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) |
2022–2024 | Bhayangkara | 45 | (1) |
International career | |||
2018–2021 | Afghanistan | 15 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 January 2025 |
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 played for the Afghanistan national team.
Career
Youth and college
Raised in Clifton, New Jersey, Najem played prep soccer at Paramus Catholic High School.
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.
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.
Club
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. 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.
Najem joined USL Championship expansion club Memphis 901 on February 5, 2019.
Najem joined Polish I liga club Wigry Suwałki on January 22, 2020
On August 5, 2020, Najem returned to the United States, joining USL Championship side Tampa Bay Rowdies.
On August 9, 2021, Najem signed with Canadian Premier League side Edmonton. On February 9, 2022, the club announced that Najem and all but two other players would not be returning for the 2022 season.
On May 19, 2022, Najem signed a 25-day short-term contract with New York Red Bulls II. Najem made his first appearance for New York on May 21, 2022, in a 2–0 loss to Indy Eleven.
International
In August 2018, Najem received his first international call-up to the Afghanistan national team.
Personal
Adam's brother, David, is also a professional footballer.
References
- Adam Najem, Akron Zips men's soccer. Accessed February 24, 2022. "Hometown: Clifton, N.J.; High School: Paramus Catholic"
- "Adam Najem". Gozips.com. Archived from the original on April 13, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- "Adam Najem". Uslpdl.com. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- "Report: Philadelphia Union acquiring homegrown rights for Adam Najem". Brotherlygame.com. January 23, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- "Philadelphia Union Acquire Midfielder Adam Najem". Philadelphia Union. February 8, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- "Bethlehem Steel FC vs Rochester Rhinos". Uslsoccer.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
- "Memphis 901 FC Adds Dynamic Adam Najem". Memphis901FC.com. Archived from the original on September 13, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
- "Adam Najem piłkarzem Wigier « Oficjalny Serwis Suwalskiego Klubu Sportowego Wigry". wigrysuwalki.eu. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
- "Rowdies Add to Attacking Options with Adam Najem". August 5, 2020.
- 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.
- "FC Edmonton Announces Return of T-Boy Fayia & Darlington Murasiranwa". FC Edmonton. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
- "Red Bulls II sign Adam Najem to 25-Day contract". May 19, 2022.
- "Match Recap: NYRB II Falls to Indy Eleven, 2-0". newyorkredbulls.com. May 21, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
- "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.
- 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.
- "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.
External links
- Adam Najem at National-Football-Teams.com
- Adam Najem at Global Sports Archive
- Adam Najem at Major League Soccer
Mid-American Conference Men's Soccer Player of the Year | |
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Player of the Year |
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- 1995 births
- Living people
- Paramus Catholic High School alumni
- Sportspeople from Clifton, New Jersey
- People from Wayne, New Jersey
- Afghan men's footballers
- Afghanistan men's international footballers
- American people of Afghan descent
- American men's soccer players
- Men's association football midfielders
- Akron Zips men's soccer players
- Flint City Bucks players
- New York Red Bulls II players
- New York Red Bulls U-23 players
- Philadelphia Union players
- Philadelphia Union II players
- Memphis 901 FC players
- Wigry Suwałki players
- Tampa Bay Rowdies players
- FC Edmonton players
- Bhayangkara Presisi Indonesia F.C. players
- Soccer players from Passaic County, New Jersey
- Sportspeople of Afghan descent
- Canadian Premier League players
- USL League Two players
- Major League Soccer players
- USL Championship players
- I liga players
- Liga 1 (Indonesia) players
- Homegrown Players (MLS)
- Afghan expatriate men's footballers
- Expatriate men's footballers in Poland
- Expatriate men's soccer players in Canada
- Expatriate men's footballers in Indonesia
- Afghan expatriate sportspeople in Poland
- Afghan expatriate sportspeople in Canada
- Afghan expatriate sportspeople in Indonesia
- 21st-century American sportsmen