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Adam Najem

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Adam Najem
Najem with Philadelphia Union in 2017
Personal information
Full name Adam Ahmad Najem
Date of birth (1995-01-19) 19 January 1995 (age 29)
Place of birth Clifton, New Jersey, United States
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
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 6 (0)
2016 Michigan Bucks 11 (1)
2017–2018 Philadelphia Union 5 (0)
2017–2018 → Bethlehem Steel (loan) 37 (5)
2019 Memphis 901 29 (4)
2020 Wigry Suwałki 2 (0)
2020 Tampa Bay Rowdies 6 (0)
2021 FC Edmonton 16 (1)
2022 New York Red Bulls II 4 (0)
2022–2023 Bhayangkara 45 (1)
International career‡
2018– Afghanistan 15 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 October 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 November 2021

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

Career

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Youth and college

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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

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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, in a 2–0 loss to Indy Eleven.[13]

International

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

Personal

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

References

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  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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