Saifullah Akbar
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Muhammad Saifullah bin Mohammad Akbar[1] | ||
| Date of birth | January 31, 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Singapore | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Home United FC | ||
| Number | 43[2] | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 20??–2016 | Tampines Rovers FC | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016 | Tampines Rovers FC | 1 | (0) |
| 2018-2019 | Young Lions FC | 24 | (3) |
| 2020 | Lion City Sailors FC | 6 | (1) |
| International career | |||
| 2016 | Singapore U-19[1][3] | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Saifullah Akbar is a Singaporean professional footballer who plays for Tampines Rovers FC.
Youth and early life
At the age of six, he started playing football and quickly gained entry into the then called Five Star Football Academy.[4]
Career
Touted as a prospective football player and one to watch for Singapore,[4][5][6] he participated in the Lion City Cup with Ikhsan Fandi playing for the NFA U-16.[7]
Trialing with Newcastle Jets FC in 2015, their assistant coach indicated that they were interested in a youth team deal with the youngster.[8] However, he couldn't transfer there as FIFA rules prohibit players under 18 from joining a club abroad unless their parents reside and work in that country.[9] Previously, he had a training stint with QPR along with three other Singaporean teenagers[10] that lasted for five days.[11][12] Also, he had a two-week stint at Metz, funded by the Singapore Sport School.[13]
On his first-team debut, he scored a goal to secure a 6-4 win over Hougang United FC[5] in the Singapore League Cup.[14] After training daily with the Tampines Rovers first team throughout the 2015 S.League season, he joined their Prime League squad with the aim of making the Singapore roster for the biannual 2017 SEA Games.[15]
He joined Young Lions FC after his national service and played the out the remainder of the 2018 campaign. While on Trail at CD Tenerife, he did enough to be offered a contract with the club's B team, he however chose to remain with Young Lions for the 2019 Singapore Premier League season due to developmental reasons.[15] Saifullah became a key member of the Young Lions squad that season, featuring regularly at the right wing position under Coach Fandi Ahmad.
International
He represented Singapore in the 2013 Asian Youth Games staged in the provincial city of Nanjing.[4]
In 2016, he was called up for the Singapore U19 team facing the Bahrain U19 selection.[1][3]
Career statistics
Club
- As of 5 Dec 2020.[16]
| Club | Season | League | Singapore Cup | League Cup | AFC Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Tampines Rovers | 2016 | S.League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | ||
| Young Lions FC | 2018 | Singapore Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2019 | Singapore Premier League | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 3 | |
| Total | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 3 | ||
| Lion City Sailors | 2020 | Singapore Premier League | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 |
| 2021 | Singapore Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 36 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 7 | ||
- Notes
International Statistics
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 December 2019 | Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila, Philippines |  Brunei |
7-0 (won) | 2019 Southeast Asian Games |
U23 International goals
- As of match played 8 June 2019.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 December 2019 | Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila, Philippines | Brunei |
3–0 | 7–0 | 2019 Southeast Asian Games |
Personal life
Saifullah's father is Akbar Nawas who helped him volunteer for early national service enlistment.[17] As a hobby, he plays guitar and sings and supports Chelsea.[18]
Honours
International
Singapore U22
References
- ^ a b c "Singapore Under-19 to play Bahrain friendlies". Goal.com. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
- ^ "Saifullah Akbar". 31 January 1999.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "Saifullah hoping for Young Lions' boost against Bahrain". Fourfourtwo.com. 30 August 2016. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
- ^ a b c "Saifullah Akbar joins Young Lions with Tenerife move on hold till 2020". FoxSport.com. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
- ^ a b "Saifullah vows to fight on after 'dream debut'". 16 July 2016.
- ^ "Lion City Cup". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
- ^ "Football: Saifullah Akbar, Ikhsan Fandi keen to show calibre at Lion City Cup". Straitstimes.com. 14 August 2015. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-02-18. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "No Jets deal for Singapore starlet". Fourfourtwo.com. 10 March 2015. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
- ^ "Off to London, to train with QPR - The Football Association of Singapore". Fas.org.sg. Archived from the original on 2014-09-29. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
- ^ "QPR, Day 5 + Saifullah Akbar's thoughts - The Football Association of Singapore". Fas.org.sg. Archived from the original on 2015-03-30. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-08-03. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "PressReader.com - Connecting People Through News". Pressreader.com. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
- ^ "2016 League Cup: Young Player of the Tournament". FourFourTwo.com. 31 July 2016. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
- ^ a b "The Young Gun – Saifullah Akbar, Tampines Rovers". Fourfourtwo.com. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
- ^ Saifullah Akbar at Soccerway. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-04-05. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "The Boy's a Bit Special: Saifullah Akbar". Fourfourtwo.com. 19 August 2015. Retrieved 2017-07-11.