As a child, Merheg moved with his family to Bishmizzine, Koura District, Lebanon.[9] He began attending Bishmizzine High School aged six, where he first started playing football during recess.[9]
Club career
Youth
Merheg began his football career in Lebanon at age seven, training with Salam Zgharta's academy[10] and their affiliated Koura Football Academy.[11] In 2016, he moved to Spain, where he played for Marcet[12] (including their partner club Tecnofútbol),[13] as well as Sant Cugat[ca][14] and Cornellà.[9][10]
After his time in Spain, Merheg moved to Colombia, playing for the Risaralda Department representative youth team between 2019 and 2020.[15] In 2021, he joined VyV Mi Nuevo Tolima, scoring six goals in 10 matches for their under-15 side.[16] Although he signed with Argentine side Rosario Central in 2022,[4] registration issues due to his age prevented his participation in AFA-sanctioned competitions, prompting his return to Colombia.[7] There, he joined Deportivo Pereira in 2023,[15] where scored eight goals in five matches with the under-17s,[15][16] and five goals in 10 matches with the under-20s.[15]
Deportivo Pereira
On 17 February 2024, aged 17years and 73days, Merheg made his professional debut with Deportivo Pereira, starting and playing 58 minutes in a 1–0 win against Santa Fe, before being replaced by Andrés Ibargüen.[5] He finished the 2024 season with five games in all competitions.[17]
On 15 April 2025, Merheg scored his first goal for Deportivo Pereira and provided an assist in a 2–0 win against Deportivo Cali.[18] He scored a brace on 27 August 2025, including a 90+5th minute winner, helping his side defeat Real Cundinamarca 4–3 in the Copa Colombia.[19] On 18 November 2025, after scoring eight goals and providing three assists in 29 appearances during the 2025 season,[14] Merheg announced his departure from Deportivo Pereira, a decision that came amid the club's ongoing financial difficulties and contractual issues affecting the squad.[20]
Braga
On 30 December 2025, Primeira Liga side Braga announced the signing of Merheg on a free transfer, effective from 1 January 2026; he signed a contract running until the summer of 2028, with an option for two additional seasons.[14] Merheg was first called up on 14 January 2026 for a Taça de Portugal quarter-final against AD Fafe, remaining an unused substitute.[21] He made his debut for the reserve team, Braga B, on 15 February 2026, starting in a Liga 3 match against AD Fafe, which ended in a 2–1 defeat.[22] His first goals came on 22 February, scoring twice for the reserves in a 2–0 win against Marco 09.[23]
International career
Born in Colombia, Merheg was eligible to represent both Colombia and Lebanon at the international level, as his paternal grandparents were from Lebanon.[6]
Merheg received his first call-up to the Lebanon national team on 5 November 2024 for friendly matches against Thailand and Myanmar.[29] He made his international debut on 14 November 2024 at the age of 17years and 344days, coming on as an 82nd-minute substitute in a 0–0 draw against Thailand.[30] Five days later, he scored his first international goals with a brace in a 3–2 victory over Myanmar.[31] On 20 March 2025, Merheg added another brace in a 4–0 friendly win against Timor-Leste, taking his goal tally to five in his first five appearances for Lebanon.[32] He continued his scoring form in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, netting his sixth goal in six games during a 5–0 win over Brunei five days later.[33]
12Damoury, Myriam (20 November 2024). موهبة واعدة في كرة القدم اللبنانية[A promising talent in Lebanese football]. Nidaa Al Watan (in Arabic). Retrieved 1 April 2025.
↑"KFA player Samy Merheg 2006". KOURA Football Academy. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2025– via Facebook. For all this reasons he has been elected to play in the 2006 team for the present League Title. Marset football school Spain
