitham_Zein.html |access-date=21 February 2026 |website=National Football Teams}}</ref> |- ! No. !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition |- | 1. || rowspan="3" | 23 August 1999 || rowspan="3" | [[Amman International Stadium]], [[Amman]], [[Jordan]] || rowspan="3" | {{fbw|JOR}} || align="center" |1–0 || rowspan="3" align="center" | 3–1 || rowspan="3" | [[Football at the 1999 Arab Games|1999 Arab Games]] |- | 2. || align="center" |2–0 |- | 3. || align="center" |3–0 |- | 4. || 25 August 1999 || [[Al-Hassan Stadium]], [[Irbid]], Jordan || {{fb|OMA}} || align="center" |1–0 || align="center" | 1–1 |1999 Arab Games |- | 5. || 16 February 2000 |Lebanon|| {{fb|PRK}} || align="center" |1–0 || align="center" | 1–0 || [[Exhibition match|Friendly]] |- | 6. || 8 March 2000 || [[King Abdullah II Stadium]], Amman, Jordan || {{fb|JOR}}|| align="center" |1–1 || align="center" | 1–1 || Friendly |- | 7. || 25 May 2000 |King Abdullah II Stadium, Amman, Jordan|| {{fb|KGZ}} || align="center" |1–0 || align="center" | 2–0 |[[2000 WAFF Championship]] |- | 8. || 25 June 2000 || [[Tripoli, Lebanon|Tripoli]], [[Lebanon]] || {{fb|KUW}} || align="center" |1–1 || align="center" | 1–3 || Friendly |- | 9. || 10 September 2000 || [[Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium]], [[Beirut]], Lebanon || {{fb|UAE}} || align="center" |2–? || align="center" | 2–2 |Friendly |- | 10. || 7 March 2001 || Tripoli International Stadium, Tripoli, Lebanon || {{fb|SYR|1980}} || align="center" |1–0 || align="center" | 2–2 |Friendly |- | 11. || rowspan="3" | 13 May 2001 || rowspan="3" | [[Beirut Municipal Stadium]], Beirut, Lebanon || rowspan="3" | {{fb|PAK}} || align="center" |1–0 || rowspan="3" align="center" | 6–0 || rowspan="3" | [[2002 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC first round|2002 FIFA World Cup qualification]] |- | 12. || align="center" |2–0 |- | 13. || align="center" |5–0 |- | 14. || 28 May 2001 || [[Suphachalasai Stadium]], [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]] || {{fb|SRI}} || align="center" |4–0 || align="center" | 5–0 |2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |- | 15. || 9 June 2004 || Beirut Municipal Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon || {{fb|MDV}} || align="center" |1–0 || align="center" | 3–0 || [[2006 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round|2006 FIFA World Cup qualification]] |- | 16. || 19 June 2004 || [[Azadi Stadium]], [[Tehran]], [[Iran]] || {{fb|SYR|1980}} || align="center" |1–3 || align="center" | 1–3 || [[2004 WAFF Championship]] |}
== Honours == '''Tadamon Sour''' * [[Lebanese FA Cup]]: 2000–01
'''Individual''' * [[List of Lebanese Premier League top scorers|Lebanese Premier League top scorer]]: [[1998–99 Lebanese Premier League|1998–99]],<ref>{{Cite news|date=5 July 1999|title=مهرجان كرة المنار|edition=288|pages=8|work=Shoot}}</ref> [[2000–01 Lebanese Premier League|2000–01]]<ref>{{Cite news|date=30 April 2001|title=مهرجان كرة المنار|edition=383|pages=15|work=Shoot}}</ref> * [[Lebanese Premier League Team of the Season]]: [[1998–99 Lebanese Premier League|1998–99]]<ref name=":1999">{{Cite news|date=5 July 1999|title=|script-title=ar:مهرجان كرة المنار|language=ar|edition=288|pages=8|work=Shoot}}</ref>
==See also== * [[List of Lebanon international footballers]] * [[List of Lebanon international footballers born outside Lebanon]] * [[List of association football families]]
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{FA Lebanon|16432}} * [https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/leb-hzein-intl.html Haitham Zein] at [[RSSSF]] * {{NFT player|3749}} * {{Soccerway|id=217034}}
{{Lebanon squad 2000 AFC Asian Cup}} {{Navboxes | title = Awards | bg = gold | fg = navy | list1 = {{1998–99 Lebanese Premier League Team of the Year}} {{Lebanese Premier League top scorers}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zein, Haitham}} [[Category:1979 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Fallujah]] [[Category:Lebanese men's footballers]] [[Category:21st-century Lebanese sportsmen]] [[Category:Men's association football forwards]] [[Category:Tadamon SC Sour players]] [[Category:Nejmeh SC players]] [[Category:Bahrain SC players]] [[Category:Chabab SC Ghazieh players]] [[Category:Islah Borj Al Shmali Club players]] [[Category:Salam Sour SC players]] [[Category:Lebanese Premier League players]] [[Category:Bahraini Premier League players]] [[Category:Lebanon men's youth international footballers]] [[Category:Lebanon men's international footballers]] [[Category:Asian Games footballers for Lebanon]] [[Category:Footballers at the 1998 Asian Games]] [[Category:Footballers at the 2002 Asian Games]] [[Category:2000 AFC Asian Cup players]] [[Category:Lebanese expatriate men's footballers]] [[Category:Lebanese expatriate sportspeople in Bahrain]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Bahrain]] [[Category:Lebanese Premier League top scorers]] [[Category:International sportspeople born abroad]]