Mohd Safiq Rahim
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Safiq bin Rahim ( Jawi: صفيق بن رحيم; born 5 July 1987) is a Malaysian professional footballer who plays as a
midfielder A midfielder is an outfield position in association football. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
for
Malaysian Super League The Malaysia Super League ( ms, Liga Super Malaysia) is the men's top professional football division of the Malaysian football league system. Administered by the Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership (FMLLP), now known as the Malaysi ...
club
Johor Darul Ta'zim Johor Darul Ta'zim Football Club or simply JDT is a professional Association football, football club based in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. The club was founded in 1972 as PKENJ FC and currently competes in the top division of Malaysian football ...
. He has represented the Malaysia national team since 2007. Safiq is widely regarded as one of the best Malaysian midfielders of all time. Safiq has played for
Selangor Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
, KL PLUS,
Melaka United Melaka United Football Club () was a defunct Malaysian professional football club based in Malacca that competes in the Malaysia Super League. They were owned by Kenteam Sdn Bhd which is one of nitrile glove producer in Malaysia. Previously, th ...
and Johor Darul Ta'zim. He was the part of Johor Darul Ta'zim squad which won the AFC Cup in 2015 and also the part of Selangor squad which won the
2010 Malaysia Super League --> , biggest home win = Selangor 6–0 Johor(26 January 2010) , biggest away win = Penang 1–6 T–Team(5 July 2010) , highest scoring = Terengganu 6–3 Johor(21 April 2010) , matches = 182 , total goals = 4 ...
. Safiq has been named in the Malaysia national squad for three major tournaments: the
2007 AFF Championship The 2007 AFF Championship was the 6th edition of the AFF Championship, the football championship of Southeast Asia. The group stage was co-hosted by Singapore and Thailand from 12 to 17 January. Knockout stage with two-leg Home-and-away format w ...
,
2010 AFF Championship The 2010 AFF Championship, sponsored by Suzuki and P&G and officially known as the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, was the 8th edition of the AFF Championship, took place on 1–29 December 2010. Indonesia and Vietnam hosted the group stage from 1 to 8 De ...
and
2014 AFF Championship The 2014 AFF Championship, sponsored by Suzuki and officially known as the 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup, was the 10th edition of the AFF Championship, an international association football competition consisting of national teams of member nations of the ...
. In 2010 AFF Championship, he was the part of Malaysia under-23 squad which won the AFF Championship title. He was also the part of Malaysia senior squad which won the
2010 AFF Championship The 2010 AFF Championship, sponsored by Suzuki and P&G and officially known as the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, was the 8th edition of the AFF Championship, took place on 1–29 December 2010. Indonesia and Vietnam hosted the group stage from 1 to 8 De ...
title. Safiq has been honoured with the
Football Association of Malaysia The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM, ms, Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia) is the national governing body of football in Malaysia responsible for organising the Malaysia national football team within the country. The Football Association of ...
National Football Awards for the Best Midfielder Award for 2011 and 2012 as voted by public. He also was voted as the best Malaysian footballer in 2015 by
Goal.com GOAL is an international association football news website for FC Barcelona fans founded in 2004 by Chicco Merighi and Gianluigi Longinotti-Buitoni. It is published in 19 languages, with 38 national editions and 600 contributors. It is owned by ...
. He was voted as the best Malaysian footballer in 2016 and 2017 by the
FOX Sports Asia Fox Sports (formerly ESPN Star Sports) was a pan-Asian pay television network broadcasting in Asia, operated by Fox Networks Group Asia Pacific, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Pte. Ltd. It also oversaw a version of Sta ...
. He also was awarded as 2015 AFC Cup Most Valuable Player. Safiq was named in the Malaysian Squad of the Year 10 times from 2006 to 2016. He was named in the AFF Squad of the Year 3 times from 2012 to 2014.


Early life

Safiq bin Rahim was born and raised in
Kuala Selangor Kuala Selangor is a town in northwestern Selangor, Malaysia. It is the largest town and administrative centre of the coterminous Kuala Selangor District. Etymology The name ''Kuala Selangor'' means Estuary of the Selangor River. History ...
, which approximately 43 kilometres from
Shah Alam Shah Alam () is a city and the state capital of Selangor, Malaysia and situated within the Petaling District and a small portion of the neighbouring Klang District. Shah Alam replaced Kuala Lumpur as the capital city of the state of Selangor in ...
, the capital of
Selangor Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
. His passion towards football began since he was a kid. At first, his parents did not approve him to be a professional footballer as they wanted him to focus on the academics. As the result, he entered SMK Seksyen 11 (Sekolah Sukan Selangor) and
Bukit Jalil Sports School The Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) ( ms, Sekolah Sukan Bukit Jalil, SSBJ) is the first sports school in Malaysia. The school is located at the National Sports Complex compound in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur. Sekolah Sukan Bukit Jalil was opene ...
from 2003 to 2007 to further his studies.


Club career


Selangor

During Safiq's time with Selangor youth in 2008, during
Malaysia President Cup The Piala Presiden ( en, President Cup) is a developmental football competition in Malaysia for Under-21 players. The cup consists of developmental squad from clubs competing in the top and second division of Malaysian football league system, ...
final, he has scored the winning goal against
Perak Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...
as the result Selangor won by 1–0. After showing promise with the youth side, Safiq has been promoted to the Selangor senior team in 2007. However, he had a hard time to secure a place in the line up under coach
Dollah Salleh Dollah Salleh (born 10 October 1963) is a Malaysian football coach and former player. He is well-known to MSL fans as Pablo Dollah. One of Malaysia's most decorated players, he has also been manager of Malaysia's national team. Playing care ...
.


KL PLUS

On 19 September 2008, Safiq signed a contract with newly promoted club KL PLUS after he turned down the
Football Association of Selangor The Football Association of Selangor, also known as FAS ( ms, Persatuan Bola Sepak Selangor) is the sport governing body, governing body of football for the state of Selangor, Malaysia. They are responsible for growing the standards of grassroots ...
's offer to extend his contract. He was appointed as the team
vice-captain Vice-captain, alternate captain (ice hockey) or vice-skip (curling) may refer to a role in a number of sports immediately below the role of captain. The vice-captain may have a number of different roles, including substituting as captain when the re ...
while Norhafiz Zamani as the team captain. At the end of 2009 season, Safiq left KL PLUS and returned to
Selangor Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
.


Return to Selangor

On 1 December 2009, it was announced that Safiq signed with
Selangor Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
for a second stint from KL PLUS. He was handed the number 8 jersey ahead of the 2010 season. Safiq made his season debut for Selangor in a 1–2 win over
Negeri Sembilan Negeri Sembilan (, Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Nogoghi Sombilan'', ''Nismilan'') is a state in Malaysia which lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the s ...
in the
Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Cup Piala Sumbangsih (English: Malaysia Charity Cup), also known as Piala Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah ( en, Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Cup), is the Malaysian super cup competition. It is the curtain raiser match to the new Malaysian football season, pitting ...
at
Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium The Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium (STAR; Malay: ''Stadium Tuanku Abdul Rahman''), also known by its informal name Stadium Paroi and nickname The STAR of Paroi, is a multi-purpose stadium in Paroi, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. It is currently us ...
. On 19 January 2010, he scored his first goal for Selangor in a 4–0 win over
Pahang Pahang (;Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a ...
. On 23 February 2010, Safiq made his
AFC Cup The AFC Cup is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Under its current rules, the competition is played primarily between clubs from nations that did not receive direct qualifying s ...
debut in 0–0 draw against Vietnamese Becamex Bình Dương at
Shah Alam Stadium The Shah Alam Stadium ( Malay: ''Stadium Shah Alam'') is a multi-purpose stadium located in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. It is used mostly for football matches but also has facilities for athletics. The stadium is the officially home of Red ...
. He scored his first AFC Cup goal in a 5–0 win over Maldivian
Victory SC Victory Sportif Club, commonly known as Victory, is a Haitian professional football club based in Port-au-Prince. History Early years Victory Sportif Club was founded by Augustin R. Viau on 7 March 1945. They were affiliated in 1947 by the Hait ...
on 6 April 2010. Safiq has scored 9 goals in all competitions during his season debut. He was part of the
Selangor Selangor (; ), also known by its Arabic language, Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east ...
team that won the 2010 Super League Malaysia and the 2010 Malaysia Charity Shield. In 2011 season, Safiq his season first appearance in a 0–2 defeat to
Kelantan Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode"). Kelantan is located in the ...
in a
Malaysia Charity Shield Piala Sumbangsih (English: Malaysia Charity Cup), also known as Piala Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah ( en, Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Cup), is the Malaysian super cup competition. It is the curtain raiser match to the new Malaysian football season, pitting ...
match on 29 January 2011. Safiq played as a starter before been substitute off with Fitri Shazwan at 46th minute of match. Safiq scored his first goal of the season on 12 March 2011, in away match against
Negeri Sembilan Negeri Sembilan (, Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Nogoghi Sombilan'', ''Nismilan'') is a state in Malaysia which lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the s ...
. The match ended in a 2–1 victory for Selangor. He added his second goal of the season on 16 April 2011 against
Perak Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...
in 1–0 home win. Overall Safiq has scored 11 goals in all 2011 season competitions and made 26 league appearances with 23 times as a starter. On 30 June 2011, Indonesian club,
Persib Bandung Persatuan Sepakbola Indonesia Bandung ( 'Indonesian Football Association of Bandung'), commonly referred to as Persib Bandung, or simply Persib, is a professional football club based in Bandung, West Java, which competes in Liga 1, the top ...
announced that they would give him a contract for the 2011–12 Indonesia Super League season, which he later chose to reject. In August 2011 after the
2011 Malaysia Cup The 2011 Malaysia Cup (Malay language, Malay: ''Piala Malaysia 2011'') was the 85th edition of the Malaysia Cup. The soccer competition began on 6 September 2011 and concluded on 29 October 2011 with the final held at Shah Alam Stadium, Shah Alam ...
campaign ended, Safiq was given a three-week trial from the Welsh club, Cardiff City with the help from the Cardiff owner,
Chan Tien Ghee Dato Chan Tien Ghee (), more commonly known as TG, is a Malaysian businessman, who was the chairman of Cardiff City Football Club from May 2010 to March 2013. Cardiff City Chan Tien Ghee became chairman on 27 May 2010. His aim was to get Cardif ...
who are also a Malaysian, along with fellow Malaysian Safee Sali. Safiq officially underwent his three-week trial began on 24 November 2011 and ended on 11 December 2011. On 24 October 2011, Safiq has rejected to undergo a trial with Indonesian, Arema-Pelita club. On 30 November 2011, Safiq was honoured with the FAM National Football Awards for the Best Midfielder Award, as voted by public. For 2012 season, Safiq scored his first goal of the season in his season debut match in 2–2 draw against
Negeri Sembilan Negeri Sembilan (, Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Nogoghi Sombilan'', ''Nismilan'') is a state in Malaysia which lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the s ...
on 10 January 2012 at
Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium The Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium (STAR; Malay: ''Stadium Tuanku Abdul Rahman''), also known by its informal name Stadium Paroi and nickname The STAR of Paroi, is a multi-purpose stadium in Paroi, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. It is currently us ...
in
Paroi Paroi is an area in Seremban District, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. It is the eastern suburb of the city of Seremban, comprising many housing estates and villages. Numerous sport facilities are built in Paroi, especially the state stadium, the T ...
. He continued his good form with the winning goal in a 1–0 win over
Perak Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...
the following week. On 18 February 2012, Safiq scored twice in a 0–4 win over Shahzan Muda for the
FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
match in Temerloh Mini Stadium. On 25 August 2012, Safiq scored the first goal in a 2–2 draw against
Pahang Pahang (;Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a ...
for the
Malaysia Cup The Malaysia Cup ( ms, Piala Malaysia), formerly known as ''Malaya Cup'', is an annual association football, football tournament in Malaysia, held at the end of the calendar year. The cup was first held in 1921. Despite its prestige and popular ...
group stage match. Three days later, in the Malaysia Cup campaign, Safiq scored a winning goal through a penalty kick in the 80th minute of the match. As Selangor advanced to the quarter-finals of the Malaysia Cup, Safiq another goal came in 1–3 win over
Johor FC Johor Darul Ta'zim Football Club or simply JDT is a professional football club based in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. The club was founded in 1972 as PKENJ FC and currently competes in the top division of Malaysian football, the Malaysia Supe ...
on 25 September 2012 in the first leg. Safiq concluded his 2012 season with 10 goals in all competitions.


Johor Darul Ta'zim

After his contract with Selangor expired on 30 November 2012, Safiq was set to join
Johor Darul Ta'zim Johor Darul Ta'zim Football Club or simply JDT is a professional Association football, football club based in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. The club was founded in 1972 as PKENJ FC and currently competes in the top division of Malaysian football ...
for the 2013 season. On 1 December 2013, he signed a one-year contract with an option for another year with the club. It was reported that Safiq was among the highest paid local player which monthly salary RM 70,000 (around US$17,000). Safiq made his debut and scored in the opening match of 2013 Malaysia Super League against
Pahang Pahang (;Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a ...
. In 2015, he was named club captain, and was part of the squad that won the
2015 AFC Cup Fifteen or 15 may refer to: *15 (number), the natural number following 14 and preceding 16 *one of the years 15 BC, AD 15, 1915, 2015 Music *Fifteen (band), a punk rock band Albums * ''15'' (Buckcherry album), 2005 * ''15'' (Ani Lorak album ...
. On 31 November 2015, he captained the side for the
final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event ** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
, playing the full 90 minutes and being voted man of the match in a 1–0 victory against
FC Istiklol ) , image = FC Istiklol.png , image_size = 200px , founded = , ground = Central Republican Stadium , capacity = 20,000 , chairman = Shohruh Saidzoda
at
Pamir Stadium The Markazii Tojikiston Stadium (russian: Центральный республиканский стадион Душанбе; tg, Варзишгоҳи марказии Тоҷикистон, Varzishgohi Markazii Tojikiston), also known as Pamir S ...
. Safiq was named as the 2015 AFC Cup's Most Valuable Player lauded his Johor Darul Ta’zim teammates after the club became the first from Malaysia to claim a continental title. On 14 December 2015, Safiq signed a new four-year contract with Johor Darul Ta'zim until 2019. On 2 November 2018, Safiq leaves Johor Darul Ta'zim after six seasons. According to club owner,
Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim Major General Tunku Ismail Idris Abdul Majid Abu Bakar Iskandar ibni Sultan Ibrahim Ismail ( Jawi: تونكو إسماعيل إدريس عبدالمجيد أبو بكر إسكندر ابن سلطان إبراهيم إسماعيل; born 30 June 19 ...
described Safiq, who signed from Selangor back in 2013, as one of his best players as he helped the Southern Tigers achieve success in both domestic and international competitions. He added in his latest Facebook post, ''“In my sincere opinion, he (Safiq) has been the most successful player at Johor Darul Ta’zim and has helped the Southern Tigers achieve our goals. The most successful player, the best captain in the history of JDT and a great player who has not only contributed to JDT, but also to Selangor and the national team”''. Then, Tunku Ismail said the door would always be open for the Selangor-born player to return in the future. For information, Safiq won multiple trophies with JDT, including five straight
Super League The Super League (officially known as the Betfred Super League due to sponsorship from Betfred and legally known as Super League Europe), is the top-level of the British rugby league system. At present the league consists of twelve teams, of wh ...
titles since 2014, the 2015 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup, 2016 FA Cup and the 2017 Malaysia Cup. He also won the 2010 Asean Football Federation title with the national senior squad as well as the gold medal with the under-23 squad in the 2009 Laos SEA Games.


Melaka United

On 10 December 2018, Safiq joins Melaka United for 2019 Malaysian league season. He after signing one-year contract for Malacca-city based club, alongside his national teammate,
Razman Roslan Mohd. Razman bin Roslan (born 14 August 1984) is a Malaysian professional footballer who currently plays for Melaka United. He mainly plays as a centre-back but can also play as a right-back. Razman began his career with Selangor FA youth tea ...
and also
Felda United Felda United Football Club is a Malaysian football club based in Jengka, Pahang which is owned by the Malaysian Federal Land Development Authority (Felda).Shukor Adan.


Return to Johor Darul Ta'zim

Safiq returned to Johor Darul Ta'zim in February 2021 after playing for two seasons with Melaka United.


International career


Youth

Safiq started his international career with Malaysia U-20 team at aged 17 under K. Rajagobal. He has participated in
2004 AFC Youth Championship The 2004 AFC Youth Championship was the 33rd instance of the AFC Youth Championship. It was held from 25 September to 9 October 2004 in Malaysia. The tournament was won by for the eleventh time by South Korea in the final against China PR. Qu ...
which Malaysia has lost 0–3 to
China PR China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
in the quarterfinal. Safiq also was part of the team which qualified for the 2006 AFC Youth Championship in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
which they were finished at the bottom place of the group stage.


Senior

Safiq has represented Malaysia since 2005. He earned his first full international cap against
Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...
in the 2007 ASEAN Football Championship in January 2007 at age 20. Since then he only made appearances with the under-23 national team. He scored his first international senior goal in an unofficial friendly match against
Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...
on 12 July 2009. Safiq scored twice from a free kick in a friendly against
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
on 8 and 12 June 2012 consecutively. On 16 October 2012, he scored another goal, again from a free kick in a 3–0 win over
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
. On 27 January 2015,
FIFA.com FIFA (; stands for ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' ( French), meaning International Association Football Federation ) is the international governing body of association football, beach football and futsal. It was found ...
has published an article about his expertise in taking a free kick after skippering his side to a runners-up finish in
2014 AFF Suzuki Cup The 2014 AFF Championship, sponsored by Suzuki and officially known as the 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup, was the 10th edition of the AFF Championship, an international association football competition consisting of national teams of member nations of th ...
. Safiq who also the top-scorer during the tournament has scored 5 goals from set pieces. On 12 July 2016, Safiq announced his retirement from international football via his football club's website and Facebook page. He retired from national team alongside fellow club teammate,
Aidil Zafuan Mohamad Aidil Zafuan bin Abd. Radzak (born 3 August 1987) is a Malaysian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Malaysia Super League club Johor Darul Ta'zim. He is a former member of Malaysia U-23 and Malaysia U-20 squad. He ...
. On 29 March 2017, Safiq announced to come back from retirement after club owner Johor Darul Ta'zim FC became the new president of FAM and also to contribute his experience and skill he gathered from his club for his lovely national team. Once he made a comeback, the national team became more spirit with a short pass, (
tiki-taka Tiki-taka or Tiqui-taca () is a style of play in Spain's football, characterised by short passing and movement, working the ball through various channels, and maintaining possession. The style is primarily associated with the Spain nation ...
) playing style. On 10 October 2017, Safiq was shown a straight red card 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifying match away to
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
for stamping on Daniel Cancela. Malaysia lost the match 0-2. Safiq is also part of the Malaysian team that qualified for the
2023 AFC Asian Cup The 2023 AFC Asian Cup will be the 18th edition of the AFC Asian Cup, the quadrennial international men's football championship of Asia organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It will involve 24 national teams after expansion in 201 ...
. He played 2 matches against
Turkmenistan Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country located in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the sout ...
and
Bahrain Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...
in Third Round Group E Qualification.


2010 AFF Championship

Safiq was selected by
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
to captain the Malaysian team in the
2010 AFF Championship The 2010 AFF Championship, sponsored by Suzuki and P&G and officially known as the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, was the 8th edition of the AFF Championship, took place on 1–29 December 2010. Indonesia and Vietnam hosted the group stage from 1 to 8 De ...
co-hosted by
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
and
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
. Safiq made all 7 appearances throughout the tournament. It was the first time in history that Malaysia won the
AFF Championship The ASEAN Football Federation Championship (less formally the AFF Championship or AFF Cup), currently known as the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup for sponsorship reason, is the primary association football tournament organized by the ASEAN Football ...
title.


2012 AFF Championship

Safiq made his first
2012 AFF Championship The 2012 AFF Championship, sponsored by Suzuki and officially known as the 2012 AFF Suzuki Cup, was the 9th edition of the AFF Championship, the football championship of Southeast Asia. It was co-hosted for group stage by Malaysia and Thailand a ...
in a 0–3 defeat to
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
in their group stage first match on 25 November 2012. On 28 November 2012, Safiq scored the opening goal with a free kick in 1–4 win over
Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...
.


2014 AFF Championship

On 19 November 2014, Safiq was named in the Malaysia squad for the
2014 AFF Championship The 2014 AFF Championship, sponsored by Suzuki and officially known as the 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup, was the 10th edition of the AFF Championship, an international association football competition consisting of national teams of member nations of the ...
. On 26 November 2014, Safiq scored one goal in a 2–3 defeat to
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
. He scored the match first goal in the 28th minute before
Adisak Kraisorn Adisak Kraisorn ( th, อดิศักดิ์ ไกรษร; born 1 February 1991) is a Thai professional association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football)#Striker, striker for Malaysia Super League club Terengg ...
made an equaliser 2 minutes before the half time. In the final group stage match against
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
, Safiq's combative display and enterprise shone through and he was statistically the player with the most passes and touches on the ball. His best trait though is not in his cultured right foot, but in his mind, when he calmly converted the penalty in the Lion's den amidst the jeers and mocking by the partisan crowd helping Malaysia to progress to knockout stage. In the first leg semi final match against
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
, Safiq converted another penalty but Malaysia lost 1–2. In the second leg, Safiq scored the opening goal after Malaysia received a penalty kick in the 4th minutes. In the second leg of the
2014 AFF Championship The 2014 AFF Championship, sponsored by Suzuki and officially known as the 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup, was the 10th edition of the AFF Championship, an international association football competition consisting of national teams of member nations of the ...
final, Safiq scored another penalty in the 7th minutes. He then scored his sixth goal of the tournament, a free kick but two late goals from Thailand resulted in Malaysia losing 3–4 on aggregate. With his 6-goal haul, Safiq became the first midfielder in the tournament's 18-year history to have picked up the Golden Boot award.


Malaysia XI

On 13 and 16 July 2011, Safiq captained the Malaysia XI in their matches against
Arsenal An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
and
Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
. Malaysia XI lost 0–4 against
Arsenal An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
. Just before the stroke of half time against
Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
, with Malaysia trailing 0–1, Safiq scored from a free-kick to equalise for Malaysia. Despite a spirited comeback, Malaysia XI went on to lose 3–6 to
Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
.


Personal life

Safiq is the oldest child to Rahim bin Muhd. Yatim and Aidah binti Majid. He has a sister, Safiqa. Safiq is married to
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
n professional ten pin bowler, Zandra Aziela.


Career statistics


Club


International

Safiq Rahim International Caps & Goals
/ref>


International goals

:''As of match played 8 June 2022. Malaysia score listed first, score column indicates score after each Safiq goal.'' Note:


Honours


Club

Selangor * President Cup: 2008 *
Malaysia Charity Shield Piala Sumbangsih (English: Malaysia Charity Cup), also known as Piala Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah ( en, Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Cup), is the Malaysian super cup competition. It is the curtain raiser match to the new Malaysian football season, pitting ...
: 2010 *
Malaysia Super League The Malaysia Super League ( ms, Liga Super Malaysia) is the men's top professional football division of the Malaysian football league system. Administered by the Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership (FMLLP), now known as the Malays ...
:
2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
Johor Darul Ta'zim *
Malaysia Super League The Malaysia Super League ( ms, Liga Super Malaysia) is the men's top professional football division of the Malaysian football league system. Administered by the Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership (FMLLP), now known as the Malays ...
:
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
,
2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
,
2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
,
2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
,
2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
,
2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
,
2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
*
Malaysia FA Cup The Malaysia FA Cup ( ms, Piala FA) is an annual national knock-out football tournament in Malaysia. The cup was first held in 1990. The competition was previously managed by Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), before being transferred to Fo ...
:
2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
,
2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
*
Malaysia Charity Shield Piala Sumbangsih (English: Malaysia Charity Cup), also known as Piala Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah ( en, Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Cup), is the Malaysian super cup competition. It is the curtain raiser match to the new Malaysian football season, pitting ...
:
2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
,
2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
,
2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
,
2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
,
2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
*
AFC Cup The AFC Cup is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Under its current rules, the competition is played primarily between clubs from nations that did not receive direct qualifying s ...
:
2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
*
Malaysia Cup The Malaysia Cup ( ms, Piala Malaysia), formerly known as ''Malaya Cup'', is an annual association football, football tournament in Malaysia, held at the end of the calendar year. The cup was first held in 1921. Despite its prestige and popular ...
:
2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
,
2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...


International

;Malaysia U-23 * SEA Games Gold Medal:
2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
;Malaysia *
AFF Championship The ASEAN Football Federation Championship (less formally the AFF Championship or AFF Cup), currently known as the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup for sponsorship reason, is the primary association football tournament organized by the ASEAN Football ...
:
2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
; *
AFF Championship The ASEAN Football Federation Championship (less formally the AFF Championship or AFF Cup), currently known as the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup for sponsorship reason, is the primary association football tournament organized by the ASEAN Football ...
: Runner-up:
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...


Individual


Awards

* National Football Awards–Best Midfielder:
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,
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
,
2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
,
2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
* National Football Awards–Most Valuable Players:
2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
* AFF Best XI (2012 AFF Championship):
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
*
ASEAN Football Federation The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) is an organisation within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and is an international governing body of association football in Southeast Asia. It consists of the federations of Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, ...
Best XI: 2013 * Malaysia Cup Final Best Player:
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
* AFC Cup Most Valuable Player:
2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
*
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The best Malaysia XI of all time: 2020


Performances

* AFF Championship Top Scorer:
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...


References


External links


Johor Darul Ta'zim official profile
* * * {{Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C. squad 1987 births Living people Malaysian people of Malay descent People from Selangor Malaysian footballers Malaysia international footballers Selangor FA players Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C. players Malaysia Super League players Association football midfielders Footballers at the 2006 Asian Games Footballers at the 2010 Asian Games Southeast Asian Games gold medalists for Malaysia Southeast Asian Games medalists in football Melaka United F.C. players Competitors at the 2009 Southeast Asian Games Asian Games competitors for Malaysia AFC Cup winning players