Jad Smaira


Jad Victor Karim Smaira is a footballer who plays as a centre-back for Cypriot club Achyronas-Onisilos. Born in Switzerland, he has played for the Lebanon national team.

Early life

Smaira was born in Zug, Switzerland, to parents Karim and Johanna. He has two younger brothers, Nadim and Rayan. During his childhood, he relocated to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, due to his father's work. Smaira attended the Lycée Libanais Francophone Privé in Dubai.

Club career

Smaira began his football career at Dubai City, where he won the Dubai Super Cup trophy. In 2021, he joined the Holy Cross Crusaders, the soccer team of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. During his three seasons at the club, he made 25 appearances in the Patriot League conference of the NCAA Division I, starting in 23 matches.
In February 2024, Smaira signed with Dordrecht's under-21 team on a contract lasting until the end of the season. After spending half a season at AEK Athens B in the Super League Greece 2, he transferred to Achyronas-Onisilos in the Cypriot Second Division on a one-year contract on 16 January 2025.

International career

Smaira received his first call-up to the Lebanon national team in December 2024, ahead of two friendly matches against Kuwait. He made his international debut in both games, appearing as a substitute on each occasion. Smaira was called up to the under-23 team for the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification, where he contributed to the team's first-ever qualification for the final tournament. He was called up for the final tournament, held in Saudi Arabia in January 2026.

Personal life

Smaira holds Lebanese [nationality law|Lebanese], Greek, and Canadian nationality. He is fluent in French, Arabic, and English. During his studies at the College of the Holy Cross, he completed an internship at PwC Middle East in Dubai in the summer of 2022.