Wikipedia

Mohamed Farsi

Mohamed Farsi (Arabic: محمد فارسي; born 16 December 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew. Born in Canada, he represents the Algeria national team.

Mohamed Farsi
Farsi with the Columbus Crew in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-12-16) 16 December 1999 (age 24)
Place of birth Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Right-back
Team information
Current team
 Columbus Crew
Number 23
Youth career
2008-2013 CS Boucaniers
2013–2014 CS Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
2015–2016 CS Panellinios
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017 Collège Ahuntsic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018 CS Longueuil 13 (0)
2019 AS Blainville 9 (0)
2019–2020 AS Aïn M'lila 0 (0)
2020–2021 Cavalry FC 35 (2)
2022 Columbus Crew 2 18 (2)
2022 → Columbus Crew (loan) 2 (0)
2022– Columbus Crew 63 (3)
International career‡
2020 Canada (futsal) 2 (1)
2021 Canada U23 2 (0)
2024– Algeria 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 5, 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 September 2024

Early life

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Farsi was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, to Algerian parents from Oran.[1][2][3] He began playing soccer at age eight with local club CS Boucaniers.[1][4] He later played youth soccer for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and CS Panellinios,[5] eventually playing at the senior amateur level in the LSEQ with Panellinios's senior team.[6]

Club career

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College and semi-pro

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In 2017, Farsi played college soccer for Collège Ahuntsic, winning the provincial championship and being named to the all-star team.[7][8][9]

In 2018, Farsi signed with Première Ligue de soccer du Québec side Longueuil, making thirteen league appearances that season.[6]

In 2019, Farsi switched to defending PLSQ champions Blainville, making nine league appearances and two appearances in the Canadian Championship against Canadian Premier League side York9.[10]

Aïn M'lila

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In 2019, Farsi signed his first professional contract with Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 side AS Aïn M'lila.[2] He left after the season, without making an appearance.[11]

Cavalry FC

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On 15 April 2020, Farsi signed with Canadian Premier League side Cavalry FC,[3] after impressing during a trial.[12] He made his debut as a substitute in Cavalry's first game of the 2020 Canadian Premier League season, a 2–2 draw with Forge FC.[13] Farsi exceled during the 2020 season, earning praise for his offensive and defensive efforts, and was named for the league's U-21 player of the year.[14][15] He was awarded the El Jimador Shot of the Year, for his goal against Pacific FC on 9 September 2020.[16][17] In November 2020, Farsi re-signed with the club for the 2021 season.[18] After the 2021 season, Cavalry announced that Farsi was leaving the club in order to pursue a contract in Europe or Major League Soccer.[19][20]

Columbus Crew

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In March 2022, Columbus Crew 2 of MLS Next Pro announced they had signed Farsi ahead of their inaugural season.[21][22] He made his debut in the club's first match against Inter Miami CF II on 26 March.[23] On 18 June, he signed a short-term loan with the Columbus Crew first team in Major League Soccer for their match against Charlotte FC, in which he appeared as a substitute.[24][25] At the end of the season, he was named to the MLS Next Pro Best XI.[26]

In July 2022, he signed a first team contract with the Columbus Crew,[27] and appeared in seven games, all of them as second half substitutions.[28]

Farsi scored his first goal for Columbus on 26 April 2023, in a U.S. Open Cup match against Indy Eleven.[29]

Farsi was a regular starter for Columbus during 2023. On 9 December, he played 86 minutes in MLS Cup 2023, helping Columbus win its third league championship.[30] In February 2024 Farsi signed a contract extension through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028.[31]

He scored his first league goal for Columbus on 9 March 2024, against the Chicago Fire in the 10th minute of second half stoppage time.[32]

International career

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Youth and Futsal

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Before starting his professional career, Farsi was a prominent member of the Canadian futsal team, winning the Canadian Futsal Player of the Year award for 2020.[33][34] He would go on to be involved in the 2020 Olympic football qualifiers with the Canada under-23s after initially being named a back up to the team.[35]

Senior

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Eligible for both Algeria and Canada, Farsi confirmed he had declined an invitation to Canada's preliminary rosters ahead of the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals and the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup, adding that he was not ready to decide his international future.[36]

On 29 August 2024, Farsi was called up by Algeria to represent the nation in their two 2025 AFCON Qualifiers against Equatorial Guinea and Liberia, ultimately concluding that he has decided to represent Algeria.[37] Farsi debuted on 10 September 2024 against Liberia.[38]

Style of play

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Farsi is a versatile and dynamic player, known for his technical ability, quick pace, and attacking mindset. He primarily plays as a wing-back but is also proficient in central defense and midfield positions. His ability to contribute both defensively and offensively makes him a valuable asset on the pitch. Farsi excels in creating scoring opportunities with accurate crosses and his quick, aggressive movements up the field. He describes himself as "someone who enjoys getting forward, running at players, and dribbling in one-on-one situations".[39][40][41][42][43][44]

Personal life

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Farsi is multilingual, fluent in English, French, and Arabic. Growing up, he participated in soccer, futsal, as well as taekwondo. He is a fan of Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona, and Manchester City.[42][45][46][47]

Career statistics

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As of November 3, 2024[6][30]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Playoffs National cup League cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
CS Longueuil 2018 PLSQ 13 0 — — 1 0 — 14 0
AS Blainville 2019 PLSQ 9 0 — 2 0 0 0 — 11 0
AS Aïn M'lila 2019–20 Ligue Professionnelle 1 0 0 — 0 0 — — 0 0
Cavalry FC 2020 CPL 10 1 — — — — 10 1
2021 25 1 1 0 2 0 — — 28 1
Total 35 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 38 2
Columbus Crew 2 2022 MLS Next Pro 18 2 1 0 — — — 19 2
Columbus Crew (loan) 2022 MLS 2 0 0 0 — — — 2 0
Columbus Crew 2022 MLS 5 0 0 0 — — — 5 0
2023 31 0 5 0 3 1 3 0 — 42 1
2024 27 3 2 0 0 0 5 0 6 0 40 3
Total 65 3 7 0 3 1 8 0 6 0 89 4
Career total 140 7 9 0 7 1 9 0 6 0 171 8

Honours

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Columbus Crew

Individual

  • Canadian Premier League Under 21 Canadian Player of the Year: 2020

References

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  1. ^ a b "Mohamed Farsi". Canadian Soccer Association. 28 January 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b Walid Ziani (23 August 2019). "Mohamed Farsi (AS Ain M'lila) : "L'Algérie, une belle opportunité"" (in French). DZ Foot. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Cavalry FC signs former PLSQ standout fullback Mohamed Farsi". Canadian Premier League. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  4. ^ Smith, Chris (23 August 2020). "Cavalry Right-Back Mohamed Farsi Illustrates Importance Of Canadian Premier League". World Football Index.
  5. ^ "Mohamed Farsi". Obelisq (in French).
  6. ^ a b c "PTS-Ligue Archive" (in French). TSI Sports. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  7. ^ "Mohamed Farsi, ancien joueur de soccer du Collège, repêché par le Cavalry FC de Calgary". Collège Ahuntsic (in French). Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Site officiel des calendriers, classements et statistiques du RSEQ". Site officiel des calendriers, classements et statistiques du RSEQ (in French). Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Site officiel des calendriers, classements et statistiques du RSEQ". Site officiel des calendriers, classements et statistiques du RSEQ (in French). 26 April 2023. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  10. ^ Jacques, John (15 April 2020). "Cavalry FC Signs Full-Back Mohamed Farsi". Northern Tribune.
  11. ^ Tremblay, Olivier (27 November 2020). "Mohamed Farsi se donne les moyens de ses ambitions" [Mohamed Farsi gives himself the means to achieve his ambitions]. Ici Radio-Canada Télé (in French).
  12. ^ "How Cavalry's Mo Farsi became one of CPL's brightest young stars". Canadian Premier League. 4 December 2020.
  13. ^ Gangué-Ruzic, Alexandre (14 August 2020). "Island Introspections: Forge vs Cavalry set tone for CPL 'Island Games' tournament in opening day clash". Between The Sticks. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  14. ^ Saelhof, Todd (23 August 2020). "Farsi finds breakthrough Mo-mentum with Cavalry". Calgary Sun.
  15. ^ "Canadian Premier League announces player of the year finalists". CBC Sports. 18 September 2020.
  16. ^ Jacques, John (15 January 2022). "Ohio Hopeful: Farsi Set To Sign With Crew 2". Northern Tribune.
  17. ^ Saelhof, Todd (15 January 2022). "Mo Farsi departs Cavalry, scores spot with MLS' Crew 2". Calgary Sun.
  18. ^ "Three Young Canadian Players Re-sign with Cavalry FC". Cavalry FC. 13 November 2020.
  19. ^ Charlie O'Connor-Clarke (25 November 2021). "Cavalry FC announce departure of six players including Farsi, Yao". Canadian Premier League.
  20. ^ Jacques, John (25 November 2021). "Farsi Headlines Six Cavalry Departures". Northern Tribune.
  21. ^ "Columbus Crew 2 signs three players". Columbus Crew. 18 March 2022.
  22. ^ Jacques, John (18 March 2022). "Crew 2 Welcomes Mohamed Farsi". Northern Tribune.
  23. ^ Columbus Crew 2 [@ColumbusCrew2] (26 March 2022). "Our Inaugural Starting XI vs. Inter Miami CF II" (Tweet). Retrieved 29 March 2022 – via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ Weisbarth, Devin (22 June 2022). "Crew 2's Jacen Russell-Rowe, Mo Faris make first-team debut". Massive Report.
  25. ^ Jacques, John (19 June 2022). "Impressing In MLS NEXT Pro, Farsi Makes MLS Debut". Northern Tribune.
  26. ^ Henry Jr, Larry (23 September 2022). "MLS NEXT Pro 2022 Best XI". MLS Next Pro.
  27. ^ Myers, Jacob (22 July 2022). "Columbus Crew sign Canadian defender Mo Farsi from Crew 2". The Columbus Dispatch.
  28. ^ "Mohamed Farsi 2022 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  29. ^ "2023 US Open Cup Round 3: Farsi's late winner sends Columbus Crew past Indy Eleven". thecup.us. 29 April 2023. Archived from the original on 26 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  30. ^ a b Mohamed Farsi at Soccerway
  31. ^ "Columbus Crew Sign Mohamed Farsi to Multi-Year Contract Extension". Columbus Crew. 21 February 2024.
  32. ^ "Farsi's goal late in stoppage time carries Columbus Crew past Chicago Fire 2-1". AP News. 10 March 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  33. ^ "Mohamed Farsi named Canadian Futsal Player of the Year". Canadian Soccer Association. 30 November 2020.
  34. ^ "Mo Farsi adds to trophy cabinet, wins Canadian Futsal Player of the Year Award". Toronto Star. 30 November 2020.
  35. ^ Molinaro, John (19 March 2021). "CPLers Farsi, Abzi added to Canada's Olympic qualifying team". Canadian Premier League.
  36. ^ Abdeli, Yanni (29 May 2023). "Mohamed Farsi: "J'ai refusé le Canada et la CAN 2023 avec l'Algérie pourrait être un objectif !"". La Gazette du Fennec.
  37. ^ Jacques, John (29 August 2024). "Former CPL Award-Winner Mohamed Farsi Accepts Algeria Call-Up". Northern Tribune.
  38. ^ "Liberia v Algeria game report". Soccerway. 10 September 2024.
  39. ^ "Mohamed Farsi attracting interest from MLS & Europe following Cavalry FC departure". 90min.com. 12 December 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  40. ^ "Montreal's Farsi brings futsal talent to Cavalry". calgarysun. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  41. ^ "Farsi Reaches MLS Heights With Columbus Crew". Northern Tribune. 23 July 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  42. ^ a b "Mo Farsi departs Cavalry, scores spot with MLS' Crew 2". calgarysun. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  43. ^ "Mohamed Farsi : Du futsal à la PLC". RDS.ca (in French). 7 August 2020. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  44. ^ "How Cavalry's Mo Farsi became one of CPL's brightest young stars". Cavalry FC. 5 December 2020. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  45. ^ "Profile - Canada Soccer". 30 October 2022. Archived from the original on 30 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  46. ^ lookcharms (24 March 2022). "A Quebecer in the bosom of the Columbus Crew". US Sports (in French). Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  47. ^ "Mohamed Farsi : "Lifting a trophy at the end of the season"". Just e-Soccer (in French). 24 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
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