Alexander Michel Melki

Robert Alexander Robert Michel Melki (Arabic: روبير الكساندر روبير ميشيل ملكي, Lebanese Arabic pronunciation: [ˈroːbert ʔalekˈsander ˈmelki, -ke]; born 14 November 1992), known as Alexander Michel Melki,[note 1] is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for Lebanese Premier League club Ansar and the Lebanon national team.[3] A centre-back at the club level, Michel Melki is mainly deployed as a right-back at the international level.[4]

In this Lebanese name, the father's name is Robert and the family name is Michel Melki.
Alexander Michel Melki
Michel Melki with Lebanon at the 2019 Asian Cup
Personal information
Full name Robert Alexander Robert Michel Melki[1]
Date of birth (1992-11-14) 14 November 1992
Place of birth Västertälje, Södertälje, Sweden[1]
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Centre-back, right-back
Team information
Current team
 Ansar
Youth career
Syrianska FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2017 Syrianska FC 99 (3)
2017–2018 AFC Eskilstuna 52 (0)
2019–2021 Al-Khor 34 (0)
2021–2022 Al-Shahania 16 (1)
2022 AFC Eskilstuna 9 (0)
2023 Nordic United 14 (1)
2023– Ansar 0 (0)
International career‡
2011 Sweden U19 1 (0)
2013 Sweden U21 4 (0)
2018– Lebanon 24 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:16, 4 July 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14:15, 1 February 2022 (UTC)

Swedish by birth, Michel Melki represented them at youth level before also acquiring Lebanese nationality through his grandfather on his father's side.[5] He decided to switch allegiance to Lebanon and made his senior international debut in 2018. After following his father's tracks playing at Syrianska for six years, Michel Melki moved to AFC Eskilstuna in 2017, helping them gain promotion back to the Allsvenskan the following season. In 2019 he moved to Qatar, joining Al-Khor before moving to Al-Shahania in 2021. Michel Melki returned to Sweden, playing for AFC Eskilstuna in 2022 and Nordic United in 2023. He joined Ansar in Lebanon ahead of the 2023–24 season.

Born in Sweden, Michel Melki represented his native country at under-19 and under-21 levels before switching allegiance to Lebanon in 2018. He took part in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, Lebanon's first participation in 19 years.

Early life

Michel Melki was born in Sweden to a Swedish mother and a Syriac father, Robert Michel, who used to play for Syrianska when the team was still in the lower divisions of Swedish football.[6] He has a younger brother, Felix, who also plays football.[7]

In an interview with TRT World, his brother Felix stated that their grandfather was Lebanese, and that two of their father's sisters were born in Lebanon.[5]

Club career

Syrianska
Michel Melki with Syrianska in 2013

Alexander Michel started his career at Syrianska. His personal debut in the first team and in the Allsvenskan took place on 20 June 2011 at the age of 18, with his team being defeated 3–0 against Djurgården.[8] During that season he made a total of 10 league appearances. In 2012 he found further space, with 23 appearances of which 18 as a starter.

Exactly two years after his debut in the Swedish championship, on 20 June 2013 Michel seriously damaged the cruciate ligament of his left knee during a home match against Malmö FF.[9] The injury forced him to stay out of action for a year, with his next official match being played on 25 June 2014 in the Superettan.

Having recovered from the injury, in July 2015 Michel broke the same cruciate ligament damaged two years earlier forcing him to finish the season in advance.[10] His last year at Syrianska was in 2016, with 25 league appearances in the league.

AFC Eskilstuna

After the expiration of his contract with Syrianska,[11] Michel carried out trials with Hammarby and Djurgården in January 2017.[12] A few weeks later, he signed a two-year contract with Allsveskan side AFC Eskilstuna.[13][14]

In his first season in the club, Alexander played 23 games in the Allsvenskan coming last in the league.[3] The following season, relegated to the Superettan, he played 29 league games as well as both play-off games to promote his team back to the first division.[3][15][16]

Al-Khor

On 23 January 2019, during the winter transfer window, Alkass Sports Channels officially announced the signing of Michel Melki to Qatar Stars League side Al-Khor until the end of the season.[17][18] In his first season, in 2018–19, Michel Melki played seven league games,[19] and helped his side avoid relegation by finishing 10th in the league.[20]

During the 2019–20 season, Michel Melki played 20 of the 22 regular season games as a starter, missing two games due to injury, and provided two assists.[21] As Al-Khor finished in 11th place, they played the relegation play-off game against Qatari Second Division side Al-Markhiya.[22] They won the encounter 2–0 after extra time, and avoided relegation once again.[23]

Michel Melki finished runner-up with Al-Khor in the 2020–21 Qatar Stars Cup, featuring in the final against eventual winners Al-Rayyan.[24] After playing seven games during the season, his contract was terminated on 20 February 2021.[25]

Al-Shahania

Michel Melki joined Qatari Second Division side Al-Shahania,[26][27] making his debut in the 2020–21 season on 27 February 2021, in a 2–0 win against Muaither.[28] After playing five games in the regular season,[29] helping his side finish in second place, Michel Melki played against his former side Al-Khor in the promotion play-offs, losing 3–1 and remaining in the Second Division.[30] He scored his only goal for Al-Shahania on 26 February 2022, during the 2021–22 season, in a 5–1 league win against Al-Waab.[31]

Return to Sweden

On 8 August 2022, Michel Melki returned to his former club in Sweden AFC Eskilstuna, reuniting with his brother Felix; he signed a contract until the end of the 2022 Superettan season.[32] On 23 February 2023, he moved to Nordic United in the Ettan Fotboll, the third tier of Swedish football.[33]

Ansar

On 6 July 2023, Lebanese Premier League club Ansar announced the signing of Michel Melki ahead of the 2023–24 season.[34]

International career
Michel Melki with Lebanon against North Korea in 2019

Michel Melki represented Sweden internationally at under-19 and under-21 level.[35]

In 2018, Michel Melki acquired a Lebanese passport due to his origins, making him eligible for the Lebanon national team.[36] He made his international debut for Lebanon on 15 November 2018, playing the whole 90 minutes in a goalless draw against Uzbekistan.[37] Michel Melki was called up for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, alongside his brother Alexander, one month later.[2]

On his 27th birthday, on 14 November 2019, Michel Melki played the whole 90 minutes in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier match against South Korea.[38] Lebanon held on to a 0–0 draw, with Michel Melki neutralizing Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min;[39] he was widely regarded as the Man of the Match by Lebanese fans.[40]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 16 October 2022[19][29]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup[lower-alpha 2] Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Syrianska 2011 Allsvenskan 100———100
2012 Allsvenskan 23130——261
2013 Allsvenskan 122———122
2014 Superettan 15030——180
2015 Superettan 140———140
2016 Superettan 25000—2[lower-alpha 3]0270
Total 9936000201073
AFC Eskilstuna 2017 Allsvenskan 230———230
2018 Superettan 29011—2[lower-alpha 4]0321
Total 520110020551
Al-Khor 2018–19 Qatar Stars League 70———70
2019–20 Qatar Stars League 200—201[lower-alpha 5]0230
2020–21 Qatar Stars League 70—30—100
Total 340005010400
Al-Shahania 2020–21 Qatari Second Division 50——3[lower-alpha 6]080
2021–22 Qatari Second Division 11110—4[lower-alpha 7]0161
Total 161100070241
AFC Eskilstuna 2022 Superettan 9000——90
Nordic United 2023 Ettan 141———141
Career total 224581501202496
  1. Includes Svenska Cupen, Emir of Qatar Cup
  2. Includes Qatari Stars Cup
  3. Appearances in Superettan relegation play-outs
  4. Appearances in Allsvenskan promotion play-offs
  5. Appearance in Qatar Stars League relegation play-outs
  6. Two appearances in Qatar FA Cup, one appearance in Qatari Second Division promotion play-offs
  7. Three appearances in Qatar FA Cup, one appearance in Qatari Second Division Cup

International
As of match played 1 February 2022[29][3]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Lebanon 201820
201980
202010
2021110
202220
Total 240

Honours

Al-Khor

See also

Notes
  1. Known as Alexander Michel in Sweden, or Robert Melki (Arabic: روبير ملكي) in Arabic.

References
  1. "Alexander Michel Melki". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  2. "AC2019 Final Squads". Asian Football Confederation. p. 19. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  3. "Alexander Michel Melki". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  4. "The final 23: who are they?". Lebanese Football Review. 9 January 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  5. "How diaspora footballers came together under the Lebanese flag". TRT World. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  6. "Alexander Michel är redo för nästa steg | Matchdax". matchdax.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  7. "AFC Asian Cup 2019: Brothers competing in the continental tournament". FOX Sports Asia. 2 January 2019. Archived from the original on 2 January 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  8. "Allsvenskan SvFF - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  9. "Alexander Michel knä- skadad: "Är inte bra" | Allsvenskan | Expressen". www.expressen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  10. "Tunga beskedet för Syrianska - nyckelspelare borta året ut". fotbollskanalen (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  11. "Framtiden oklar för Alex Michel – hoppas på flytt i vinter: "Behöver en liten nytändning"". lt.se (in Swedish). 25 December 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  12. "Efter Hammarby-test - nu tränar Michel med Djurgården -FotbollDirekt". www.fotbolldirekt.se. Archived from the original on 23 April 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  13. "AFC Eskilstuna värvar Alexander Michel". www.expressen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  14. "Fotbolltransfers.com - Officiellt: Alexander Michel klar för AFC Eskilstuna". fotbolltransfers.com. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  15. "Athletic Eskilstuna v IF Brommapojkarna". svenskfotboll.se. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  16. "IF Brommapojkarna v Athletic Eskilstuna". svenskfotboll.se. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  17. الكاس, قنوات (23 January 2019). "خاص للكاس: المدافع اللبناني روبرت ميشيل ميلكي وقع رسميا لنادي #الخور حتى نهاية الموسمpic.twitter.com/zBmCmSixZD". @alkasschannel (in Arabic). Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  18. Lebanon, Football. "روبرت ملكي رسميا الى الخور القطري". football-lebanon.com. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  19. Alexander Michel Melki at Soccerway. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  20. "Summary - Stars League - Qatar - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  21. "Lebanese Players Abroad: August 2020, Week 4". FA Lebanon. 31 August 2020. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  22. "Summary - Stars League - Qatar - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  23. "Summary - Play-offs 1/2 - Qatar - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  24. Mahfoud, Maroun (23 November 2020). "Lebanese Players Abroad: November 2020, week 4". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  25. "الخور يفسخ عقد ملكي". lebanonfg.com. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  26. "ملكي قريب من الشحانية". كووورة. 27 February 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  27. Abou Diab, Rami (28 February 2021). "Alex Melki stays in Qatar". FA Lebanon. Archived from the original on 28 February 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  28. Mahfoud, Maroun (1 March 2021). "Lebanese Players Abroad: February 2021, Week 4". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  29. "Alexander Michel Melki". FA Lebanon. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  30. Abou Diab, Rami (10 May 2021). "Lebanese Players Abroad: May 2021, Week 1". FA Lebanon. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  31. "الشحانية يحقق فوزاً كبيراً على الوعب بخمسة أهداف مقابل هدف" (in Arabic). Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  32. "Alex Michel är klar för AFC!". AFC Eskilstuna. 8 August 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  33. Nordic United FC [@unitedfcnordic] (23 February 2023). "Den libanesiska landslagsmannen Alexander Michel har skrivit på för United" (in Swedish) – via Instagram.
  34. "أليكس روبيرت ملكي ينضم للأنصار استعدادا للموسم الكروي". أجواء برس (in Arabic). Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  35. Alexander Michel Melki at the Swedish Football Association (in Swedish)
  36. "The Lebanon squad to face Uzbekistan and Australia has been named". YOUR HOME OF NEWS. 8 November 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  37. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Uzbekistan vs. Lebanon (0:0)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  38. "MD5 - Group H: Lebanon 0-0 Korea Republic". www.the-afc.com. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  39. Rigga, Skonto (14 November 2019). "Mane carries strong FPL form onto the international stage". Fantasy Football Scout. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  40. Labellarte, Giuseppe (14 November 2019). "Tottenham Hotspur ace Son Heung-min mocked by Lebanon fans after South Korea stalemate". HITC. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
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