Moussa Hojeij
Lebanese international football player and manager (born 1974)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Moussa Ali Hojeij (Arabic: موسى علي حجيج; born 6 August 1974) is a Lebanese football manager and former player.
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Hojeij with Nejmeh in 2020 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Moussa Ali Hojeij[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 6 August 1974 | ||
| Place of birth | Chyah, Lebanon[1] | ||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1993–1994 | Nejmeh | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994–2006 | Nejmeh | (75) | |
| 2006–2008 | Mabarra | (2) | |
| 2008–2009 | Khoyol | ||
| 2009–2011 | Shabab Sahel | (1) | |
| 2011–2013 | Nejmeh | 30 | (4) |
| Total | ? | (82) | |
| International career | |||
| 1996–2002 | Lebanon | 39 | (6) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2012–2014 | Nejmeh | ||
| 2014 | Nabi Chit | ||
| 2015 | Racing Beirut | ||
| 2015–2016 | Shabab Sahel | ||
| 2016–2017 | Racing Beirut | ||
| 2017 | Ahed | ||
| 2017–2018 | Tripoli | ||
| 2018 | Nejmeh | ||
| 2020–2021 | Nejmeh | ||
| 2022 | Nejmeh | ||
| 2023 | Safa | ||
| 2023–2024 | Ahly Nabatieh | ||
| 2024 | Tadamon Sour | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Hojeij was the best player in the Al-Manar Football Festival several times,[2] and was captain of the national team.[3] He is also a match analyst for Lebanon national team matches on beIN Sports.[4]
Club career
Hojeij joined Nejmeh's youth team on 26 February 1993.[5] In 2000, Hojeij became the first captain to win the Lebanese Premier League title for Nejmeh after the civil war.[citation needed]
In 2006 he was released by Nejmeh after scoring a total of 75 league goals,[6] and signed with Mabarra.[7] In 2008 Hojeij signed for Lebanese Second Division club Khoyol,[7] and in the summer of 2009 he signed with Shabab Sahel.[7] Hojeij returned to Nejmeh in 2011, retiring in 2013.[7]
International career
Hojeij equalised in the 76th minute against Iraq at the 2000 AFC Asian Cup through a free kick, to bring the score to 2–2.[7]
Managerial career
Early career
Hojeij began his managerial career in 2012, as a player-coach for Nejmeh.[7] He became head coach of Nabi Chit in 2014, who terminated his contract after matchday four.[7] Hojeij was then appointed head coach of Racing Beirut in the second half of the season, saving them from relegation.[7]
In the 2015–16 season, he took charge of Shabab Sahel, before returning to Racing the following season, with whom he won the Lebanese Challenge Cup.[7]
Ahed
In 2017, Ahed appointed Hojeij as head coach; he most notably helped them beat Zamalek of Egypt in the 2017 Arab Club Championship, and winning the Lebanese Super Cup against Ansar.[7] On 18 December 2017, Hojeij was appointed head coach of Tripoli for the second leg of the season, finishing in eighth place after six wins, seven draws and nine defeats.[8]
Returns to Nejmeh
Hojeij returned as head coach of Nejmeh in 2018.[9][7] On 29 June 2020, Hojeij was appointed manager of Nejmeh for the third time, after having coached them between 2011 and 2013, and in 2018.[10]
He returned to the helm of Nejmeh once again, in February 2022.[11] After insulting the Lebanese Football Association (LFA) and its president, following a red card received by Nejmeh during a league match against Safa on 3 April, the LFA suspended Hojeij for one year, and fined him £L25 million.[12] The LFA extended the suspension to two years on 11 April.[13]
Safa and Tadamon Sour
On 9 January 2023, Hojeij was appointed head coach of Safa.[14] He became coach of Tadamon Sour in 2024.[15]
Presidential career
On 10 June 2021, Hojeij announced his candidacy to become president of the Lebanese Football Association; the only other candidate was incumbent president Hashem Haidar.[16] The elections took place on 29 June in Beirut,[16] with Haidar winning by 40 votes to 4.[17]
Honours
Player
Nejmeh
- Lebanese Premier League: 1999–00, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05
- Lebanese FA Cup: 1996–97, 1997–98, 2011–12
- Lebanese Elite Cup: 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
- Lebanese Super Cup: 2000, 2002, 2004
- AFC Cup runner-up: 2005
Mabarra
- Lebanese FA Cup: 2007–08
Individual
- IFFHS All-time Lebanon Men's Dream Team[18]
- Lebanese Premier League Best Player: 1999–2000,[19] 2001–02[20]
- Lebanese Premier League Fans' Best Player: 1998–99, 2000–01, 2002–03
- Lebanese Premier League Best Goal: 2002–03[21]
- Lebanese Premier League Team of the Season: 1996–97,[22] 1997–98,[23] 1998–99,[24] 1999–2000,[25] 2000–01,[26] 2001–02,[27] 2002–03,[28] 2003–04,[29] 2004–05[30]
Manager
Shabab Sahel
- Lebanese Challenge Cup: 2015
Racing Beirut
- Lebanese Challenge Cup: 2016
Nejmeh
- Lebanese FA Cup runner-up: 2020–21
Individual
