Mohamed Farsi (born 16 December 1999) is a Canadian professional soccer player who currently plays as a right-back for Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew.
![]() Farsi with the Columbus Crew 2 in 2022 | |||
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Mohamed Farsi | ||
Date of birth | (1999-12-16) 16 December 1999 (age 22) | ||
Place of birth | Montreal, Quebec, Canada | ||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
Position(s) | Right-back | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Columbus Crew | ||
Number | 41 | ||
Youth career | |||
CS Boucaniers | |||
2013–2014 | Notre-Dame-de-Grâce | ||
2015–2016 | Panellinios | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2016–2017 | Panellinios | 13 | (1) |
2018 | Longueuil | 13 | (0) |
2019 | Blainville | 9 | (0) |
2019–2020 | AS Aïn M'lila | 0 | (0) |
2020–2021 | Cavalry FC | 35 | (2) |
2022 | Columbus Crew 2 | 18 | (2) |
2022 | → Columbus Crew (loan) | 2 | (0) |
2022– | Columbus Crew | 5 | (0) |
National team‡ | |||
2020 | Canada Futsal | 2 | (1) |
2021 | Canada U23 | 2 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 October 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 March 2021 |
Farsi was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, to Algerian parents from Oran.[1][2][3] He began playing soccer at age eight with local club CS Boucaniers.[1][4] He later played youth soccer for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and CS Panellinios,[5] eventually playing in the LSEQ with Panellinios's senior team.[6]
In 2018, Farsi signed with Première Ligue de soccer du Québec side Longueuil, making thirteen league appearances that season.[6]
In 2019, Farsi switched to defending PLSQ champions Blainville, making nine league appearances and two appearances in the Canadian Championship against Canadian Premier League side York9.[7]
In 2019, Farsi signed his first professional contract with Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 side AS Aïn M'lila.[2][8] He left after the season, without making an appearance.[9]
On 15 April 2020, Farsi signed with Canadian Premier League side Cavalry FC,[3] after impressing during a trial.[10] He made his debut as a substitute in Cavalry's first game of the 2020 Canadian Premier League season, a 2–2 draw with Forge FC.[citation needed] Farsi would excel during the 2020 season, earning praise for his offensive and defensive efforts, and would be named for the league's U-21 player of the year.[11][12] He was awarded the El Jimador Shot of the Year, for his goal against Pacific FC on September 9, 2020.[13][14] In November 2020, Farsi would re-sign with the club for the 2021 season.[15] After the 2021 season, Cavalry announced that Farsi would leave the club in order to pursue a contract in Europe or Major League Soccer.[16][17]
In March 2022, Columbus Crew 2 of MLS Next Pro announced they had signed Farsi ahead of their inaugural season.[18][19] He made his debut in the club's first match against Inter Miami CF II on March 26.[20] On June 18, he signed a short-term loan with the Columbus Crew first team in Major League Soccer for their match against Charlotte FC, in which he appeared as a substitute.[21][22] At the end of the season, he was named to the MLS Next Pro Best XI.[23]
In July 2022, he signed a first team contract with the Columbus Crew.[24]
Before starting his professional career, Farsi was a prominent member of the Canadian futsal team, winning the Canadian Futsal Player of the Year award for 2020.[25][26] He would go on to be involved in the 2020 Olympic football qualifiers with the Canada under-23s after initially being named a back up to the team.[27]
A "modern-day full-back", Farsi is a quick, dynamic, and technically sound player, who is able to contribute both defensively and offensively, and is a player who is not only able to operate on the right as a wing-back, or winger, but can also operate centrally as a defender or midfielder. Very attack-minded, Farsi is a chance creator who moves very aggressively upfield and can put crosses in dangerous attacking areas.[28][29][30][31][32]
Farsi speaks English, French, and Arabic. Growing up, he participated in soccer, futsal, as well as taekwondo. He is a fan of Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona and Manchester City.[32][33][34][35]
Club | Season | League | Domestic Cup | Playoffs | Total | |||||
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Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
CS Panellinios | 2016 | LSEQ Division A | 8 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||
2017 | 5 | 1 | — | — | 5 | 1 | ||||
Total | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | ||
CS Longueuil | 2018 | PLSQ | 13 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
AS Blainville | 2019 | 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 | Canadian Premier League | 10 | 1 | — | — | 10 | 1 | ||
2021 | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 1 | ||
Total | 35 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 2 | ||
Columbus Crew 2 | 2022 | MLS Next Pro | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 2 |
Columbus Crew (loan) | 2022 | MLS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Columbus Crew | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
Total | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
Career total | 95 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 102 | 5 |
Columbus Crew – current squad | |
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