Mukhtar Ali

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Mukhtar Ali (footballer))
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Mukhtar Ali
Personal information
Full name Mukhtar Abdullah Ali
Date of birth (1997-10-30) 30 October 1997 (age 26)
Place of birth Jeddah, Saudi Arabia[1]
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Al-Nassr
Number 21
Youth career
0000–2008 Leyton Orient
2008–2017 Chelsea
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017 Chelsea 0 (0)
2017Vitesse (loan) 6 (0)
2017Jong Vitesse (loan) 4 (0)
2017–2019 Vitesse 9 (1)
2019– Al-Nassr 28 (0)
2022Al-Tai (loan) 11 (2)
2022–2023Al-Tai (loan) 27 (2)
2023–2024Al-Fateh (loan) 27 (0)
International career
2012 England U16 2 (0)
2013–2014 England U17 4 (0)
2017–2021 Saudi Arabia U23
2017– Saudi Arabia 13 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 May 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11 June 2024

Mukhtar Abdullahi Ali (Arabic: مختار علي, born 30 October 1997) is a Somali-Saudi Arabian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Saudi Arabia national team and for Al-Nassr. He was born in Jeddah and moved to London as an infant.[1]

Club career

[edit]

Chelsea

[edit]

In 2008, Ali joined Chelsea at under-11 level from Leyton Orient and progressed through the club's academy system.[2] He was part of the Chelsea youth side which recorded back to back triumphs in the FA Youth Cup in 2015 and 2016.[2] With 42 appearances in all competitions he was the second-leading appearance maker in the academy and was also nominated for International Somali Sportsman of the Year.[3]

Vitesse

[edit]

On 29 January 2017, Ali joined Vitesse on loan for the remainder of the 2016–17 campaign.[4] On 19 February 2017, Ali made his Vitesse debut in their 1–0 home defeat against Ajax, replacing Marvelous Nakamba in the 84th minute.[5] On 4 February 2017, he played his first match for Jong Vitesse against SV Spakenburg.[6] Ali went onto appear in five more league games during his loan spell.

On 17 July 2017, Vitesse permanently signed Ali on a three-year deal.[7]

Al-Nassr

[edit]

On 31 August 2019, Al-Nassr signed Mukhtar Ali on a one-year deal from Vitesse.[8] On 29 January 2022, he renewed his contract with Al-Nassr until 2025 and was loaned out to Al-Tai.[9] On 29 August 2022, Mukhtar Ali rejoined Al-Tai on a one-year loan.[10] On 7 September 2023, Mukhtar Ali joined Al-Fateh on a one-year loan.[11]

International career

[edit]

Ali represented England at both under-16 and under-17 level and was also eligible to represent Somalia, the country of his parents.[12] However, he pledged his allegiance to the Saudi Arabia national team,[13] and made his senior debut on 7 October 2017 against Jamaica. This was possibly based on the player's assertion that he was instead born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.[14]

Career statistics

[edit]
As of match played 27 May 2024.[15]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Vitesse (loan) 2016–17 Eredivisie 6 0 0 0 6 0
Vitesse 2017–18 Eredivisie 3 0 0 0 1[b] 0 2[c] 0 6 0
2018–19 Eredivisie 6 1 1 0 0 0 7 1
Al-Nassr 2019–20 Saudi Pro League 20 0 1 0 8[d] 1 29 1
2020–21 Saudi Pro League 5 0 1 0 2[d] 0 8 0
2021–22 Saudi Pro League 0 0 0 0 1[d] 0 1 0
2023–24 Saudi Pro League 3 0 0 0 1[d] 0 0 0 4 0
Total 28 0 2 0 12 1 0 0 42 1
Al-Tai (loan) 2021–22 Saudi Pro League 11 2 0 0 11 2
2022–23 Saudi Pro League 27 2 1 0 28 2
Total 38 4 1 0 39 4
Al-Fateh (loan) 2023–24 Saudi Pro League 27 0 2 0 29 0
Career total 108 5 6 0 13 1 2 0 129 6
  1. ^ Includes KNVB Cup, King Cup
  2. ^ Appearance in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Appearances in Eredivisie European play-offs
  4. ^ a b c d Appearances in AFC Champions League

Honours

[edit]

Club

[edit]

Chelsea Reserves[2]

Vitesse

Al-Nassr

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Meenaghan, Gary (2018-04-06). Mukhtar Ali ‘fit and ready’ for Saudi Arabia if World Cup call comes. Arab News. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  2. ^ a b c "Mukhtar Ali". TheChels.info. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  3. ^ "International Somali Awards 2017 Nominees: Sports Person of the Year". Anti Tribalism Movement : The ATM. 22 January 2017. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Academy midfielder loan". Chelsea Official Site. 29 January 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  5. ^ "Vitesse vs. Ajax". Soccerway. 19 February 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  6. ^ "SPAKENBURG VS. VITESSE II 2 - 2". Soccerway. 4 February 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  7. ^ "Ali joins Vitesse". Chelsea Official Site. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  8. ^ Al-Nassr is officially signed by Mukhtar Ali
  9. ^ "رسميا.. النصر يجدد عقد مختار ويعيره للطائي". 29 January 2022.
  10. ^ "الطائي يستعير لاعب النصر". 29 August 2022.
  11. ^ "الفتح يضم مختار علي بنظام الإعارة من النصر". 7 September 2023.
  12. ^ "Mukhtar Ali 'fit and ready' for Saudi Arabia if World Cup call comes". 6 April 2018.
  13. ^ Vitesse. "Vitesse nieuws: Vitesse-spelers internationaal actief". Vitesse.nl.
  14. ^ "Mukhtar Ali 'fit and ready' for Saudi Arabia if World Cup call comes". Arab News. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  15. ^ Mukhtar Ali at Soccerway
[edit]