Gabriel Bitar (born August 23, 1998) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Canadian Premier League club FC Edmonton.
![]() Bitar with FC Edmonton in 2022 | |||
Personal information | |||
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Date of birth | (1998-08-23) August 23, 1998 (age 24) | ||
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 | 21 | (5) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 8, 2022 |
Bitar began playing soccer with the Ottawa Internationals at age four.[1] He later joined the Ottawa Fury Academy.[2]
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]
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 league appearances,[13] and playing once in the L1O Cup.[14]
Bitar was the first overall draft pick in the inaugural CPL–U Sports Draft, where he was picked by Cavalry FC of the Canadian Premier League on November 12, 2018.[15] He signed with the club on April 24, 2019.[16][17] He made his debut for Cavalry against Pacific FC in a Canadian Championship match on May 16.[18] In August 2019, Cavalry announced that Bitar would return to Carleton University for the 2019 USports season.[19][20] He was picked again by Cavalry in the 2019 CPL–U Sports Draft, this time sixth overall,[21] but he did not join them for the 2020 season.[22]
In 2020, he returned to Ottawa South United, who moved from League1 Ontario to the Première Ligue de soccer du Québec,[23] where he previously played when he was a member of the Ottawa Fury Academy.[24]
On July 4, 2021, Bitar moved to Ansar in the Lebanese Premier League on trial for the 2021 Lebanese Elite Cup.[25] He made his debut on July 12, scoring a brace against Akhaa Ahli Aley in the group stage.[26] Bitar scored his third goal against Ahed on July 16.[27] Despite scoring three goals in two games, Bitar decided not to sign a contract with Ansar, due to the economic situation in Lebanon.[28]
On March 28, 2022, Bitar returned to the Canadian Premier League, signing with FC Edmonton.[29] He scored his first goal on June 27, in a 3–1 defeat to former club Cavalry FC.[30]
In September 2015, Bitar participated in an identification camp for the Canada national under-20 team.[1]
Bitar is of Lebanese descent through both his parents, who are from the capital Beirut.[1][31] He speaks French, English and Arabic.[1]
Club | Season | League | Domestic cup[lower-alpha 1] | League cup[lower-alpha 2] | Continental | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Ottawa Fury FC Academy | 2015[33] | Première Ligue de soccer du Québec | 6 | 3 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 3 | ||
2016[34] | Première Ligue de soccer du Québec | 15 | 6 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 16 | 6 | |||
Total | 21 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 9 | ||
Ottawa South United | 2017[13] | League1 Ontario | 13 | 6 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 14 | 6 | ||
Cavalry FC | 2019 | Canadian Premier League | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||
Ottawa South United | 2020[35] | Première Ligue de soccer du Québec | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | 7 | 4 | |||
Ansar | 2021–22[36][lower-alpha 3] | Lebanese Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
FC Edmonton | 2022 | Canadian Premier League | 21 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 5 | ||
Career total | 63 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 27 |
Individual
FC Edmonton – current squad | |
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2018 CPL–U Sports Draft selections | |
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First round | |
Second round | |
Third round |
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2019 CPL–U Sports Draft selections | |
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First round |
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Second round |
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