Adam Najem

Adam Ahmad Najem (Persian: آدام نجم; born January 19, 1995) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Bhayangkara. Born in the United States, he plays for the Afghanistan national team.

Adam Najem
Najem with Philadelphia Union in 2017
Personal information
Full name Adam Ahmad Najem
Date of birth (1995-01-19) January 19, 1995
Place of birth Clifton, United States
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Bhayangkara
Number 10
Youth career
2006–2013 New York Red Bulls
2009–2013 Paramus Catholic High School
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2016 Akron Zips 89 (33)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015 New York Red Bulls U23 3 (0)
2016 Michigan Bucks 11 (1)
2017–2018 Philadelphia Union 5 (0)
2017–2018 → Bethlehem Steel (loan) 38 (5)
2019 Memphis 901 29 (4)
2020 Wigry Suwałki 2 (0)
2020 Tampa Bay Rowdies 6 (0)
2021 Edmonton 16 (1)
2022 New York Red Bulls II 4 (0)
2022– Bhayangkara 44 (1)
International career‡
2018– Afghanistan 15 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 September 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 November 2021

Career

Youth and college

Raised in Clifton, New Jersey, Najem played prep soccer at Paramus Catholic High School.[1]

Najem played four years of college soccer at the University of Akron between 2013 and 2016, making 89 appearances, scoring 33 goals and tallying 29 assists.[2]

While at college, Najem also appeared for Premier Development League sides New York Red Bulls U23 and Michigan Bucks, where he won the 2016 PDL Championship.[3][4]

Club

Najem signed with Major League Soccer side Philadelphia Union on February 8, 2017, after acquiring his rights from New York Red Bulls in exchange for a second-round 2018 MLS SuperDraft pick.[5] He made his professional debut on April 1, 2017, while on loan with the Union's United Soccer League affiliate Bethlehem Steel, playing 90 minutes in a 3–2 loss to Rochester Rhinos.[6]

Najem joined USL Championship expansion club Memphis 901 on February 5, 2019.[7]

Najem joined Polish I liga club Wigry Suwałki on January 22, 2020[8]

On August 5, 2020, Najem returned to the United States, joining USL Championship side Tampa Bay Rowdies.[9]

On August 9, 2021, Najem signed with Canadian Premier League side Edmonton.[10] On February 9, 2022, the club announced that Najem and all but two other players would not be returning for the 2022 season.[11]

On May 19, 2022, Najem signed a 25-day short-term contract with New York Red Bulls II.[12] Najem made his first appearance for New York on May 21, 2022, during a 2-0 loss to Indy Eleven.[13]

International

In August 2018, Najem received his first international call-up to the Afghanistan national team.[14][15]

Personal

Adam's brother, David, is also a professional footballer.[16]

References
  1. Adam Najem, Akron Zips men's soccer. Accessed February 24, 2022. "Hometown: Clifton, N.J.; High School: Paramus Catholic"
  2. "Adam Najem". Gozips.com. Archived from the original on April 13, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  3. "Adam Najem". Uslpdl.com. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  4. "Report: Philadelphia Union acquiring homegrown rights for Adam Najem". Brotherlygame.com. January 23, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  5. "Philadelphia Union Acquire Midfielder Adam Najem". Philadelphiaunion.com. February 8, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  6. "Bethlehem Steel FC vs Rochester Rhinos". Uslsoccer.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  7. "Memphis 901 FC Adds Dynamic Adam Najem". Memphis901FC.com. Archived from the original on September 13, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  8. "Adam Najem piłkarzem Wigier « Oficjalny Serwis Suwalskiego Klubu Sportowego Wigry". wigrysuwalki.eu. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  9. "Rowdies Add to Attacking Options with Adam Najem". August 5, 2020.
  10. Charlie O'Connor-Clarke (August 9, 2022). "FC Edmonton signs American midfielder Najem for remainder of 2021 season". Canadian Premier League. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  11. "FC Edmonton Announces Return of T-Boy Fayia & Darlington Murasiranwa". FC Edmonton. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  12. "Red Bulls II sign Adam Najem to 25-Day contract". May 19, 2022.
  13. "Match Recap: NYRB II Falls to Indy Eleven, 2-0". newyorkredbulls.com. May 21, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  14. "Adam Najem earns international call-up from Afghanistan National Team". Bethlehem Steel FC. August 14, 2018. Archived from the original on August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  15. Joe Tansey (August 14, 2018). "Philadelphia Union's Adam Najem earns first call-up to Afghanistan national team". prosoccerusa.com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  16. "NEW MEXICO UNITED WELCOMES ACCOMPLISHED DEFENDER TO THE 2020 SQUAD". Tampa Bay Times. April 20, 2018. Archived from the original on January 31, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
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