Mac Naggar ’18 Shines on the International Soccer Stage
Mac Naggar ’18, once a standout on the Peddie pitch, is now shining on the international stage in professional soccer in the Premier Division in Gibraltar.
The Princeton native and soccer star played on the varsity boys soccer team for all four years at Peddie. His experiences at Peddie have proven extremely valuable to his story thus far.
“Peddie was extremely accommodating in helping us navigate our outside interests of soccer, but also balancing family style [dinner] and all of the other activities that you’re expected to complete as a Peddie student,” Naggar, 24, said. “I really got to experience the best of both worlds. I got a top-class education, but I was also able to be with my friends and focus on the thing that I love because people were willing to work with me.”
Mac said his favorite Peddie moment is winning Peddie-Blair Day in 2016 and simultaneously clinching the MAPL Championship for Boys Soccer.
Former Varsity Boys Soccer Coach Pete McClellan called Naggar a “special player.”
McClellan remembered a standout performance against an opponent who was recognized as one of the best strikers in the country while in high school.
“I remember Mac, as a junior, just shut him down,” McClellan said. “You don’t just shut down one of the nation’s best strikers. We ended up beating them 3-0.”
Nagger was eager for advice on how to improve so McClellan recommended that he join the wrestling team during the winter term to become stronger and more competitive in one-on-one situations.
“Mac was exceptional compared to other athletes I’ve coached,” he said. “He did anything he could to become the best player he could be. He, more so than many, took criticism, advice and guidance to heart.”
After Peddie, Naggar played for England’s FAB Academy. He then wondered if he should try to play professionally at the age of 18.
While he did not sign professionally at that time, he had some offers while at Peddie to play Division I soccer. Naggar attended Iona College and played there for a year. After a successful season, he transferred to Cornell, another Division I school.
Naggar embarked on his professional soccer career in Cyprus, taking advantage of online studies to complete his degree in industrial labor relations. After a year in the Premier Division in Cyprus, he changed to a team in Gibraltar.
Naggar said in the couple of years he’s been away, it’s taken some time to get used to being far away from his hometown of Princeton. He misses his friends and family, and home comforts such as bagels.
Naggar credited Peddie with playing a pivotal role in shaping his worldview.
“Peddie catalyzed my curiosity and allowed me to explore areas in different subjects and activities I never would have explored on my own,” he said. “It felt like my friends from Peddie were constantly partaking in activities with a global focus. So, that always inspired me to think about the world in a more global sense.”
Naggar’s influence extended to his younger brother, Arnold, who chose to attend Peddie after witnessing Naggar’s success in academics and athletics. Naggar expressed deep appreciation for his coaches and teachers, including Austin Frank, McClellan and Jim Harris.
“Peddie was able to, on the one hand, help me embrace my interests wholeheartedly, but on the other hand, also give me exposure to things that I probably wouldn’t have if I was completely specialized,” Naggar said. “I think that’s extremely powerful.”