*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 December 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12:42, 11 June 2024 (UTC)
Omar Jehad Al Somah (Arabic: عُمَر جِهَاد السُّومَة; born 23 March 1989) is a Syrian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Qatar Stars League club Al-Arabi and the Syria national team. Nicknamed in Syria as Al ʿAggied (Arabic: الْعَكِيْد) which is a historical civil character in Damascus known for participating in the resistance against occupiers and for being courageous, helpful, and generous.[2][3]
Al Somah started his career at local club Al-Futowa, before joining Kuwaiti side Qadsia in 2011. In July 2014, Al Somah joined Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League. He went on to become the league top goalscorer in 2015, 2016 and 2017. He helped Al-Ahli win the league in 2016, their first in 32 years. In 2022, he joined Qatari club Al-Arabi on loan, before making the transfer permanent the following year.
Club career
Al Futowa
Al Somah began his football career at the age of 12, joining the youth academy of his hometown club Al Futowa. The academy won the 2007–08 Syrian under-18 league,[4] with Al Somah emerging as the top scorer of the season with 29 goals.[5]
He advanced to the senior team, aged 17, in the 2008–09 season, scoring 12 goals in the league and becoming his club's top scorer, although the club was relegated to the 1st Division. In the following season, he played a crucial role in their immediate promotion. He scored five goals during the 2010–11 season until its suspension in March 2011 due to the Syrian revolution.[6]
In July 2012, Al Somah participated in three games with Nottingham Forest, scoring once in a month-long trial.[8] His trial with Nottingham occurred during the ownership of Kuwaiti businessman Fawaz Al-Hasawi, alongside his fellow national teammate Firas Al-Khatib.[9]
Despite coach Sean O'Driscoll's desire to keep the player, his proposed transfer collapsed due to his inability to obtain a work permit. This was due to specific conditions required in English football, including his country's FIFA ranking and the number of international matches he had played in the last two years. In the meantime, it was proposed that he could play for six months in France before joining the English club, but he refused, preferring a higher salary with Al Qadsia to support his family.[10][11]
Return to Al Qadsia
Upon returning to Al Qadsia, Al Somah secured the Emir Cup, Super Cup, and Crown Prince Cup in 2013. In the 2013–14 season, he won his second league title, along with the Crown Prince Cup, Federation Cup, Super Cup, and the continental AFC Cup. He concluded his final season at the club as the league's top scorer, netting 23 goals.[6]
Al Ahli
2014–15: Debut season and Pro League's top scorer
In May 2014, it was announced that Al Somah would join Saudi side Al Ahli, by signing a two-year contract.[12] On 16 August 2014, he netted a hat-trick on his league debut in a 6–1 victory over Hajer.[13] In December that year, he extended his contract until 2018.[14]
On 13 February 2015, he scored a goal, one minute after entering the pitch, to open the score in an eventual 2–1 victory over Al Hilal in the Saudi Crown Prince Cup final.[6] He finished his debut season as league's top scorer with 22 goals.[15] Later that year, on 27 May, he netted a brace in a 2–1 victory over Naft Tehran in the AFC Champions League knockout stage round of 16 second leg, yet his club were eliminated on away goals rule.[16]
2015–17: Three domestic titles and consecutive top scorer
In the 2015–16 season, Al Somah scored 27 goals in the Pro League, securing his club's first title in 32 years.[15] He also netted a brace in a 3–1 win over Al Nassr after extra time in the King Cup final. In addition, he scored a goal and decisive penalty during the shootouts victory over Al-Hilal in the Super Cup.[15] In the 2016–17 season, he achieved his third top scorer award with 24 goals, becoming the first player to score at least 20 goals in three consecutive season.[11]
2017–22: Recurring injuries and Pro League's all-time top scorer
In 2017–18, he sustained an ankle injury which sidelined him for most of the season.[17] In April 2018, he signed a new contract with the club until 2021.[18]
On 29 November 2020, Al Somah scored a goal in a 2–1 win over Al-Faisaly, in which he managed in seven seasons to equal Nasser Al-Shamrani's record of 126 goals in eleven seasons, to be the joint all-time top scorer of the league, since the Professional League rebrand in the 2008–09 season.[21] On 22 December, he broke the record by scoring his 127th goal in a 1–0 win over Al Fateh.[22]
In January 2021, he extended his contract until 2024.[23] Following the club's relegation in 2021–22, Al Somah departed with an impressive tally of 192 goals and 30 assists, including a record 144 league goals.[15]
Al-Arabi
2022–23: Loan season and Emir Cup title
On 9 August 2022, Al Somah joined Qatari side Al-Arabi on a one-year loan.[24] On 12 May 2023, he scored a brace for Al-Arabi in a 3–0 win over Al Sadd in the Emir Cup final, to be their first title in the competition in over 30 years.[25] He finished his debut season as the club's top scorer with 19 goals, three goals behind league's top scorer Michael Olunga.[26]
2023–present: Permanent transfer
On 21 July 2023, Al Somah joined Qatari side Al-Arabi on a two-year deal.[27] He concluded the 2023–24 season as his club's top scorer with 17 goals, ranking fourth overall.[28]
International career
Al Somah played for Syria U20 during the 2008 AFC U-19 Championship, scoring his country's only goal in the tournament against Iraq.[29] On 11 October 2012, he made his senior debut in a friendly match against Kuwait, which ended in a 1–1 draw.[30] He was then part of the team which won the 2012 WAFF Championship.[31]
After a five-year hiatus, he returned to the national team during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, playing his first match against Qatar on 31 August 2017, followed by scoring his first goal, a stoppage-time equalizer in a 2–2 away draw against Iran, which qualified his country to the qualification's fourth round.[32] He scored both goals against Australia in a 2–3 defeat on aggregate, in addition to hitting the post from a free kick in the stoppage time of extra time, which could have qualified his country to the inter-confederation play-offs on away goals rule.[33] In December 2018, he was named in the Syrian squad for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates.[34]
In December 2023, he announced his retirement from international football, after being excluded by coach Héctor Cúper from the squad for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.[35] After a few days, he reversed his decision to retire, explaining that his initial announcement was made out of anger and frustration, and stated that he would be ready to represent Syria whenever called up for international duty.[36] On 6 June 2024, he started his first match following his return in a 1–0 defeat against North Korea during the 2026 World Cup qualification.[37]
Style of play
Al Somah plays an attacking role, most often as a center-forward, and is known for his finishing and free kick abilities. His height, strength, jumping ability, and heading technique give him an edge in winning aerial challenges. Additionally, he scores with both feet. His playing style has earned him the nickname "the Syrian Ibrahimović".[38][39]
Personal life
Al Somah has been married since 2015 and has two children.[40] In February 2019, Al Soma donated $6,000 to Al-Fotuwa, the club he started his career with.[41]
