Fajr Ibrahim

Fajr Ibrahim (Arabic: فَجْر إِبْرَاهِيم; born 22 June 1964) is a Syrian football coach and former player.^[2][3]

Fajr Ibrahim

Fajr Ibrahim in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Fajr Ibrahim[1]
Date of birth	(1964-06-22) 22 June 1964 (age 60)
Place of birth	Damascus, Syria
Position(s)	Left-back
Youth career
1976–1979	Al-Wahda
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1979–1996	Al-Wahda
International career
1981	Syria U20
1982–1987	Syria
Managerial career
2006–2008	Syria
2008–2010	Syria
2011–2012	Al-Shorta
2013	Duhok
2015–2016	Syria
2017–2018	Al-Minaa
2018	Kelantan
2019	Syria
2020–2021	Al-Horgelah
2021	Yemen
2024–2025	Al-Karamah
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Fajr started playing in the Syrian League with Al-Wahda team in 1979. He remained with the club until he retired from the playing. He won the Syrian Cup in 1993 with Al-Wahda team and won the title of best left back in 1986 season.^[4]

International career

Fajr played several international matches with Syria for five years from 1982 until 1987.^[4]

Coaching career

He managed the Syrian first team more than 50 matches between 2006 and 2019. He did an emergency mission and replaced the German manager Bernd Stange in the last match for the team in 2019 Asian Cup against Australia. Many pundits referred that he had the UAE visa since the middle of December,^[5] so he could be ready to replace the manager if the things went wrong.

Widely unpopular with the fans and criticized by the media,^[6] Ibrahim is often considered one of the reasons for the Syria national team's poor results after their 2019 Asian Cup exit,^[7] citing his lack of achievements,^[8] and lack of vision,^[9] as some of his weakest traits, although Syria at that time had already in problem before Fajr took charge.^[10] However, he has repeatedly and openly refused to resign and has been kept as manager by the Syrian Federation,^[11] despite losing to many lesser-ranked and weaker teams, much to the bewilderment of both fans and journalists.^[12]

However, the sentiment changed surprisingly during the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round. Syria, under the same command of Fajr Ibrahim, surprised the whole qualifiers by topping the group with five straight victories, including two important victories against rising Philippines,^[13][14] and a resounding 2–1 win in the UAE against China.^[15] However, he was later replaced by Tunisian coach Nabil Maâloul.

In September 2020, Ibrahim joined newly-promoted club Al-Horgelah.^[16] In September 2021, he was appointed as manager of Yemeni national team.^[17] In October 2024, he became the head coach of Al-Karamah.^[18] In April 2025, he parted ways with the latter by mutual consent, despite leading the league, and was succeeded by Mohammad Kwid.^[19]

Managerial statistics

As of match played 19 November 2019

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
				G	W	D	L	Win %
Syria		5 August 2006	26 March 2008	24	13	5	6	054.17
Syria		13 November 2008	13 September 2010	16	10	4	2	062.50
Al-Shorta		28 August 2011	10 April 2012	20	15	3	2	075.00
Duhok		1 February 2013	4 December 2013	32	15	8	9	046.88
Syria		7 January 2015	30 March 2016	13	10	0	3	076.92
Al-Minaa		8 September 2017	21 January 2018	10	2	7	1	020.00
Kelantan		21 March 2018	5 June 2018	6	1	1	4	016.67
Syria		11 January 2019	31 December 2019	18	7	4	7	038.89
Total				139	73	32	34	052.52

Honours

Player

Al-Wahda

• Syrian Cup: 1993
• Syrian Super Cup: 1993

Manager

Al-Shorta

• Syrian Premier League: 2011–12

Syria

• Nehru Cup: 2007 and 2009 as a runner-up^[20]

Individual

• 1985–86 Syrian League: Best Left Back of the season^[4]