Wael Nazha

{{Short description|Lebanese footballer (born 1974)}} {{Use dmy dates|date = January 2020}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Wael Nazha | image = | fullname = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|03|26|df=yes}} | birth_place = Monrovia, Liberia | height = 1.84 m<ref name="abdogedeon"/> | currentclub = | clubnumber = | position = Forward | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = 1987–1989 | clubs1 = Racing Beirut | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 1989–1998 | clubs2 = Tadamon Sour | caps2 = | goals2 = | years3 = 1998–1999 | clubs3 = Nejmeh | caps3 = | goals3 = 4 | years4 = 1999–2000 | clubs4 = Kavala | caps4 = 10 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2000–2001 | clubs5 = Emley | caps5 = 6 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2001 | clubs6 = Bradford (Park Avenue) | caps6 = 10 | goals6 = 3 | years7 = 2001–2002 | clubs7 = Ossett Town | caps7 = 20 | goals7 = 3 | years8 = 2002–2003 | clubs8 = Droylsden | caps8 = 14 | goals8 = 7 | years9 = 2003 | clubs9 = Wakefield | caps9 = 6 | goals9 = 0 | years10 = 2003–2004 | clubs10 = Eastwood Town | caps10 = 37 | goals10 = 32 | years11 = 2004–2005 | clubs11 = Frickley | caps11 = 20 | goals11 = 4 | totalcaps = ? | totalgoals = 119 | nationalyears1 = 1993–1998 | nationalteam1 = Lebanon | nationalcaps1 = 32 | nationalgoals1 = 8 }} '''Wael Nazha''' ({{langx|ar|وائل نزهة}}; born 26 March 1974) is a former footballer who played as a forward. Born in Liberia, he played for the Lebanon national team.

== Early life == Nazha was born in Monrovia, Liberia, to a Lebanese father and a Liberian mother.<ref name="abdogedeon">{{Cite web|title=WAEL NAZHA|url=https://www.abdogedeon.com/volleyball/NOUJOUM/wael%20nazha.html|access-date=2021-09-26|website=www.abdogedeon.com|archive-date=8 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608235806/https://www.abdogedeon.com/volleyball/NOUJOUM/wael%20nazha.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Club career== Nazha began playing football in Liberia; he continued his football career in Nabi Osman in Lebanon, then joined Labweh's local club in Baalbek.<ref name="abdogedeon" /> In 1987, Nazha joined Racing Beirut, then moved to Tadamon Sour in 1989.<ref name="abdogedeon" /> He eventually joined Beirut-based side Nejmeh.<ref name="abdogedeon" />

Nazha spent one season playing for Kavala in the Greek Alpha Ethniki.<ref>{{cite web|author=Mastrogiannopoulos, Alexander|title=Greece 1999/00|website=RSSSF|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesg/grk00.html|date=2003-04-26}}</ref> He finished his career in the lower levels of English football, playing for Emley, Bradford (Park Avenue),<ref>[http://www.soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2001/player_details.php?playerid=5035 Soccerfacts: Wael Nazha 2001-02 season summary]</ref> Ossett Town,<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Ossett Town F.C.|title=Wael Nazha|url=http://www.ossetttown.freeserve.co.uk/squad/nazha.html|accessdate=2010-01-07|archive-date=9 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009052204/http://www.ossetttown.freeserve.co.uk/squad/nazha.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Droylsden, Wakefield,<ref>[http://www.soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2002/player_details.php?playerid=3767 Soccerfacts: Wael Nazha 2002-03 season summary]</ref> and Frickley.<ref>[http://www.soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2004/player_details.php?playerid=5822 Soccerfacts: Wael Nazha 2004-05 season summary]</ref>

==International career== Nazha has made at least 45 appearances—official and unofficial—for the Lebanon national team,<ref name="abdogedeon" /> and has scored eight official goals between 1993 and 1998.<ref>{{cite web|author=Chbaro, Mohamed S.|title=Lebanon International Matches 1993-99|website=RSSSF|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesl/leb-intres9399.html|date=2002-02-13}}</ref>

==Career statistics==

===International=== :''Scores and results list Lebanon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Nazha goal''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Strack-Zimmermann|first=Benjamin|title=Wael Nazha|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/76725/Wael_Nazha.html|access-date=2020-07-07|website=www.national-football-teams.com|language=en}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ List of international goals scored by Wael Nazha |- !scope=col | No. !scope=col | Date !scope=col | Venue !scope=col | Opponent !scope=col | Score !scope=col | Result !scope=col | Competition !scope=col class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- | align="center" | 1 |26 March 1993 |Beirut, Lebanon |{{fb|JOR}} | align="center" |1–0 | align="center" |1–0 |Friendly | |- | align="center" | 2 |9 June 1993 |Seoul, South Korea |{{fb|HKG}} | align="center" |2–1 | align="center" |2–1 |1994 FIFA World Cup qualification | |- | align="center" | 3 |12 May 1996 |Bourj Hammoud Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon |{{fb|TKM}} | align="center" |1–1 | align="center" |3–1 |1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification |<ref>{{Cite web|last=Strack-Zimmermann|first=Benjamin|title=Lebanon vs. Turkmenistan (3:1)|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/matches/report/26988/Lebanon_Turkmenistan.html|access-date=2020-07-07|website=www.national-football-teams.com|language=en}}</ref> |- | align="center" | 4 |9 June 1996 |Beirut, Lebanon |{{fb|KUW}} | align="center" |1–0 | align="center" |3–5 |1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification |<ref>{{Cite web|last=Strack-Zimmermann|first=Benjamin|title=Lebanon vs. Kuwait (3:5)|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/matches/report/26732/Lebanon_Kuwait.html|access-date=2020-07-07|website=www.national-football-teams.com|language=en}}</ref> |- | align="center" | 5 |12 January 1997 |Bourj Hammoud Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon |{{fb|ALG}} | align="center" |2–1 | style="text-align:center" |2–2 |Friendly |<ref>{{Cite web|last=Strack-Zimmermann|first=Benjamin|title=Lebanon vs. Algeria (2:2)|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/matches/report/25998/Lebanon_Algeria.html|access-date=2020-07-07|website=www.national-football-teams.com|language=en}}</ref> |- | align="center" | 6 |26 January 1997 |Beirut Municipal Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon |{{fb|EST}} | align="center" |2–0 | align="center" |2–0 |Friendly |<ref>{{Cite web|last=Strack-Zimmermann|first=Benjamin|title=Lebanon vs. Estonia (2:0)|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/matches/report/26301/Lebanon_Estonia.html|access-date=2020-07-07|website=www.national-football-teams.com|language=en}}</ref> |- | align="center" | 7 |13 April 1997 |Bourj Hammoud Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon |{{fb|SIN}} | align="center" |1–0 | align="center" |1–1 |1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |<ref>{{Cite web|last=Strack-Zimmermann|first=Benjamin|title=Lebanon vs. Singapore (1:1)|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/matches/report/26302/Lebanon_Singapore.html|access-date=2020-07-07|website=www.national-football-teams.com|language=en}}</ref> |}

==Honours== '''Nejmeh''' * Lebanese Elite Cup: 1998

'''Bradford Park Avenue''' * Northern Premier League First Division: 2000–01

'''Eastwood Town''' * Nottinghamshire Senior Cup: 2003–04 * Northern Counties East Football League President's Cup: 2003–04

'''Individual''' * IFFHS All-time Lebanon Men's Dream Team<ref>{{Cite web|date=6 February 2022|title=IFFHS Men's All Time Lebanon Dream Team|url=https://www.iffhs.com/index.php/posts/1659|access-date=8 February 2022|publisher=IFFHS}}</ref> * Lebanese Premier League Team of the Season: 1996–97,<ref name=":1997">{{Cite news|date=31 March 1997|title=|script-title=ar:مهرجان كرة المنار|language=ar|edition=166|pages=3|work=Shoot}}</ref> 1997–98<ref name=":1998">{{Cite news|date=8 June 1998|title=|script-title=ar:مهرجان كرة المنار|language=ar|edition=232|pages=4|work=Shoot}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{FA Lebanon|23810}} * {{NFT player|76725}}

{{Navboxes | title = Awards | bg = gold | fg = navy | list1 = {{1996–97 Lebanese Premier League Team of the Year}} {{1997–98 Lebanese Premier League Team of the Year}} }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nazha, Wael}} Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Monrovia Category:Lebanese men's footballers Category:Lebanese people of Liberian descent Category:Liberian people of Lebanese descent Category:Sportspeople of Liberian descent Category:Sportspeople of Lebanese descent Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Racing Club Beirut players Category:Tadamon SC Sour players Category:Nejmeh SC players Category:Kavala F.C. players Category:Emley A.F.C. players Category:Bradford (Park Avenue) A.F.C. players Category:Ossett Town A.F.C. players Category:Droylsden F.C. players Category:Wakefield F.C. players Category:Eastwood Town F.C. players Category:Frickley Athletic F.C. players Category:Lebanese Premier League players Category:Lebanese Second Division players Category:Super League Greece players Category:Northern Premier League players Category:Northern Counties East Football League players Category:Lebanon men's international footballers Category:Lebanese expatriate men's footballers Category:Lebanese expatriate sportspeople in Greece Category:Lebanese expatriate sportspeople in England Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Greece Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England Category:International sportspeople born abroad