Wessam Abou Ali


Wessam Haitham Mohammed Abou Ali is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew. Born in Denmark, he plays for the Palestine national team.

Club career

AaB

Starting out in local Aalborg club at age four, Abou Ali moved to the largest club in the region, AaB, six years later.
He made his senior Danish Superliga debut on 15 March 2018 against AC Horsens. He scored his first senior goal on 22 April 2018 against FC Midtjylland.

Loan to Vendsyssel

On 23 August 2019, Abou Ali was loaned out to Danish 1st Division club Vendsyssel FF for the rest of 2019. On 5 January 2020 it was confirmed, that he would continue at Vendsyssel for the rest of the season.

Silkeborg

On 9 September 2020, Abou Ali joined newly relegated Danish 1st Division club Silkeborg IF on a four-and-a-half-year contract until the end of 2024. He scored his first goal for his new club on 19 September in a 3–1 win versus Esbjerg. On 18 December, he scored a brace in a match against Skive IK.

Return to Vendsyssel

In the search for more playing time, Abou Ali returned to Vendsyssel FF on 1 September 2021, signing a deal until June 2025. During his debut against Lyngby Boldklub on 12 September, Abou Ali suddenly collapsed on the pitch and was brought to the hospital. Abou Ali came on from the bench in the half time, before collapsing in the 59th minute. Two days later, he was discharged from the hospital and began rehabilitation.
On 15 February 2022 in a friendly game against Dynamo Moscow, Abou Ali had to be taken from the field on a stretcher and driven to the hospital after suffering a punctured lung.

IK Sirius

On 13 July 2023, it was confirmed that Abou Ali had joined Swedish Allsvenskan club IK Sirius on a deal until the end of 2027. After only one training session with his new club, he started two days later on 15 July in the away match against Degerfors IF and scored the opening goal via a header to help lead his club to a 3–0 win.

Al Ahly

On 11 January 2024, Abou Ali joined Egyptian club Al Ahly by signing a four-and-a-half-year contract, for a reported fee of €2 million. On 23 February, he made his debut in a 1–0 away win over Medeama in the CAF Champions League. Four days later, he scored his first goals by netting a brace in a 5–1 victory over Baladiyat El Mahalla. On 26 April, he scored his first CAF Champions League goal in a 3–0 victory over TP Mazembe in the semi-finals second leg.
He achieved his first trophy with the club by winning the 2024 CAF Champions League final, defeating Espérance 1–0 on aggregate. He later secured the Egyptian Premier League title and finished as the top scorer with 18 goals despite joining mid-season.
In the final game of the 2024–25 season, Abou Ali scored four goals against Pharco to help the team capture the Egyptian Premier League title. On 23 June 2025, Abou Ali scored a hat-trick in Al Ahly's 4–4 draw against Porto in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Scoring with both feet and his head, it was the first perfect hat-trick in the history of intercontinental club tournaments and the first hat-trick by an Asian player in a FIFA club competition. He was also awarded as the Superior Player of the Match for his performance.

Columbus Crew

On 26 July 2025, Abou Ali signed with Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew through the 2027 season with a club option for 2028, with the reported transfer fee being $7.5 million plus $1 million in add-ons. He made his debut with the club on 23 August 2025 in a 2–1 loss to the New England Revolution. After failing to score in his first two matches for his new club, Abou Ali found the net in each of his next three appearances before being forced off injured in the third, against Toronto FC, after suffering a hairline fracture to his right ankle. The injury ruled him out for the remainder of the season. Abou Ali finished his abbreviated campaign with three goals in five appearances.

International career

Born in Denmark, Abou Ali is of Palestinian descent. He is a former youth international for Denmark but ultimately committed to the Palestinian national team. On 27 March 2024, the Palestinian Football Association announced FIFA’s approval of his change of allegiance, paving the way for him to play with the Palestinian national team.
He made his debut on 6 June 2024 in a World Cup qualifier against Lebanon at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Qatar. He started the game and was substituted in added time, as the game ended in a scoreless draw. Later that year, on 10 September, he scored his first international goal in a 3–1 defeat against Jordan during the World Cup qualifier third round. Abou Ali scored four goals for Palestine during the third round, but the team were eliminated after a draw in the last match against Oman.

Career statistics

International

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.10 September 2024Kuala Lumpur Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia1–11–32026 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.15 October 2024Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar1–12–22026 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.25 March 2025Amman International Stadium, Amman, Jordan1–12–12026 FIFA World Cup qualification
4.5 June 2025Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, Kuwait City, Kuwait2–02–02026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Al Ahly
Individual