Saifullah Akbar
Muhammad Saifullah bin Mohammad Akbar (born January 31, 1999) is a Singaporean professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Singapore Premier League club Lion City Sailors and the Singapore national team.
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Muhammad Saifullah bin Mohammad Akbar[1] | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | January 31, 1999 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Singapore | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Club information | ||||||||||||||||
Current team | Lion City Sailors | |||||||||||||||
| Number | 17 | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| –2016 | Tampines Rovers | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 2016 | Tampines Rovers | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2018-2019 | Young Lions | 24 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2020– | Lion City Sailors | 25 | (5) | |||||||||||||
| National team‡ | ||||||||||||||||
| 2016-2017 | Singapore U19[1][2] | 4 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2019 | Singapore U22 | 2 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2021– | Singapore | 5 | (0) | |||||||||||||
Honours
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|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 February 2021 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 18 December 2021 | ||||||||||||||||
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.[3]
Club career
Touted as a prospective football player and one to watch for Singapore,[3][4][5] he participated in the Lion City Cup with Ikhsan Fandi playing for the NFA U-16.[6]
Trialing with Newcastle Jets FC in 2015, their assistant coach indicated that they were interested in a youth team deal with the youngster.[7] 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.[8] Previously, he had a training stint with QPR along with three other Singaporean teenagers[9] that lasted for five days.[10][11] Also, he had a two-week stint at Metz, funded by the Singapore Sport School.[12]
On his first-team debut, he scored a goal to secure a 6-4 win over Hougang United FC[4] in the Singapore League Cup.[13] 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.[14]
He joined Young Lions FC after his national service and played the out the remainder of the 2018 campaign. While on trial 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.[14] Saifullah became a key member of the Young Lions squad that season, featuring regularly at the right wing position under Coach Fandi Ahmad.
International career
He represented Singapore in the 2013 Asian Youth Games staged in the provincial city of Nanjing.[3]
In 2016, he was called up for the Singapore U19 team facing the Bahrain U19 selection.[1][2]
On 17 May 2021, Saifullah Akbar got the national team call-up by head coach Tatsuma Yoshida for the remaining Asian World Cup qualifiers in June.[15] Fast forward to 3 June, Saifullah made his first-ever national team debut against Palestine by coming on as a substitution for Hafiz Nor in the 65th minute.[16]
Career statistics
Club
- As of 27 Feb 2022[17]
| 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 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 4 | |
| 2022 | Singapore Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 32 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 6 | ||
| Career total | 57 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 11 | ||
- Notes
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | |||
| 2021 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 5 | 0 | |
International caps
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 June 2021 | King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |  Palestine | 0-4 (lost) | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC Second Round |
| 2 | 8 June 2021 | King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |  Uzbekistan | 5-0 (lost) | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC Second Round |
| 3 | 12 June 2021 | King Saud University Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |  Saudi Arabia | 0-3 (lost) | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC Second Round |
| 4 | 11 November 2021 | Al Hamriya Sports Club Stadium, Sharjah, UAE |  Kyrgyzstan | 1-2 (lost) | Friendly |
| 5 | 18 December 2021 | National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore |  Thailand | 0-2(lost) | 2020 AFF Championship |
U23 International caps
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 March 2019 | MFF Football Centre, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia |  Mongolia | 3-1 (won) | 2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualification |
| 2 | 5 December 2019 | Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila, Philippines |  Brunei | 7-0 (won) | 2019 Southeast Asian Games |
| 3 | 25 October 2021 | Jalan Besar Stadium, Jalan Besar, Singapore |  Timor-Leste | 2-2 (draw) | 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification |
| 4 | 28 October 2021 | Jalan Besar Stadium, Jalan Besar, Singapore |  Philippines | 1-0 (won) | 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification |
| 5 | 31 October 2021 | Jalan Besar Stadium, Jalan Besar, Singapore |  South Korea | 1-5 (lost) | 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification |
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 |
U19 International caps
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 September 2016 | Vietnam Youth Training Centre, Hanoi, Vietnam | Philippines | 2-1 (won) | 2016 AFF U-19 Youth Championship |
| 2 | 19 September 2016 | Vietnam Youth Training Centre, Hanoi, Vietnam | Timor-Leste | 0-2 (lost) | 2016 AFF U-19 Youth Championship |
| 3 | 4 November 2017 | MFF Football Centre, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia | Thailand | 1-3 (lost) | 2018 AFC U-19 Championship qualification |
| 4 | 8 November 2017 | MFF Football Centre, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia | Mongolia | 2-4 (lost) | 2018 AFC U-19 Championship qualification |
U19 goals
- Scores and results list Singapore's goal tally first.[18]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 4 September 2017 | Thuwunna Stadium, Yangon, Myanmar |  Laos | 2–0 | 3-0 | 2017 AFF U-18 Youth Championship |
| 2. | 8 November 2017 | MFF Football Centre, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia | Mongolia | 2–4 | 2018 AFC U-19 Championship qualification |
Personal life
Saifullah's father is Akbar Nawas who helped him volunteer for early national service enlistment.[19] As a hobby, he plays guitar and sings and supports Chelsea.[20]
Honours
Individual
- Singapore Premier League Young Player of the Year: 2020 [21]
References
- "Singapore Under-19 to play Bahrain friendlies". Goal.com. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
- "Saifullah hoping for Young Lions' boost against Bahrain". Fourfourtwo.com. 30 August 2016. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
- "Saifullah Akbar joins Young Lions with Tenerife move on hold till 2020". FoxSport.com. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
- "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.
- "The Young Gun – Saifullah Akbar, Tampines Rovers". Fourfourtwo.com. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 2017-07-11.
- "Tatsuma names Lions squad for remaining World Cup qualifiers in June - Football Association of Singapore". Retrieved 2021-07-30.
- "Lions fall to defeat against Palestine - Football Association of Singapore". Retrieved 2021-07-30.
- Saifullah Akbar at Soccerway. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- "Mahler, Jacob". National Football Teams. Retrieved 23 October 2018.
- "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.
- "Gabriel Quak named SPL Player of the Year at FAS Awards Night 2020 - Football Association of Singapore". spl.sg.