Gabriel Bitar

Gabriel Bitar (born August 23, 1998) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Canadian Premier League club FC Edmonton.

Gabriel Bitar
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-08-23) August 23, 1998
Place of birth Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 FC Edmonton
Number 30
Youth career
Ottawa Internationals SC
Ottawa Fury
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2021 Carleton Ravens 51 (40)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2016 Ottawa Fury FC Academy 21 (9)
2017 Ottawa South United 13 (6)
2019 Cavalry FC 1 (0)
2020 Ottawa South United 7 (4)
2021 Ansar 0 (0)
2022– FC Edmonton 5 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of April 30, 2022

Early life

Bitar began playing soccer with the Ottawa Internationals at age four.[1] He later joined the Ottawa Fury Academy.[2]

University career

In 2017, Bitar began attending Carleton University playing for the men's soccer team. In his first year, he was the top scorer in the country with 16 goals, as he won the OUA East Division Rookie of the Year, OUA East Division MVP, and U Sports Rookie of the Year awards and was named a First Team All-Canadian and First-Team OUA East All-Star,[3][4] helping the Ravens to an OUA silver medal.[5]

In 2018, he finished third in the OUA in goals with 13 and added another 5 in the national tournament, while being named a Second Team All-Canadian and First Team OUA All-Star,[6] as the Ravens won the bronze medal at the national championship.[7] In 2019, Bitar was a First Team OUA All-Star and Second Team All-Canadian.[8][9]

After the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bitar returned for 2021, helping the Ravens win a silver medal at the national championships, while being named a Tournament All-Star[10] as well as an OUA East All-Star during the season.[11]

Club career

Bitar was part of the Ottawa Fury FC Academy and played for their Première ligue de soccer du Québec team in 2015 and 2016.[12] In 2017, Bitar played for League1 Ontario side Ottawa South United, scoring six goals in thirteen appearances.[13]

Bitar was the first overall draft pick in the inaugural CPL–U Sports Draft, where he was picked by Cavalry FC on November 12, 2018.[14] He signed with the club on April 24, 2019.[15] He made his debut for Cavalry against Pacific FC in a Canadian Championship match on May 16.[16] In August 2019, Cavalry announced that Bitar would return to Carleton University for the 2019 USports season.[17] He was picked again by Cavalry in the 2019 CPL–U Sports Draft, this time sixth overall,[18] but he did not join them for the 2020 season.[19]

In 2020, he returned to Ottawa South United, who moved from League1 Ontario to the Première Ligue de soccer du Québec,[20] where he previously played when he was a member of the Ottawa Fury Academy.[21]

On July 4, 2021, Bitar moved to Ansar in the Lebanese Premier League on trial for the 2021 Lebanese Elite Cup.[22] He made his debut on July 12, scoring a brace against Akhaa Ahli Aley in the group stage.[23] Bitar scored his third goal against Ahed on July 16.[24] Despite scoring three goals in two games, Bitar decided not to sign a contract with Ansar, due to the economic situation in Lebanon.[25]

On March 28, 2022, Bitar returned to the Canadian Premier League, signing with FC Edmonton.[26]

International career

In September 2015, Bitar participated in an identification camp for the Canadia national under-20 team.[1]

Personal life

Bitar is of Lebanese descent through both his parents.[1][27] He speaks French, English and Arabic.[1]

Career statistics
As of match played July 16, 2021[28]
Club statistics
Club Season League Domestic cup[lower-alpha 1] League cup[lower-alpha 2] Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Ottawa Fury FC Academy 2015[29] Première Ligue de soccer du Québec 63—00—63
2016[30] Première Ligue de soccer du Québec 156—10—166
Total 219001000229
Ottawa South United 2017[13] League1 Ontario 136——136
Cavalry FC 2019 Canadian Premier League 1020——30
Ottawa South United 2020[31] Première Ligue de soccer du Québec 74———74
Ansar 2021–22[32][lower-alpha 3] Lebanese Premier League 0000230023
Career total 42192033004722
  1. Includes Canadian Championship, Lebanese FA Cup
  2. Includes Coupe PLSQ, Lebanese Elite Cup
  3. Trial only

Honours

Individual

Notes
  1. Tied with Fadel Antar

References
  1. "Gabriel Bitar profile". Canadian Soccer Association. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  2. Lemoine, Josh (November 26, 2018). "Ottawa's Gabriel Bitar picked #1 in the inaugural CPL Draft". Apt 613.
  3. "Gabriel Bitar named U SPORTS Rookie of the Year and First-Team All-Canadian". Carleton University. November 9, 2017.
  4. "Ravens rookie leads nation's capital's men's soccer award winners". Ottawa Sportspages. November 30, 2017.
  5. Skorzewska, Kassia (November 8, 2017). "Men's soccer takes home OUA silver". The Charlatan.
  6. "Bitar taken 1st overall in CPL U SPORTS draft". Carleton Ravens. November 13, 2018.
  7. Wilson, Emily (November 15, 2018). "Ravens win bronze at U Sports Nationals". The Charlatan.
  8. "Ravens Conte, Gryphons Zis highlight multiple 2019 award wins for respective schools". Ontario University Athletics. October 31, 2019.
  9. Wilson, Emily (November 25, 2019). "Inside the Ravens' race for gold at nationals". The Charlatan.
  10. "Montreal wins U SPORTS men's soccer champions in epic final". U Sports. November 21, 2021.
  11. "Top divisional players Doros, Kovacevic, Yuma headline 2021 award winners and all-stars". Ontario University Athletics. November 11, 2021.
  12. "Guide de Presse 2016 de la Première ligue de soccer du Québec" [Press Guide 2016 of the Premier league of soccer of Quebec]. PLSQ (in French).
  13. "Gabriel Bitar". League1 Ontario. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  14. Carlucci, Mario (November 17, 2019). "Carleton soccer star caps winning week with historic draft selection". CBC.
  15. "Cavalry FC Signs U Sport Pick Gabriel Bitar". Cavalry FC. April 24, 2019.
  16. "Cavalry FC open the 2019 Canadian Championship with 0:2 away win over Pacific FC". Canadian Soccer Association. May 16, 2019.
  17. "Cavalry FC announces Gabriel Bitar will be returning to Carleton University". Cavalry FC. August 12, 2019.
  18. "TRACKER: All 14 picks from the 2019 CPL-U Sports Draft". Canadian Premier League. November 11, 2019.
  19. Steiner, Benjamin (August 14, 2020). "CanPL Notebook #3: Who are the OUA alumni this season?". 49 Sport.
  20. "Ottawa South United Se Joint à La PLSQ" [Ottawa South United Joins the PLSQ]. Première Ligue de soccer du Québec. January 30, 2020.
  21. Jacques, John (July 13, 2021). "Gabriel Bitar Off To Hot Start In Lebanon". Northern Tribune.
  22. Khaled, Nasser (July 4, 2021). الأنصار يختبر ثلاثة لبنانيين في كأس النخبة [Ansar tests three Lebanese [players] in the Elite Cup]. Kooora (in Arabic). Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  23. Khaled, Nasser (12 July 2021). الأنصار يهزم الإخاء برباعية [Ansar defeats Akhaa by four]. Kooora (in Arabic). Retrieved 13 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. "Ansar vs Ahed". FA Lebanon. July 16, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. أفضل من معتوق".. صفقة بيطار إلى الأنصار تفشل" ["Better than Maatouk" .. Bitar deal to Ansar fails]. Lebanon Football Guide. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. "FC Edmonton signs forward Gaby Bitar". FC Edmonton. 28 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  27. "Gabriel Bitar, Cavalry's First Overall Pick Reflects on CPL Experience". Between The Sticks. 2019-11-02. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  28. "G.Bitar". Soccerway.
  29. "PTS-Ligue Archive" (in French). TSI Sports. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  30. "Buteurs" [Scorers]. PLSQ (in French).
  31. "Calendrier et Stats" [Calendar and Stats]. PLSQ (in French). Archived from the original on September 30, 2020.
  32. "Gabriel Bitar". FA Lebanon. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
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