Mohamed Farsi
Mohamed Farsi | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mohamed Ramzdine Farsi December 16, 1999 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Occupation | Professional soccer player |
| Years active | 2019–present |
| Known for | Right-back for Columbus Crew and Algeria national team |
Mohamed Ramzdine Farsi (; born 16 December 1999) is a professional soccer player who occupies the right-back position for the Major League Soccer team Columbus Crew. Although born in Canada, he represents the Algerian national team internationally.
Early life
Farsi was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, to parents originally from Oran, Algeria.[1] His introduction to soccer began at age eight with the local club CS Boucaniers. He later developed his skills through youth programs at Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and CS Panellinios,[2] before advancing to senior amateur competition in the LSEQ with Panellinios's senior squad.[3]
College and semi-professional
In 2017, Farsi represented Collège Ahuntsic in college soccer, where he contributed to winning the provincial championship and earned recognition as an all-star.
The following year, he joined CS Longueuil in the Première Ligue de soccer du Québec, participating in thirteen league matches.
In 2019, Farsi moved to reigning PLSQ champions A.S. Blainville, where he made nine league appearances and featured in two Canadian Championship fixtures against the Canadian Premier League club York9.
Aïn M'lila
Farsi's first professional contract came in 2019 when he signed with Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 side AS Aïn M'lila. However, he departed after one season without recording any official appearances.
Cavalry FC
On 15 April 2020, after impressing during a trial period, Farsi secured a contract with Canadian Premier League team Cavalry FC. He made his debut as a substitute in Cavalry's opening match of the 2020 Canadian Premier League season, which ended in a 2–2 draw against Forge FC. Throughout the season, Farsi delivered strong performances both offensively and defensively, earning him the league’s U-21 Player of the Year award. Additionally, he received the El Jimador Shot of the Year for a goal scored against Pacific FC on 9 September 2020. In November of that year, Farsi extended his contract with Cavalry for the 2021 campaign. Following that season, Cavalry announced his departure as he sought opportunities abroad or within Major League Soccer.
Columbus Crew
In March 2022, Farsi signed with Columbus Crew 2, competing in MLS Next Pro, ahead of their inaugural season. He made his first appearance on 26 March against Inter Miami CF II. On 18 June, he was temporarily promoted to the first team on a short-term loan for a match versus Charlotte FC, entering as a substitute. By the conclusion of the season, Farsi earned a place on the MLS Next Pro Best XI.
Midway through 2022, Farsi secured a first-team contract with the Columbus Crew, appearing seven times primarily as a second-half substitute. He netted his inaugural goal for Columbus on 26 April 2023 during a U.S. Open Cup fixture against Indy Eleven.
Throughout 2023, Farsi established himself as a consistent starter and played 86 minutes in the MLS Cup 2023, contributing to Columbus’s third league title. In February 2024, he agreed to extend his contract through the end of the 2027 season, including an option for 2028.
Farsi scored his first MLS league goal for Columbus on 9 March 2024 during stoppage time against the Chicago Fire, securing a 2–1 victory.
Youth and Futsal
Prior to embarking on his professional journey, Farsi played a significant role in the Canadian futsal squad, where he earned the distinction of Canadian Futsal Player of the Year in 2020. Additionally, he took part in the 2020 Olympic football qualifiers representing the Canada under-23 team, initially designated as a reserve player.
Senior
With eligibility to play for both Algeria and Canada, Farsi chose to decline invitations to Canada's preliminary rosters for the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals and 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup, explaining that he was not yet prepared to finalize his international allegiance.
On 29 August 2024, Farsi accepted an invitation from Algeria for their 2025 AFCON Qualifiers against Equatorial Guinea and Liberia, officially confirming his commitment to represent Algeria. He made his first appearance on 10 September 2024 facing Liberia.
Style of play
Farsi is recognized as a versatile and energetic player notable for his technical ability, speed, and offensive approach. While primarily deployed as a wing-back, he is also proficient in central defensive and midfield roles. His capacity to contribute both defensively and offensively is invaluable, particularly through precise crossing and assertive forward movements. He characterizes himself as a player who relishes pushing forward, challenging defenders, and excelling in one-on-one dribbling scenarios.
Personal life
Fluent in English, French, and Arabic, Farsi is multilingual. During his youth, he engaged in soccer, futsal, and taekwondo. He is an admirer of Lionel Messi, as well as supporters of FC Barcelona and Manchester City.
Career statistics
| 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 | ||
| 2025 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | (8) | (1) | 26 | (2) | ||
| Total | 83 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 109 | 6 | ||
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Honours
Columbus Crew
- MLS Cup Champion: 2023
- CONCACAF Champions Cup finalist: 2024
- Leagues Cup Winner: 2024
Individual
- Canadian Premier League Under-21 Canadian Player of the Year Award: 2020
External links
- Pages with script errors
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1999 births
- Living people
- Men's association football defenders
- Soccer players from Montreal
- Algerian men's footballers
- Algeria men's international footballers
- Canadian men's soccer players
- Canada men's under-23 international soccer players
- Canadian people of Algerian descent
- Sportspeople of Algerian descent
- AS Aïn M'lila players
- Cavalry FC players
- Ligue1 Québec players
- Canadian Premier League players
- CS Longueuil players
- Columbus Crew players
- Columbus Crew 2 players
- Major League Soccer players
- MLS Next Pro players
- Collège Ahuntsic alumni
- 21st-century Canadian sportsmen
- Pages with reference errors