Taha Ayari (Arabic: طه العياري; born 10 May 2005) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Allsvenskan club AIK.[1]

Taha Ayari
Personal information
Date of birth (2005-05-10) 10 May 2005 (age 19)
Place of birth Solna, Sweden
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
AIK
Number 45
Youth career
2010–2012 Råsunda IS
2012–2022 AIK
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– AIK 40 (1)
International career
2021–2022 Sweden U17 14 (3)
2022–2023 Sweden U19 12 (2)
2024– Sweden U21 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11:37, 23 March 2024 (UTC)

Club career

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Born in Solna, Ayari started playing football at Råsunda IS in 2010( aged five) before joining local side AIK two years later.[2][3] Having come through the club's youth ranks, he started training with the first team in 2021.[3][4] In the same year, he was part of the squad that won the under-17 national championship.[2]

In May 2022, Ayari went on trial with Eredivisie club Feyenoord, but eventually decided to stay at AIK, in order to continue his development.[4] After being promoted to the first team on a stable basis under caretaker manager Henok Goitom,[3] he made his professional debut on 31 August of the same year, coming on as a substitute for Benjamin Mbunga Kimpioka at the 57th minute of a 2–4 Svenska Cupen win over Hudiksvalls FF.[5][6] He then made his Allsvenskan debut on 4 September, replacing his older brother Yasin at the 87th minute of a league match against GIF Sundsvall: a few minutes later, he won a penalty kick for the Gnaget, which was then scored by Sebastian Larsson and led to a 4–0 win for his side.[3][7]

In October 2022, Ayari signed his first professional contract with AIK, penning a deal lasting until 31 December 2025.[8][9]

International career

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Because of his family's origins, Ayari can choose to represent Sweden, Morocco or Tunisia internationally.[10]

He has played for the Swedish under-17 and under-19 national teams.[2][11]

In May 2022, he was included in the Swedish squad that took part in the UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Israel,[2] where the Blågult were eliminated in the group stage on head-to-head goal difference.[12]

Personal life

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Ayari was born in Sweden to parents from Tunisia and Morocco.[10]

He is the younger brother of fellow footballer Yasin Ayari (b. 2003).[3]

References

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  1. ^ "AIK Statistikdatabas (Herrar)". www.aikstats.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d "Här är truppen som åker till P17-EM". SvFF (in Swedish). 11 May 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Bilderna sprids efter debuten: "Otroligt stolt"". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). 4 September 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  4. ^ a b Asp, Viktor (4 May 2022). "Taha Ayari provspelade med Feyenoord: "Ser det inte som ett hot"". Fotboll Sthlm (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  5. ^ Pearson, Sebastian (31 August 2022). "TV: AIK vidare i cupen - "Seb" Larsson med frisparksmål". fotbollskanalen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  6. ^ "Målfyrverkeri tog AIK till gruppspel i cupen". AIK Fotboll (in Swedish). 31 August 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  7. ^ Sundberg, Andréas (4 September 2022). "Bytte med storebrorsan och fixade straff - AIK:s nya stjärnskott hyllas efter debuten". fotbollskanalen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  8. ^ Mellerborg, Stefan (18 October 2022). "Taha Ayari till A-truppen". AIK Fotboll (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  9. ^ Pearson, Sebastian (18 October 2022). "Officiellt: AIK överens med Ayari om kontrakt". fotbollskanalen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  10. ^ a b Abeid, Mahdi (23 October 2021). "موهبة تونسية تفرض وجودها في عملاق السويد وتظفر بعقدها الأول". alaraby.co.uk (in Arabic). Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  11. ^ "Stabil seger i Åsebro". SvFF (in Swedish). 24 September 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  12. ^ "Sweden 1-0 Scotland". UEFA.com. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
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