Felix Michel Melki
Association football player (born 1994)
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George Felix Robert Michel Melki (Arabic: جورج فيليكس روبير ميشيل ملكي, Lebanese Arabic pronunciation: [ʒorʒ feˈli(ː)ks ˈmelki, -ke]; born 23 July 1994), known as Felix Michel Melki,[note 1] is a professional footballer who plays as a defender or midfielder. Born in Sweden, he has played for the Lebanon national team.
|
Michel Melki with Lebanon in 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | George Felix Robert Michel Melki[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 23 July 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Södertälje, Sweden[1] | ||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[2] | ||
| Positions | |||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001–2013 | Syrianska FC | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013–2016 | Syrianska FC | 21 | (1) |
| 2016–2018 | Eskişehirspor | 10 | (1) |
| 2018–2019 | AFC Eskilstuna | 29 | (0) |
| 2019–2022 | AIK | 16 | (0) |
| 2021 | → Sarpsborg 08 (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | → AFC Eskilstuna (loan) | 23 | (2) |
| 2022 | AFC Eskilstuna | 13 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | Ahed | 28 | (1) |
| 2024–2025 | Safa | 25 | (5) |
| 2025–2026 | Nejmeh | 9 | (2) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2018–2024 | Lebanon | 33 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 24 July 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 6 June 2024 | |||
After following his father's tracks playing at Syrianska for three years, Michel Melki moved to Turkish side Eskişehirspor in 2016. In 2018, he moved back to Sweden signing for AFC Eskilstuna and helped them gain promotion back to the Allsvenskan. In 2019 he transferred to Swedish champions AIK, who loaned him out to Sarpsborg 08 in Norway in 2021, before returning to AFC Eskilstuna the same year. In January 2023, Michel Melki moved to Lebanon, playin for Ahed, Safa, and Nejmeh.
Michel Melki made his international debut for Lebanon in 2018, and played in all three group stage games for "the Cedars" at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup; he scored against North Korea and was named Man of the Match.
Early life
Michel Melki was born in Sweden to a Swedish mother, Carina, and an Assyrian father, Robert,[3] who played for Syrianska, a Swedish club founded by Assyrian immigrants.[4] He has an older brother, Alexander, who also plays football.[5]
In an interview with Aftonbladet, Alexander mentioned that despite their Assyrian roots, the two brothers' connection to Lebanon is through their grandfather, George Michel Melki, who lived there before moving to Sweden in 1967 as one of the first refugees from the Middle East to Sweden.[3] Two of their father's sisters were born in Lebanon.[6]
Club career
Syrianska
At age seven Michel began his football career in the youth team of the Swedish side Syrianska FC, the club of the local Assyrian community.[7] Starting from 2013, he played in the first team and made some sporadic appearances in the league and domestic cup.[8] He only began to establish himself as a starter in the 2016 season, making 10 league appearances.[citation needed]
Eskişehirspor
In August 2016 he moved to the TFF First League side Eskişehirspor.[9] Michel played 10 league matches for the Turkish club.[7]
AFC Eskilstuna
In March 2018 Michel signed for Superettan side AFC Eskilstuna,[10] where he would be reunited with his brother Alexander.[citation needed] He made his debut on 24 April, as a 61st-minute substitute in a 2–0 win to Helsingborgs IF.[11] In his first season, he made 21 league appearances and one cup appearance; he helped his side gain promotion to the Allsvenskan through the play-offs.[11]
In the 2019 season, he started in 13 league and cup matches.[7] Michel Melki scored the decisive goal in a penalty shoot-out against AIK, in the semi-finals of the Svenska Cupen on 17 March.[11] He played the whole 90 minutes in the final, where they lost 3–0 to BK Häcken on 30 May.[11]
AIK
On 25 July 2019, Allsvenskan champions AIK announced the signing of Michel on a three-year deal.[7] He made his league debut on 27 July 2019 as an attacking midfielder, in a 2–0 away win against IK Sirius.[12] On 18 August 2019, Michel was placed as a striker against Kalmar, losing 2–1 at home.[13] With eight league appearances (three as a starter),[14] Michel helped his side reach fourth place in the 2019 Allsvenskan.[15]
In the 2020 season, Michel Melki played all three Svenska Cupen group stage games, helping his side qualify for the quarter-finals.[11] He played 11 games for AIK in 2020, six as a starter.[11] In 2021, Michel Melki played two Svenska Cupen games.[11]
Loan to Sarpsborg 08
On 10 May 2021, Michel Melki was loaned out to Norwegian Eliteserien side Sarpsborg 08 until 2 August.[16] He made his debut in the first match of the 2021 season on 16 May, as a second-half substitute in a 0–0 draw against Haugesund.[17] He ended his loan with only one appearance, and returned to AIK.[18]
AFC Eskilstuna
Michel Melki returned to AFC Eskilstuna in the Superettan on 11 August 2021, joining them on loan until the end of the 2021 season.[19] He made his debut on 14 August, as a 76th-minute substitute in a 4–1 win against Norrby.[20] Michel Melki's first goal came on 22 August, scoring a backheel volley from a corner against GIF Sundsvall;[21] the game ended in a 3–1 defeat.[22]
Following the end of his loan period, AIK re-loaned Michel Melki to AFC Eskilstuna for a further six months on 11 January 2022, until the end of his contract with AIK.[11] On 10 July, he joined AFC Eskilstuna permanently on a contract valid until the end of the 2022 season.[23]
Lebanon
On 5 January 2023, Michel Melki joined Ahed ahead of the second round of the 2022–23 Lebanese Premier League.[24] He moved to Safa on 11 August 2024.[25] In August 2025, Michel Melki joined Nejmeh ahead of the 2025–26 season.[26] He departed the club in September 2026.[27]
International career
In 2018, Michel Melki acquired a Lebanese citizenship due to his family's origins being from Lebanon, making him eligible for the Lebanon national team.[28] He made his international debut for Lebanon on 15 November 2018, playing the whole 90 minutes in a goalless draw against Uzbekistan.[29]
Michel Melki was called up for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, alongside his brother Alexander, one month later.[2] On 17 January 2019, he scored the equaliser in an eventual 4–1 win against North Korea in the final group stage game, and was nominated Man of the Match for his performance.[30]
In December 2023, Michel Melki was initially included in the Lebanese squad for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.[31] However, he withdrew injured in January 2024 before the competition and was replaced by Khalil Khamis.[32]
Style of play
A versatile defensive-minded player, Michel Melki can mainly be deployed as either a centre-back or a defensive midfielder.[33][34] His main characteristics are his physicality and his ball-winning capabilities.[35] While at AIK, Michel Melki was also used as an attacking midfielder.[36]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 24 July 2026[14]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Syrianska | 2013 | Allsvenskan | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 6 | 1 | |||
| 2014 | Superettan | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||||
| 2015 | Superettan | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | ||||
| 2016 | Superettan | 11 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | |||||
| Total | 21 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 2 | ||
| Eskişehirspor | 2016–17 | TFF First League | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| 2017–18 | TFF First League | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | ||
| AFC Eskilstuna | 2018 | Superettan | 21 | 0 | 7 | 2 | — | — | 2[c] | 0 | 30 | 2 | ||
| 2019 | Allsvenskan | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 29 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 2 | ||
| AIK | 2019 | Allsvenskan | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | ||
| 2020 | Allsvenskan | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 10 | 0 | ||||
| 2021 | Allsvenskan | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | ||
| Sarpsborg 08 (loan) | 2021 | Eliteserien | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| AFC Eskilstuna (loan) | 2021 | Superettan | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 14 | 1 | |||
| 2022 | Superettan | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 10 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2 | ||
| AFC Eskilstuna | 2022 | Superettan | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| Ahed | 2022–23 | Lebanese Premier League | 7 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 10 | 1 | |||
| 2023–24 | Lebanese Premier League | 21 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9[d] | 0 | 1[e] | 0 | 35 | 1 | |
| Total | 28 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 2 | ||
| Safa | 2024–25 | Lebanese Premier League | 25 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 25 | 5 | ||||
| Nejmeh | 2025–26 | Lebanese Premier League | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2[f] | 0 | 11 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 175 | 12 | 26 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 218 | 16 | ||
- Includes Lebanese Federation Cup
- Appearances in Superettan promotion play-offs
- Appearance in Lebanese Super Cup
- Appearances in National Solidarity Tournament
International
- As of match played 6 June 2024[37]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lebanon | 2018 | 2 | 0 |
| 2019 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 33 | 1 | |
- Scores and results list Lebanon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Michel Melki goal.[38]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 January 2019 | Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates |  North Korea |
1–1 | 4–1 | 2019 AFC Asian Cup | [39] |
Honours
AFC Eskilstuna
- Svenska Cupen runner-up: 2018–19[40]
Ahed
- Lebanese Premier League: 2022–23
- Lebanese Federation Cup: 2023
- Lebanese FA Cup runner-up: 2022–23, 2023–24
- Lebanese Super Cup runner-up: 2023
- AFC Cup runner-up: 2023–24
Nejmeh
