Vardan Ghazaryan Explained

Vardan Ghazaryan
Fullname:Vardan Martun Ghazaryan
Height:1.81 m
Birth Date:1 December 1969
Birth Place:Kapan, Armenian SSR, Soviet Union
Position:Striker
Years1:1989
Clubs1:Spartak Hoktemberyan
Caps1:19
Goals1:4
Years2:1990–1992
Clubs2:Syunik Kapan
Caps2:76
Goals2:75
Years3:1992–1999
Clubs3:Homenetmen Beirut
Goals3:60+
Years4:1999–2002
Clubs4:Sagesse
Goals4:29
Years5:2002–2005
Clubs5:Homenetmen Beirut
Goals5:4+
Years6:2005–2009
Clubs6:Sagesse
Goals6:17
Totalgoals:200+
Nationalyears1:1995–2001
Nationalteam1:Lebanon
Nationalcaps1:66
Nationalgoals1:21
Manageryears1:2017
Managerclubs1:Tripoli
Manageryears2:2021–2022
Managerclubs2:Sagesse

Vardan Martun Ghazaryan (; ; born 1 December 1969) is a football coach and former player.

Born in Armenia, Ghazaryan moved to Lebanon and obtained citizenship through naturalisation in 1994. He played for Homenetmen and Sagesse as a striker, and represented Lebanon internationally from 1995 until 2001.

Ghazaryan is the second-highest all-time scorer in the Lebanese Premier League, scoring 117 official league goals. He is also the second-highest scorer for the national team with 21 goals, after having been surpassed by Hassan Maatouk in 2023. Ghazaryan was appointed manager of Tripoli in 2017 for one year. He returned to Sagesse as head coach in 2021.

Club career

Ghazaryan started his senior career in 1989 in Armenia, at Spartak Hoktemberyan, before moving to Kapan in 1990. In 1992 he moved to Lebanon, joining Homenetmen Beirut.[1] He stayed there for seven years, before moving to Sagesse in 1999. He spent three years there, before moving back to Homenetmen in 2002. Ghazaryan then joined Sagesse once again, in 2005, before retiring in 2009 aged 39.[2]

His first goal in the Lebanese Premier League came on 23 January 1993, when he scored the second goal for Homenetmen against Tadamon Sour in the 54th minute.[1] Ghazaryan was named AFC Player of the Month for January 1996.[3]

On 16 November 2008, at 39 years old, Ghazaryan scored his 129th goal in the Lebanese Premier League against Tadamon Sour, becoming the highest all-time scorer in the league.[1] However, some do not recognise the 12 goals he scored in the 2000–01 season, which was canceled,[1] making him the second-highest top-goalscorer with 117 goals, behind Fadi Alloush's total of 120.[4]

International career

Having moved to Lebanon from Armenia, Ghazaryan obtained Lebanese citizenship through naturalisation in 1994.[5] He was the top goalscorer in the history of the Lebanon national team,[6] with 21 goals (four in World Cup qualifiers, three in Asian Cup qualifiers and 14 in friendlies). In 2023, Ghazaryan was surpassed by Hassan Maatouk.[7]

Managerial career

In 2009, Ghazaryan returned to his native Armenia where he trained an Armenian club;[1] he moved back to Lebanon four years later.[8] Ghazaryan became the assistant coach for Tripoli, before being appointed head coach in 2017.[9]

In July 2021, ahead of the 2021 Lebanese Challenge Cup, Ghazaryan was appointed head coach of Lebanese Premier League side Sagesse, for whom he had already played as a player.[10] [11]

Career statistics

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Lebanon199510
19961411
1997153
1998151
199961
200091
200164
Total6621

Scores and results list Lebanon's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ghazaryan goal.

List of international goals scored by Vardan Ghazaryan
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon1–01–0Friendly
2Bourj Hammoud Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon1–01–0Friendly
3Köpetdag Stadium, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan1–01–01996 AFC Asian Cup qualification
4Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon2–03–51996 AFC Asian Cup qualification
53–3
6Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon1–01–2Friendly
7Beirut Municipal Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon1–12–1Friendly
82–1
9Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon1–01–1Friendly
10Beirut Municipal Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon1–24–2Friendly
11Beirut Municipal Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon3–23–2Friendly
12Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon1–12–2Friendly
13Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates1–21–2Friendly
14Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium, Beirut, Lebanon2–02–0Friendly
15Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates1–03–31998 Friendship Tournament
16Amman International Stadium, Amman, Jordan1–01–21999 Pan Arab Games
17International Olympic Stadium, Tripoli, Lebanon1–01–1Friendly
18Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand2–08–12002 FIFA World Cup qualification
196–1
20Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand1–05–02002 FIFA World Cup qualification
21Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand1–02–22002 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Player

Syunik Kapan

Homenetmen

Individual

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: بطل من لبنان. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131122000000/http://liban4sports.com/?p=5089. 22 November 2013. 10 January 2022. liban4sports.com. Alt URL
  2. Web site: VARTANE GHAZARIAN. www.abdogedeon.com. 29 April 2019.
  3. Web site: 2020-06-03. تكريم الشرقي وغازاريان. 2020-08-30. نداء الوطن. en.
  4. Web site: 2 November 2020. ar:من هو الهداف التاريخي للدوري اللبناني ؟ .. فادي علوش أم فارطان غازاريان وما حقيقة الجدل؟. Who is the historical top scorer for the Lebanese League? Fadi Alloush or Vartan Ghazarian, and what is the truth behind the controversy?. 2 November 2020. Aljadeed Sport.
  5. Web site: وارطـان غازاريـان يغـادر نهائيـاً ويشـكر الاتحاد وناديي الهومنتمان والحكمة والجمهور. 2022-02-04. جريدة السفير.
  6. Web site: FIFA.com. Welcome to FIFA.com News - Lebanon's Armenian talent pool . 29 April 2019. www.fifa.com. en-GB.
  7. 1671847160504016897. FALebanon. FA Lebanon. 22 June 2023. 22 June 2023. ar. ar:حسن معتوق يسجل التقدم لمنتخب لبنان وينفرد في صدارة هدّافو منتخب لبنان منذ عام 1971 برصيد 22 هدف. Hassan Maatouk scores the opening goal for the Lebanese national team and is the sole top goalscorer of the Lebanon national team since 1971, with 22 goals.
  8. Web site: بورتريه وارطان غازاريان: عبقري لا يتكرر. 2022-02-22. الأخبار. ar.
  9. Web site: غازاريان مدربًا لطرابلس اللبناني. كووورة. 29 April 2019.
  10. Web site: Hijazi. Alloffs. 2021-07-07. وارطان مدرباً للحكمة. 2021-07-23. El Maestro Sport. ar.
  11. Web site: Hijazi. Alloffs. 2021-07-22. إنتصار اول للحكمة مع وارطان. 2021-07-23. El Maestro Sport. ar.
  12. Web site: 6 February 2022. IFFHS Men's All Time Lebanon Dream Team. 8 February 2022. IFFHS.
  13. News: 31 March 1997. مهرجان كرة المنار. 166. 3. Shoot.
  14. News: 31 March 1997. ar:مهرجان كرة المنار. ar. 166. 3. Shoot.
  15. News: 10 April 2000. ar:مهرجان كرة المنار. ar. 328. 13. Shoot.