Moussa Hojeij

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Family name hatnote Template:Infobox football biography Moussa Ali Hojeij (Template:Langx; born 6 August 1974) is a Lebanese football manager and former player.

Hojeij was the best player in the Al-Manar Football Festival several times,<ref>Template:Citation</ref> and was captain of the national team.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He is also a match analyst for Lebanon national team matches on beIN Sports.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

Club career

Hojeij joined Nejmeh's youth team on 26 February 1993.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2000, Hojeij became the first captain to win the Lebanese Premier League title for Nejmeh after the civil war.Template:Citation needed

In 2006 he was released by Nejmeh after scoring a total of 75 league goals,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and signed with Mabarra.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2008 Hojeij signed for Lebanese Second Division club Khoyol,<ref name=":1" /> and in the summer of 2009 he signed with Shabab Sahel.<ref name=":1" /> Hojeij returned to Nejmeh in 2011, retiring in 2013.<ref name=":1" />

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.<ref name=":1" />

Managerial career

Early career

Hojeij began his managerial career in 2012, as a player-coach for Nejmeh.<ref name=":1" /> He became head coach of Nabi Chit in 2014, who terminated his contract after matchday four.<ref name=":1" /> Hojeij was then appointed head coach of Racing Beirut in the second half of the season, saving them from relegation.<ref name=":1" />

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.<ref name=":1" />

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.<ref name=":1" /> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Returns to Nejmeh

Hojeij returned as head coach of Nejmeh in 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":1" /> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

He returned to the helm of Nejmeh once again, in February 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The LFA extended the suspension to two years on 11 April.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Safa and Tadamon Sour

On 9 January 2023, Hojeij was appointed head coach of Safa.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He became coach of Tadamon Sour in 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> The elections took place on 29 June in Beirut,<ref name=":0" /> with Haidar winning by 40 votes to 4.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Lebanese Premier League Best Player: 1999–2000,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 2001–02<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Lebanese Premier League Fans' Best Player: 1998–99, 2000–01, 2002–03
• Lebanese Premier League Best Goal: 2002–03<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Lebanese Premier League Team of the Season: 1996–97,<ref name=":1997">Template:Cite news</ref> 1997–98,<ref name=":1998">Template:Cite news</ref> 1998–99,<ref name=":1999">Template:Cite news</ref> 1999–2000,<ref name=":2000">Template:Cite news</ref> 2000–01,<ref name=":2001">Template:Cite news</ref> 2001–02,<ref name=":2002">Template:Cite news</ref> 2002–03,<ref name=":2003">Template:Cite news</ref> 2003–04,<ref name=":2004">Template:Cite web</ref> 2004–05<ref name=":2005">Template:Cite news</ref>

Manager

Shabab Sahel

• Lebanese Challenge Cup: 2015

Racing Beirut

• Lebanese Challenge Cup: 2016

Nejmeh

• Lebanese FA Cup runner-up: 2020–21

Individual

• Lebanese Premier League Best Coach: 2011–12<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• List of Lebanon international footballers

External links

• Template:FA Lebanon player
• Template:NFT player
• Template:Soccerway
• Template:Scorebar
• Template:FBref
• Template:Goalzz