Ayass withLebanon at the2019 Asian Cup | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Samir Ahmed Ayass[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1990-12-24)24 December 1990 (age 34) | ||
| Place of birth | Sofia, Bulgaria[1] | ||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–2009 | CSKA Sofia | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2010 | CSKA Sofia | 0 | (0) |
| 2010 | →Akademik Sofia (loan) | 13 | (1) |
| 2010 | Akademik Sofia | 13 | (0) |
| 2011 | Minyor Pernik | 6 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Bansko | 21 | (1) |
| 2012 | Montana | 3 | (0) |
| 2013 | Lyubimets | 23 | (4) |
| 2014–2015 | Beroe Stara Zagora | 24 | (4) |
| 2015–2016 | CSKA Sofia | 33 | (12) |
| 2016–2017 | Dunav Ruse | 30 | (4) |
| 2017–2019 | Ahed | 32 | (2) |
| 2019 | Dunav Ruse | 15 | (0) |
| 2020 | Persiraja | 3 | (0) |
| 2021 | Botev Vratsa | 8 | (0) |
| 2021 | Perak | 3 | (0) |
| Total | 277 | (28) | |
| International career | |||
| 2011–2012 | Bulgaria U21 | 3 | (0) |
| 2017–2019 | Lebanon | 13 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Samir Ahmed Ayass (Arabic:سَمِير أَحْمَد أَيَاس,Lebanese Arabic pronunciation:[saˈmiːrˈʔaħmadʔajˈjæːs];Bulgarian:Самир Ахмед Аяс; born 24 December 1990) is a former professionalfootballer who played as amidfielder.
Coming through the youth system, Ayass began his senior career in 2008 at hometown clubCSKA Sofia, before moving to cross-city sideAkademik Sofia in 2010. He then went on to play for various Bulgarian sides, namelyMinyor Pernik,Bansko,Montana,Lyubimets, andBeroe Stara Zagora, before returning to CSKA Sofia in 2015, winning theBulgarian Cup. The following year he joinedDunav Ruse, before moving to Lebanon in 2017 toAhed. After having won multiple titles, including the2019 AFC Cup, Ayass returned to Dunav Ruse in 2019, before moving toPersiraja in Indonesia the following year. He moved back to Bulgaria in 2021, atBotev Vratsa, and then joined Malaysian sidePerak.
Born in Bulgaria, Ayass represented them atyouth level before switching allegiance to Lebanon, for whom he made his senior international debut in 2017. He helped his team reach the2019 AFC Asian Cup for the first time through qualification, playing in the final tournament.
Samir Ayass was born inSofia, Bulgaria to a Lebanese father and a Bulgarian mother.[3][4] He started his playing career atCSKA Sofia at the age of six.[3][4]
On 6 October 2016, Ayass signed a one-and-a-half-year contract withDunav Ruse.[5] He scored his first goal for the team on 9 April 2017, in a 1–0 win over championsLudogorets Razgrad.[6]
On 4 August 2017, Ayass signed a two-year contract withLebanese Premier League championsAhed for an undisclosed fee.[7] He returned toDunav Ruse in Bulgaria on 11 July 2019.[8]
On 17 February 2020, Ayass moved to newly promotedIndonesian Liga 1 sidePersiraja.[9][10] Following the cancellation of the2020 season due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, Ayass was released.[11] He re-joined in March 2021 on trial ahead of the2021 season.[12][13]
On 3 April 2021, Ayass returned to Bulgaria, joiningBotev Vratsa for the final part of the2020–21 First Professional League.[14] He made his debut on 8 April, coming on as a substitute and winning a penalty for his team; they lost 2–1 toBotev Plovdiv.[15] Ayass helped Botev avoid relegation.[16]
On 19 June 2021, Ayass moved toPerak in theMalaysia Super League.[17] He left the club at the end of September after his contract expired.[18]
Ayass played for theBulgarian under-21 team between 2011 and 2012, and was capped three times.[19] However, he was never called up for thesenior team.[19]
Eligible to representLebanon through his father,[20] on 20 March 2017 he accepted the call up for Lebanon for the match againstHong Kong on 28 March 2017, for the2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification.[21] He completed his debut, coming as a substitute on the 69th minute.[22]
On 10 October 2017, Ayass scored his first international goal for Lebanon againstNorth Korea, in a 5–0 home win at the Asian Cup qualifications.[23] In December 2018, he was called up for the2019 AFC Asian Cup squad,[2] featuring in two group stage games.[24]
Ayass is a technicalmidfielder with good attacking capabilities.[20]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Akademik Sofia (loan) | 2009–10 | Bulgarian Second League | 13 | 1 | — | — | 13 | 1 | ||
| Akademik Sofia | 2010–11 | Bulgarian First League | 13 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | ||
| Minyor Pernik | 2010–11 | Bulgarian First League | 6 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | ||
| Bansko | 2011–12 | Bulgarian Second League | 21 | 1 | — | — | 21 | 1 | ||
| Montana | 2012–13 | Bulgarian First League | 3 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Lyubimets | 2012–13 | Bulgarian Second League | 11 | 2 | — | — | 11 | 2 | ||
| 2013–14 | Bulgarian First League | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 13 | 2 | ||
| Total | 23 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 4 | ||
| Beroe Stara Zagora | 2013–14 | Bulgarian First League | 11 | 2 | — | — | 11 | 2 | ||
| 2014–15 | Bulgarian First League | 13 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | |
| Total | 24 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 4 | ||
| CSKA Sofia | 2015–16 | Third League | 29 | 12 | 6 | 2 | — | 35 | 14 | |
| 2016–17 | Bulgarian First League | 4 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| Total | 33 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 14 | ||
| Dunav Ruse | 2016–17 | Bulgarian First League | 27 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | 29 | 4 | |
| 2017–18 | Bulgarian First League | 3 | 0 | — | 2[b] | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| Total | 30 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 4 | ||
| Ahed | 2017–18 | Lebanese Premier League | 16 | 1 | — | 7[c] | 1 | 23 | 2 | |
| 2018–19 | Premier League | 16 | 1 | — | 6[c] | 0 | 22 | 1 | ||
| Total | 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 45 | 3 | ||
| Dunav Ruse | 2019–20 | Bulgarian First League | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | |
| Persiraja | 2020 | Liga 1 (Indonesia) | 3 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Botev Vratsa | 2020–21 | Bulgarian First League | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | |
| Perak | 2021 | Malaysia Super League | 3 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 198 | 16 | 13 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 227 | 19 | ||
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 October 2017 | Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium,Beirut, Lebanon | 3–0 | 5–0 | 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification |
CSKA Sofia[19]
Ahed[19]