While people were dying on the streets of Beirut, Lebanese soccer players tried to prove the presence of Lebanon in great soccer events. As for Arab countries, particularly the oil Gulf region where money was flowing to help the national teams of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and Iraq, they fulfilled their tasks in making good results. However, the Lebanese state was barely standing on its feet and the national team was in need of financial support.

In the 1980s, Lebanese soccer suffered its worst defeat against an oil producing country: Qatar, with players like Mansour Muftah and Hassan Jawhar, won over the national team 8-0 on the 27th of March 1985. This defeat was a disaster for Lebanese sports. The golden days of Hassan, Samih Chatila, and Youssef al Ghoul faded away (1960s and 70s); the 1980s era saw a breakdown in Lebanese soccer; Lebanon was waiting for a possible resurrection.

The Surprising Results of Lebanon in the 1980s

Even though Lebanese soccer was suffering a lot while competing with other countries in the region, history showed that everything was possible and a weak team like the Lebanese one succeeded in getting good results for the nation.

Everything began with the game against Saudi Arabia in the 1988 Arab cup held in Amman, Jordan. The Saudis led by Majed Abdallah were sure of the victory. The green team (Saudi Arabia) lost many chances until the header of Mahmoud Hammoud secured a goal for Lebanon at the 81st minute. The national team won 1-0. It was a day in which thousands of Lebanese rejoiced after years of civil war that made the country a gloomy place. In 1986, Lebanon withdrew from the world cup qualifiers due to the war. What was really remarkable during the 1980s was Lebanon’s several defeats. However, nobody could explain the victory against Saudi Arabia in the Arab cup. Was it a Saudi mistake or a Lebanese “coup de foudre”? In the same competition, Lebanon drew with Tunisia, Mahmoud Hammoud scored again, at the 65th minute. Hammoud was a real hero in the competition.

Mahmoud Hammoud, who scored the winning goal against the Saudis, is a legend who used to be a forward player with al Nejmeh club, a Beirut based team in al Manara, Lebanon. As for Ghassan abu Diab (wonderful against Tunisia), he was a player at Al Safa, another team based in Beirut.

Many people might think that Lebanon remained silent in the world of soccer during its turbulent civil war. In the 1980s, the Lebanese team made a revolution thanks to many strong players who formed a solid group that was ready enough to challenge many teams in the Arab world and in the Asian continent. Players like Mahmoud Hammoud, Hassan Abboud, Ali Rammal, Ghassan Abu Diab and many others struggled to make a good team ready to represent Lebanon.