Mumbai City FC sign Thaer Krouma, Syrian international with 23 caps

Mumbai City FC have completed the signing of Thaer Krouma, the Syrian central defender who played against India in the AFC Asian Cup 2023 group stage game. The defender was on the winning side, eliminating the Blue Tigers from the competition by handing them their third straight defeat. 

And after letting go of Rostyn Griffiths, the Islanders have bolstered their squad further by signing Krouma. An international player with a wealth of experience at 33, he could prove to be a game changing acquisition for the club in the second half of the season. 

Thaer Krouma signs for Mumbai City FC 

Born in Aleppo in 1992, Krouma began his youth career with local club Al-Ittihad Aleppo before signing his first professional contract with Al-Wahda in 2010 at the age of 18.

As a defender, Krouma is known for his physicality, aerial ability and tough tackling style. Standing at 6’2″, he uses his height and strength to dominate opponents in the air and win headers both defensively and offensively on set pieces. Krouma is also an aggressive tackler who puts relentless pressure on attackers to force turnovers and win back possession. His tough, no-nonsense approach has earned him disciplinary issues at times, but also the reputation as one of the hardest defenders to beat in the Syrian league.

His consistent performances earned him his first call-up to the Syrian national team in 2015. Krouma was part of the Syrian squad that reached the playoff round in 2018 World Cup qualifying, appearing in 5 matches during the campaign.

He averages over 5 clearances per match, using his strength and tackling skill to clear danger inside his own penalty area. Krouma is also an aggressive tackler, committing nearly 2 fouls per game. His career tackle success rate is an impressive 75%.

Offensively, he poses a threat on set pieces, scoring 11 career goals mostly from headers on corners and free kicks. Thaer Krouma completed over 80% of his passes last season, displaying solid technical skill to build attacks from the backline. However, he is not particularly quick, lacking pace to keep up with speedy attackers.

Currently playing for Al-Fotuwa, the defender will fulfill the Asian international player quota for City. He joins the club shortly after the confirmation of Iker Guarrotxena’s arrival from the Spanish third tier after leaving FC Goa a year ago.