Joan Oumari

Early career in Berlin

Oumari's youth career began at Rot-Weiß Neukölln. After a few years he moved to the youth section of Reinickendorfer Füchse. Oumari played in the Verbandsliga Berlin (fifth division) between 2006 and 2008. During the 2007–08 season, his team came first in the league with the fewest goals conceded, and were promoted to the NOFV-Oberliga Nord (fifth division).

SV Babelsberg 03

In June 2008, Oumari – alongside his older brother Hassan who also played regularly for Reinickendorfer Füchse – moved to Regionalliga (fourth division) side SV Babelsberg 03. Oumari played 15 league games in 2008–09, mostly as a substitute. He also helped win the Brandenburg Cup. During the 2009–10 season, Oumari played 11 league games. His best performance was on 5 March 2010, in 3–0 home win over ZFC Meuselwitz, where he gave two assists and was declared the man of the match. At the end of the season, his team came first with the fewest goals conceded in the league and were promoted to the 3. Liga (third division). Oumari became a regular during the 2010–11 season; initially deployed as a left-back, Oumari was later moved as a center-back.

Rot-Weiß Erfurt and FSV Frankfurt

In May 2011, fellow-3. Liga side Rot-Weiss Erfurt announced the signing of Oumari on a two-year deal. In his first season he immediately took a regular place in central defence and played 29 league games. He played 33 games the following season. In three seasons in the 3. Liga (one…

Oumari made his debut for Lebanon on 7 September 2013, under coach Giuseppe Giannini, in a friendly against Syria. He came on as a substitute in the 55th minute and, seven minutes later, received a direct red card. Oumari was excluded from the national team by Giannini; he returned to the team in 2015 under Miodrag Radulović. Oumari's first goal for Lebanon came on 12 November 2015, scoring a 30-meter volley against Laos in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification. His second goal came five days later, scoring a header in a 1–0 friendly win against Macedonia. In December 2018, he was called up for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup squad. He played the whole 90 minutes in all three group stage matches; however, Lebanon wasn't able to reach the knock-out stages of the tournament. On 5 September 2019, the Lebanese Football Association (LFA) announced Oumari's indefinite exclusion from the national team, alongside teammate Bassel Jradi, for refusing a call-up for a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against North Korea. After issuing an apology explaining his reasons for refusing the call-up, the LFA lifted the exclusions and Oumari was reintegrated to the national team on 19 September 2019. On 5 June 2021, Oumari scored two goals against Sri Lanka, including a scissor kick, to help Lebanon win 3–2 in the 2022 World Cup qualification. He was voted West Asia Player of the Month of June by the AFC for his performance.

Initially a left-back, Oumari developed into a centre-back during the 2010–11 at SV Babelsberg 03. He also sporadically played as a defensive midfielder. Oumari's strengths lie mainly in his physicality and aerial threat. In 2008, his former coach Dietmar Demuth stated that Oumari, aged 20, "had a frighting commitment and aggressiveness, but for his age also serenity and view of the game".

Oumari was born on 19 August 1988 in Berlin, Germany, to Lebanese Kurds from Beirut. Oumari's parents emigrated from Lebanon to Germany in 1980 due to the Lebanese Civil War. He has two brothers, Ahmed and Hassan; the latter also plays football.