| Jawed Kalai | |
| Birth Date: | 29 July 2000 |
| Birth Place: | Cambrai, France |
| Height: | 1.80 m |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Currentclub: | Valenciennes |
| Clubnumber: | 29 |
| Youthclubs1: | CAS Escaudoeuvres |
| Youthyears2: | –2014 |
| Youthclubs2: | Cambrai |
| Youthyears3: | 2014–2016 |
| Youthclubs3: | Valenciennes |
| Youthyears4: | 2016–2018 |
| Youthclubs4: | Cambrai |
| Years1: | 2018–2020 |
| Clubs1: | Cambrai |
| Years2: | 2020–2021 |
| Clubs2: | UR La Louvière |
| Years3: | 2021– |
| Clubs3: | Valenciennes B |
| Caps3: | 28 |
| Goals3: | 8 |
| Years4: | 2021– |
| Clubs4: | Valenciennes |
| Caps4: | 5 |
| Goals4: | 1 |
| Years5: | 2022–2023 |
| Clubs5: | → Wasquehal (loan) |
| Caps5: | 20 |
| Goals5: | 1 |
| Club-Update: | 16:38, 28 April 2024 (UTC) |
Jawad Kalai (born 29 July 2000) is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Valenciennes.
Kalai started his football career at CAS Escaudoeuvres,[1] before he joined Cambrai at the age of eight. Later, he moved to Valenciennes as an under-14 player.[2] Kalai stayed at Valenciennes for two years, before returning to Cambrai in 2016.[2] In January 2018, Kalai was promoted to Cambrai's first team, playing in the Régional 1.[2]
In July 2020, Kalai joined Belgian club UR La Louvière.[3] From the 2021–22 season, he returned to Valenciennes, where he started on the club's reserve team, playing in the Championnat National 3.[4] However, on 8 January 2022, Kalai got his professional debut for Valenciennes in Ligue 2 in a game against Guingamp, where he came on from the bench for the last minute.[5] On 1 September 2022, Kalai joined Wasquehal on loan until the end of the season.[6]
During the first six months of the 2023-24 season, Kalai made two appearances in Ligue 1 and one in the cup for Valenciennes. In search of more playing time, Kalai returned to his former club, Wasquehal, on a loan deal at the end of January 2024.[7] However, it was revealed the following day that the French Football Federation (FFF) had blocked the transfer for unknown reasons, meaning Kalai had to stay at Valenciennes.[8]
Born in France, Kalai is of Moroccan descent.[9]