Full name Kenneth Hasan Saief Name Kenny Sayef Role Soccer Player | Number 15 Height 1.76 m 2005–2006 Maccabi Haifa Weight 72 kg | |
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Date of birth (1993-12-17) December 17, 1993 (age 22) Place of birth Panama City, Florida, United States Current team K.A.A. Gent (#15 / Midfielder) | ||
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Kenneth "Kenny" Hasan Saief (Arabic: حسن كينيث "كيني" سيف, Hebrew: קנט חסן "קני" סייף, born December 17, 1993) is an Israeli-American soccer player of Druze descent, who plays for Belgian club K.A.A. Gent and for the United States national team.
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Early life
Saief was born in Panama City, Florida to Druze-Israeli parents and moved to Israel at the age of three.
Club career
Saief began his professional career with Bnei Sakhnin in 2011, before he was transferred to Hapoel Haifa one season later. The next year, he moved to Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona and reached the final of the Israel State Cup. Saief made only two appearances however, which resulted in a transfer to Ironi Nir Ramat HaSharon. There he gained more playing opportunities.
Saief attracted the attention of Belgian Pro League team K.A.A. Gent, who signed him for a three-year deal on August 8, 2014.
International
Saief has represented the Israel national team at various youth levels. He reportedly stated that he expected to play for the United States men's national soccer team, although he was called up to the Israel national football team and made his debut in a friendly 2–1 loss to Croatia.
On June 3, 2017 Saief was called up by the United States men's national soccer team as part of their 40-man preliminary roster for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup. As part of his callup, Saief filed a one-time switch with FIFA, tying him permanently to the US program.
On June 22, 2017 U.S. Soccer confirmed that Saief had been approved by FIFA for a change of association.