Chadi Cheikh Merai

Chadi
Personal information
Full name	Chadi Cheick Merai
Date of birth	20 January 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth	Latakia, Syria
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Pietrasanta Marina
Youth career
1991–1995	Teshrin
Senior career*
Years	Team
1995–1999	Teshrin
1999–2000	San Gimignano
2000–2002	U.S. Poggibonsi
2002–2003	Grosseto
Jan. 2003	Montevarchi
2003–2006	Massese
2006–2008	SPAL
2008–2011	Lucchese
2011	Carrarese
2011–	Pietrasanta Marina
International career‡
1995–1997	Syria U-19
1996–1998	Syria
Managerial career
2012–	Pietrasanta Marina
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 June 2011; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 April 2010

Chadi Cheikh Merai (Template:Lang-ar; born 20 January 1976 in Latakia, Syria), also known as Chadi, is a Syrian football player who is currently playing for Pietrasanta Marina in the regional Eccellenza football division for clubs in Tuscany, Italy. He is currently the manager of the same team.^[1]

He played for Massese and Lucchese in the third highest football league in Italy.^[2] He has an Italian passport, too.

Career

Cheick Merai started his career at Teshrin club in Latakia, Syria.
He went to Italy on 1999^[3] and he started his Italian senior career on Serie D, the top level of the Italian non-professional football association.
In the season 2001–2002 he played his first match on Serie C2, the fourth highest football league in Italy, the first with a professional status. Chadi so is the first Syrian footballer^[4] playing in an Italian professional team.
In the season 2002–2003 Chadi scored two goals^[5] against Fiorentina.^[6]
In the season 2005–2006 he reached Serie C1, the third highest Italian football league.
As a player for Carrarese^[7] he played the last professional championship in the season 2011–2012.

Chadi was part of the Syrian national team between 1996 and 1998. He holds 7 caps.

On August 2012 Pietrasanta Marina announced on their official website that Chadi signed a deal with the club.^[8]

Teshrin
- Syrian Premier League: 1996/97
U.S. Poggibonsi
- Serie D winner: 2000/01
Massese
- Serie D winner: 2003/04^[9]
- Serie C2 winner: 2004/05
Lucchese
- Serie D winner: 2008/09^[10]
- Lega Pro Seconda Divisione winner: 2009/10
Carrarese
- Lega Pro Seconda Divisione winner: 2010/11^[11]

^ Radio Bruno Toscana. "Chadi allenatore-giocatore e Fabrizio Giovannini ds: ecco il nuovo Pietrasanta!" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ Smart Betting. "Lucchese vs Bassano Virtus". Retrieved 21 March 2010.
^ Il Tirreno. "Voglio vincere anche con la Carrarese" (in Italian). Retrieved 16 June 2011.
^ Il Tirreno. "Pera, Chadi e Mariotti: prendi tre cedi due" (in Italian).
^ Fiorentina.it. "Grosseto-Fiorentina 2–0" (in Italian). Retrieved 4 June 2010.
^ Biancorossi.it. "La Storia del Grosseto" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 20 April 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ Calciotoscano.it. "Carrarese, Nelso Ricci: "Con Pera, Chadi e Mariotti abbiamo fatto un notevole passo in avanti"" (in Italian). Retrieved 1 December 2011.
^ PietrasantaMarina.it. "1° Agosto 2012, partiti!" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ l'Unità. "E' a Massa il pallone dei record" (in Italian). Retrieved 21 March 2010.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ Il Tirreno. "Chadi, il leader del centrocampo specialista in doppie promozioni" (in Italian). Retrieved 21 March 2010.
^ Rai Sport. "Carrarese – Prato 2–0" (in Italian). Retrieved 16 June 2011.