Basil Gorgis
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Basil Gorgis Hanna | ||
| Date of birth | 15 January 1961 | ||
| Place of birth | Ankawa, Iraq | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1977–1979 | Al Saadoon | ||
| 1979–1982 | Al-Amana | ||
| 1982–1990 | Al Shabab | ||
| 1990–1991 | Al Talaba | ||
| 1995 | North York Astros | ||
| International career | |||
| 1981–1989 | Iraq | 55 | (4) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Basil Gewargis Hanna or Basil Korkis (Arabic: باسل كوركيس ) (born 8 January 1961) is a former Iraqi international football player of Assyrian descent. Despite having a short career, he is considered to be one of the best players of all time in Iraq, being known for his tenacity and attacking threat.
As a player, Basil took the national team to uncharted territory, where he was part of the Iraqi "golden team" of the 1980s that included Hussein Saeed and Ahmad Radhi.
Basil is married to his wife Nawal Hanna and they have three daughters together, Reta, Nadiya, and Mariam Hanna.
Club career
Like all up and coming Iraqi players, "It all started in the streets" as Basil was once quoted. As a teenager, he played with the youth league team Homentmen, a youth club belonging to Nadi Al-Armeni (Armenian Club). At the age of 16, he moved on to the club of Tammuz, a Junior team belonging to Nadi Al-Athori, where he caught the eye of the then first division Al-Amana coach Mustufa Auda. Throughout his youth, Basil points to Zia Isaac as the one who coached him into the player he would become.[1] Basil remained in the Iraq Super League for all his career, where he went on to play for Al Shabab and Al Talaba.
He emigrated to Canada, where he played as an amateur with Nineveh Star from 1992. In 1995, he joined semi-professional club Scarborough Astros of the Canadian National Soccer League, helping them to the Ontario Cup Final losing on penalties to St.Catharines Roma Wolves.[2][3]
International career
International goals
Scores and results list Iraq's goal tally first.
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 16 August 1985 | Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat |  Morocco |
1–0 | 1–0 | 1985 Pan Arab Games |
| 2. | 16 March 1988 | King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh |  Saudi Arabia |
2–0 | 2–0 | 9th Arabian Gulf Cup |
| 3. | 21 July 1988 | Amman International Stadium, Amman |  Syria |
1–1 | 1–1 | 1988 Arab Nations Cup |
References
- ^ "About us". Precision Soccer. Archived from the original on November 23, 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
- ^ Hassanin Mubarak. "Player Database". iraqsport.com. Archived from the original on March 8, 2003.
- ^ Laskaris, Sam (June 16, 1995). "Astros hope Iraqi helps offence soar". Toronto Star. p. SC6.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
External links
- Basil Gorgis at National-Football-Teams.com
- Interview with Basil Gorgis
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- 1961 births
- Living people
- Iraqi footballers
- Iraq international footballers
- Association football midfielders
- 1986 FIFA World Cup players
- Footballers at the 1988 Summer Olympics
- Olympic footballers of Iraq
- Iraqi Assyrian people
- People from Ankawa
- Canadian people of Assyrian descent
- Amanat Baghdad players
- Iraqi Christians
- Iraqi emigrants to Canada
- Canadian Christians
- North York Astros players
- Canadian National Soccer League players
- Assyrian footballers