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Ali Adnan
Ali Adnan 2019 AFC Asian Cup.jpg
Adnan playing for Iraq at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup
Personal information
Full name Ali Adnan Kadhim Nasser Al-Tameemi
Date of birth (1993-12-19) 19 December 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth Baghdad, Iraq
Height 1.85 m
Playing position Left-back
Club information
Current club Al-Najma
Number 53
Youth career
2003–2008 Ammo Baba School
2008–2009 Al-Zawraa
2009–2010 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 Baghdad 62 (7)
2013–2015 Çaykur Rizespor 41 (3)
2015–2019 Udinese 65 (1)
2018–2019 Atalanta (loan) 3 (0)
2019 Vancouver Whitecaps FC (loan) 16 (1)
2019–2021 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 34 (2)
2021–2022 Vejle 1 (0)
2022–2023 Rubin Kazan 8 (0)
2023–2024 Mes Rafsanjan 21 (0)
2024– Al-Najma 0 (0)
National team
2011–2013 Iraq U20 15 (4)
2012–2016 Iraq U23 13 (5)
2012– Iraq 94 (7)
Honours
Men's football
Representing  Iraq
Asian Games
Bronze 2014 Incheon Team
AFC U-19 Championship
Runner-up 2012 AFC U-19 Championship Team
  • Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 December 2023.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 January 2024

Ali Adnan Kadhim Nasser Al-Tameemi (born on December 19, 1993) is a professional footballer from Iraq. He plays as a left-back for the Saudi club Al-Najma. Ali Adnan also plays for the Iraq national team.

He was a star player for Iraq at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup. His team, who were seen as underdogs, made it all the way to the semi-finals. Because of his amazing skills, he won the 2013 Asian Young Footballer of the Year award.

Club Career: Ali Adnan's Football Journey

Starting Out: Early Years in Football

Ali Adnan started his football journey at the famous Ammo Baba Football School. He spent five years there, learning and growing as a player. Even though he was one of the youngest, he quickly became very good.

After the school, he joined Al-Zawraa, one of Iraq's best youth teams. Later, he played for Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya's youth team. His next big step was joining Baghdad FC.

Playing for Baghdad FC

At Baghdad FC, Ali Adnan first played for the youth team. Soon, the head coach, Karim Kurdi, made him a regular player for the senior team. He became very confident and even took the spot of his hero, Bassim Abbas, on the left side of the field.

He scored seven goals for Baghdad FC during his time there. These goals helped his team in different matches.

Moving to Turkey: Çaykur Rizespor

On August 1, 2013, Ali Adnan signed a five-year contract with Çaykur Rizespor in Turkey. He chose the number 53 jersey. This number was special because the club was founded in 1953. He said the club felt like home to him.

AliAdnan'13
Adnan playing for Çaykur Rizespor against Galatasaray, September 28, 2013

He scored his first goal in the Turkish Süper Lig on September 1, 2013. It was a long-distance shot for Çaykur Rizespor. He scored another goal from a free kick later that month. Ali Adnan became a fan favorite, helping his team with goals and assists.

After two seasons, he moved to Italy to play in a new league.

Playing in Italy: Udinese

On July 1, 2015, Ali Adnan joined Udinese with a five-year contract. This was a big moment! He became the first Iraqi player ever to play in Serie A, Italy's top football league.

He played his first game for Udinese in a cup match. His Serie A debut was a win against Juventus, a very strong team. He scored his first goal for Udinese from a free kick. Fans loved him at Udinese, but he didn't always get to play as much as he wanted.

Loan to Atalanta

On August 17, 2018, Ali Adnan went on loan to Atalanta. However, he had a disagreement with the coach. This meant he wouldn't be playing much for the team. Since the transfer window was closed, he had to look for a club outside Europe.

Joining Vancouver Whitecaps FC

On March 9, 2019, Ali Adnan joined Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Major League Soccer (MLS) in Canada. He first joined on a loan deal, and then the transfer became permanent in July 2019. In July 2021, he left the club because of issues with his visa.

Later Clubs: Vejle, Rubin Kazan, Mes Rafsanjan, Al-Najma

After leaving Vancouver, Ali Adnan joined Vejle Boldklub in Denmark on November 5, 2021. Sadly, less than a month later, he got a serious knee injury. He tore a ligament, which meant he couldn't play for the rest of the season. His contract ended in May 2022, and he left the club.

On August 11, 2022, he signed with Rubin Kazan in Russia. He played for them until his contract ended in June 2023.

In 2023, he joined Mes Rafsanjan in Iran. And on July 19, 2024, Ali Adnan joined his current club, Al-Najma, in Saudi Arabia.

International Career: Playing for Iraq

Iraq U-20: A World Cup Star

Ali Adnan was a key player for the Iraq U-20 at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey. His amazing performances helped Iraq reach the semi-finals.

He scored a fantastic goal against England U-20, tying the game at 2-2. He also scored in the semi-finals against Uruguay U-20. Many big European clubs noticed him during this tournament.

Iraq U-23: The Olympics and a Short Retirement

Ali Adnan was part of the Iraqi Olympic team for the Rio Olympics 2016. He played very well and was even named "man of the match" against Denmark. However, Iraq didn't make it past the group stage.

After the Olympics, Ali Adnan surprised everyone by saying he would stop playing for the national team. Many Iraqis were sad and asked him to come back. His father, Adnan Kadhim, spoke to him on TV, encouraging him to change his mind. Ali Adnan listened to his father and returned to play for Iraq.

Iraq Senior Team: A National Hero

On December 3, 2012, at just 18 years old, Ali Adnan made his first appearance for the senior Iraq national team. He was the first player from the Ammo Baba football school to play for the senior team.

His great play quickly made him known as the best left-back in Iraq. He scored his first goal for Iraq in a 3-1 win against China PR in 2014.

Style of Play: The "Iraqi Roberto Carlos"

Ali Adnan is often compared to famous left-backs like Roberto Carlos. He is known for his powerful and accurate shots, especially from free kicks. He is tall and fast, which helps him run down the left side of the field.

He loves to attack, using his strength and dribbling skills to get past defenders. He is full of energy and can score amazing goals from far away. Even though he is very good at attacking, he is also a strong defender for his team. He can make long passes and crosses into the penalty area too.

Personal Life: A Football Family

Ali Adnan was born in Baghdad, Iraq, on December 19, 1993. Football is in his family's blood! Both his father and uncle were top-level footballers in the 1970s and 80s.

His father, Adnan Kadhim, played for the Iraqi youth team. He even won a championship in 1977. His uncle, Ali Kadhim, was one of the best strikers for the national team. He scored 35 goals for Iraq.

Ali Adnan looks up to his father as his idol and teacher. His father has always supported him. When Ali Adnan briefly stopped playing for the national team in 2016, his father helped him decide to come back.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Çaykur Rizespor 2013–14 Süper Lig 31 3 31 3
2014–15 10 0 6 1 16 1
Total 41 3 6 1 0 0 0 0 47 4
Udinese 2015–16 Serie A 28 1 3 0 31 1
2016–17 14 0 0 0 14 0
2017–18 23 0 1 0 24 0
2018–19 0 0 1 0 1 0
Total 65 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 70 1
Atalanta (loan) 2018–19 Serie A 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 0
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2019–20 MLS 28 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 30 1
2020–21 23 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 26 3
Total 51 3 5 1 0 0 0 0 56 4
Vejle Boldklub 2021–22 Danish 1st Division 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Rubin Kazan 2022–23 Russian First League 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 2
Mes Rafsanjan 2023–24 Persian Gulf Pro League 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0
Career total 181 7 16 2 1 0 0 0 198 9

International

Scores and results list Iraq's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Adnan goal.
List of international goals scored by Ali Adnan Kadhim
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 5 March 2014 Sharjah Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates  China 3–0 3–1 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification
2 3 September 2015 Shahid Dastgerdi Stadium, Tehran, Iran  Chinese Taipei 1–0 5–1 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
3 24 March 2016 Shahid Dastgerdi Stadium, Tehran, Iran  Thailand 2–2 2–2 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
4 8 January 2019 Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates  Vietnam 3–2 3–2 2019 AFC Asian Cup
5 10 October 2019 Basra Sports City, Basra, Iraq  Hong Kong 2–0 2–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
6 17 November 2020 Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates  Uzbekistan 2–1 2–1 Friendly
7 7 June 2021 Al Muharraq Stadium, Arad, Bahrain  Cambodia 3–0 4–1 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Rubin Kazan

Iraq U-20

Iraq U-23

  • Asian Games bronze-medal: 2014

Iraq

  • WAFF Championship runner-up: 2012
  • Arabian Gulf Cup runner-up: 2013
  • AFC Asian Cup fourth-place: 2015

Individual

  • Asian Young Footballer of the Year: 2013
  • Sky Sports' 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup XI Team of the Tournament – Left-back position.
  • World Soccer Magazine's 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup Top 10 stars of the Tournament.
  • Goal.com's 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup chosen among best top 10 players.
  • Soccer Iraq Team of the Decade: 2010–2019

See also

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