Habib Jafar

Habib Jafar Akal (Arabic: حبيب حعفر‎) (born 1 July 1966) is a former Iraqi footballer.[2] He was featured on the national team many times and is remembered for competing in various Gulf Cup competitions. In the 1988 Gulf Cup, he was voted as the best player of the competition. He became a regular of the national team at a young age and was almost even called up for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, but he was thought to be to inexperienced by then-coach, Evaristo de Macedo.[3]

Habib Jafar
Personal information
Full name Habib Jafar Aqal
Date of birth (1966-07-01) 1 July 1966
Place of birth Baghdad, Iraq
Playing position(s) Right Winger
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1981–1985 Al-Talaba
1985–1991 Al-Rasheed
1991–1992 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
1992–1995 Al-Talaba
1995–1997 Al-Rayyan
1997–1998 Al-Ittihad
1998–1999 Al-Wakrah
1999–2000 Al-Ansar
2000–2003 Al-Talaba
National team
1986–2001 Iraq[1] 71 (16)
Teams managed
2007 Al-Talaba
2017 Al-Talaba
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

He was a key player in the Iraqi national team during the late 1980s and through the 1990s. Habib first appeared in the national team in 1988, playing in the Arab Championship, Olympics in Seoul and the Gulf Cup, where he was voted as player of the tournament. Was an important part of a talented Iraqi side that nearly qualified for the World Cup in 1994.[4] However, in their penultimate match against Iran, he was sent off receiving a red card, and did not participate in their next and last game against Japan.

He spent his time with clubs in Iraq, and spent a 4-year spell in Qatar[3] with Al-Rayyan, Al-Ittihad (now known as "Al-Gharaffa"), and Al-Wakra, and in the latest part of his career, with Dhofar of Oman.

Retired from the international scene after being omitted from the Asian Cup squad in Lebanon in 2000, by Milan Zivadinovic, but was surprisingly brought back by Adnan Hamad after the sacking of Milan in February 2001. Habib was placed by the German-based Federation of Football History & Statistics as Iraq's 3rd best player of the century.[4]

Career statistics

International goals
Scores and results list Iraq's goal tally first.[5]
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.27 March 1986Bahrain National Stadium, Riffa Qatar1–01–18th Arabian Gulf Cup
2.8 March 1988King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh1–03–09th Arabian Gulf Cup
3.13 January 1989Amman International Stadium, Amman Jordan1–01–01990 FIFA World Cup qualification
4.26 February 1990Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, Kuwait City Bahrain1–01–010th Arabian Gulf Cup
5.19 October 1993Khalifa International Stadium, Doha South Korea2–22–21994 FIFA World Cup qualification
6.16 February 1997Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad Jordan1–01–0Friendly
7.17 November 1998National Stadium, Beirut Lebanon2–02–0Friendly
8.3 August 1999Central Stadium, Dushanbe Tajikistan2–12–12000 AFC Asian Cup qualification
9.29 August 1999Amman International Stadium, Amman Libya1–03–11999 Pan Arab Games
10.14 April 2001Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad   Nepal4–09–12002 FIFA World Cup qualification


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See also

References
  1. Iraq - Record International Players
  2. "AFTEREFFECTS: REIGN OF TERROR; Soccer Players Describe Torture by Hussein's Son - The New York Times". 19 October 2009. Archived from the original on 19 October 2009.
  3. "Iraqi football; Hall of Fame. - Page 3 - aliraqi Community". 17 July 2012. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012.
  4. Hassanin Mubarak. "Player Database". iraqsport.com. Archived from the original on June 18, 2001.


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