Nashat Akram Abid Ali Al-Eissa ( ar, نشأت أكرم عبد علي العيسى) (born 12 September 1984) is a former
Iraqi professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugb ...
. Popularly dubbed "The Maestro" and "The Musician", Akram usually played as a
playmaker
In association football, a playmaker is a player who controls the flow of the team's play, and is often involved in offensively and defensively playing passing moves which lead to goals, through their vision, technique, ball control, creativi ...
or as an attacking midfielder and was known for his exceptional vision and excellent passing ability, as well as his ability to score goals from long range.
Akram was Iraq's most promising young prospect in the early 2000s, and became an integral part of the
Iraq national team as he helped them win the
2007 AFC Asian Cup
The 2007 AFC Asian Cup was the 14th edition of the men's AFC Asian Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The finals were held from 7 to 29 July 2007. For the first time in its h ...
, winning the man of the match award in 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 con ...
and being voted for the Team of the Tournament as well as finishing in third place in the AFC Footballer of the Year award in 2007. At Iraqi club level, he won the
Iraqi Premier League
The Iraqi Premier League ( ar, الدوري العراقي الممتاز) is the top level of the Iraqi football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it is operated by the Iraq Football Association (IFA) and operates on a system of promotion ...
title with
Al-Shorta
Al-Shorta Sports Club ( ar, نادي الشرطة الرياضي, lit=''Police Sports Club'') is an Iraqi sports club based in Al-Rusafa, Iraq, Al-Rusafa, Baghdad. It has teams in 17 different sports, more than any other Iraqi club, and the b ...
in
2012–13
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
as well as three
Iraqi Elite Cup
The Iraqi Elite Cup ( ar, كأس النخبة العراقي), known officially as the Baghdad Championship ( ar, بطولة بغداد) and previously known as the Mother of all Battles Championship ( ar, بطولة أم المعارك, ''Botola ...
titles in
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...
,
2001
The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a multi-national coalition in an invasion of Afghanist ...
and
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
.
He also won league titles with
Saudi club
Al-Shabab,
Qatari
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...
club
Al-Gharafa
Al-Gharafa Sports Club ( ar, نادي الغرافة الرياضي) is a Qatari multisports club based in the Al Gharrafa district of Al Rayyan. It is best known for its football team, although it also has teams for other sports. It was estab ...
and
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
club
FC Twente
Football Club Twente () is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, sometimes known internationally as Twente Enschede. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Dutch champions Sportclub Enschede with Enschedes ...
. Akram almost signed for
Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Fo ...
club
Manchester City
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
in 2008, but work permit issues meant that he was not allowed to join, while he was also linked with clubs such as
Sunderland
Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...
and
Málaga
Málaga (, ) is a municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 578,460 in 2020, it is the second-most populous city in Andalusia after Seville and the sixth most po ...
in his career.
Biography
Nashat Akram made his name as the star player in Iraq's U-17s managed by
Ammo Baba
Emmanuel Baba Dawud (27 November 1934 – 27 May 2009), better known as Ammo Baba ( ar, عمو بابا, syr, ܥܡܘ ܒܒܐ), was an Iraqi Assyrian football player and coach of the Iraq national football team.
He scored the first international ...
, who finished second in their Asian Cup qualifying group. He was later called into the Iraq U-19s by Adnan Hamad. Against Pakistan, he was instrumental in the 6–0 demolition setting 2 goals in 6 minutes, the 2nd Nashat was involved in the beginning of a move on the Iraqi left, then he reappeared on the right-hand edge of the penalty area to put
Emad Mohammed
Emad Mohammed Ridha ( ar, عماد محمد رضا, born 24 July 1982) is a coach and former Iraqi football striker, currently managing Iraq U20.
Club career
On 25 June 2007, Emad renewed his contract with Sepahan for another season in a deal ...
through with an exquisite back heel that took three defenders out of the play, leaving Emad free to score. He was a regular until he was replaced at half time against Korea Republic due to a tactical change, he later made appearances late on in games and created openings with his inspirational play. In the final Nashat's long ball forward caused confusion between Shohei Ikeda and his goalkeeper, which resulted in a weak clearing header by Fujigaya. The ball fell to Emad who hooked the ball over both players to score the winner.
While many footballers are admired for their footwork or dominance in the air, Nashat Akram impresses with his cunning. After steering Iraq to their maiden success at the
AFC Asian Cup 2007 with his intelligent midfield prompting, the cool-headed playmaker instantly became a popular figure across the continent.
However, long before he made a name for himself at the senior level, Akram attracted attention across Asia when his creativity helped
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
win the
AFC Youth Championship 2000
The 2000 AFC Youth Championship was held between November 12 and 26 in Iran. It was won by Iraq 2–1 over Japan.
Participants
* Iran (qualified as hosts)
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
The teams that reached the semi-final qualified for the 2001 FIFA Worl ...
. That same year, the 17-year-old made it into the first team of Iraqi giants
Al-Shorta
Al-Shorta Sports Club ( ar, نادي الشرطة الرياضي, lit=''Police Sports Club'') is an Iraqi sports club based in Al-Rusafa, Iraq, Al-Rusafa, Baghdad. It has teams in 17 different sports, more than any other Iraqi club, and the b ...
. After a series of brilliant performances, which included helping the team to glory in the Umm Al-Marek Cup and reaching the
Iraq FA Cup
The Iraq FA Cup, known as the Iraq Cup ( ar, كأس العراق) in Arabic, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic Iraqi football. First held in the 1948–49 season for clubs and institutions before returning in 1975–76 ...
final in 2002, the midfield prodigy began to be heralded as one of Asia's most promising talents.
And it did not take Akram long to live up to these sizeable expectations. Though still a teenager, he was instrumental in Iraq's qualification for both the
Asian Cup 2004
The 2004 AFC Asian Cup was the 13th edition of the men's AFC Asian Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It was held from 17 July to 7 August 2004 in China. The defending champio ...
and the
Olympic Football Tournament Athens 2004. His excellent vision and defence-piercing passes – skills rarely seen in players his age – captivated national coach
Adnan Hamad
Adnan Hamad Majid Al-Abbassi ( ar, عدنان حمد مجيد العباسي; born 1 February 1961) is an Iraqi football manager and former player.
Career
Playing career
Adnan was born in Samarra, Iraq, the son of a wealthy land-owning family ...
, who appointed Akram captain, despite being one of the youngest players on the senior team.
Akram did not let his coach down and impressed throughout Iraq's campaign in the AFC Asian Cup 2004. He also revealed his goalscoring ability when he was on target in the 2–1 win over Saudi Arabia in the final group match, a result which sent them through to the last eight at the Saudis' expense.
It was not the first goal that he scored for the national team, nor has it been the last. He hit the mark again in Iraq's memorable 3–1 win over
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
in a group match in the
AFC Asian Cup 2007, before slamming home to seal a 2–1 victory over hosts
China
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 a qualifier for the
2010 FIFA World Cup
, image = 2010 FIFA World Cup.svg
, size = 200px
, caption = ''Ke Nako. (Tswana and Sotho for "It's time") Celebrate Africa's Humanity'It's time. Celebrate Africa's Humanity'' (English)''Dis tyd. Vier Afrika se mensd ...
South Africa.
Despite winning the continental title, Iraq's disappointing qualifying campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup has left Akram and his teammates with the feeling that they still have something to prove. After making his national team debut against
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the Ara ...
in a qualifying match for the
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup, also branded as Korea Japan 2002, was the 17th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial Association football, football world championship for List of men's national association football teams, men's national teams organized by ...
Korea/Japan, the 24-year-old also figured in Iraq's more recent qualifying campaigns, both times with little success. Iraq failed to progress to Asia's final round of qualifying for the
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup, also branded as Germany 2006, was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which had won the right to host th ...
Germany and they suffered a similar fate four years later when they failed to book their passage to South Africa.
Club career
Salahaddin
Nashat Akram started his senior career at
Salahaddin FC
Salahaddin SC ( ar, نادي صلاح الدين) is an Iraqi football team based in Tikrit.
Honours Major
*Iraqi Premier League
**Champions (1): 1982–83
Minor
*Al-Wehdat Championship
**Winners (1): 1983
* Rovers Cup
**Winners (1): 1982
Not ...
and made his debut in the
1999–2000 season under the coach
Ammo Baba
Emmanuel Baba Dawud (27 November 1934 – 27 May 2009), better known as Ammo Baba ( ar, عمو بابا, syr, ܥܡܘ ܒܒܐ), was an Iraqi Assyrian football player and coach of the Iraq national football team.
He scored the first international ...
. He scored his first goal for Salahaddin in a 6–1 win over
Al-Samawa in the
1999–2000 Iraq FA Cup on 3 January 2000.
Al-Shorta
In 2000, at age of 16, Nashat Akram transferred to
Al-Shorta
Al-Shorta Sports Club ( ar, نادي الشرطة الرياضي, lit=''Police Sports Club'') is an Iraqi sports club based in Al-Rusafa, Iraq, Al-Rusafa, Baghdad. It has teams in 17 different sports, more than any other Iraqi club, and the b ...
and made it into their first team, and from the first sight the analysts believed that Iraq would produce one of the most promising players in Asia. In 2001, he was loaned out to Al-Zawraa for their matches in the Asian Club Championship. In 2002, he became a regular starter with his team leading them to win the
Iraqi Elite Cup
The Iraqi Elite Cup ( ar, كأس النخبة العراقي), known officially as the Baghdad Championship ( ar, بطولة بغداد) and previously known as the Mother of all Battles Championship ( ar, بطولة أم المعارك, ''Botola ...
and reaching the
Iraq FA Cup
The Iraq FA Cup, known as the Iraq Cup ( ar, كأس العراق) in Arabic, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic Iraqi football. First held in the 1948–49 season for clubs and institutions before returning in 1975–76 ...
final; unfortunately for the young star, they finished 2nd. After his great performance with
Al-Shorta
Al-Shorta Sports Club ( ar, نادي الشرطة الرياضي, lit=''Police Sports Club'') is an Iraqi sports club based in Al-Rusafa, Iraq, Al-Rusafa, Baghdad. It has teams in 17 different sports, more than any other Iraqi club, and the b ...
, Nashat Akram was called up to the Iraq Youth Team and later nominated for
Asian Young Footballer of the Year The Asian Young Footballer of the Year award, officially known as the AFC Youth Player of the Year award, is presented to the best young football player in Asia. It has been awarded by the Asian Football Confederation
The Asian Football Con ...
. Nashat's Al Shorta finished third on 2 of the 3 season he spent at the club, and were leading the league in his final season before it was cancelled due to war.
Al-Nassr
In 2003, he signed for
Al-Nassr
Al Nassr Football Club ( ar, نادي النصر السعودي; '' Naṣr'' meaning ''Victory'') is a Saudi Arabian football club based in Riyadh. Formed in 1955, the club plays its home games at the Mrsool Park. Their home colours are yello ...
after their newly appointed coach Yugoslav
Ljubiša Tumbaković
Ljubiša Tumbaković (, ; born 2 September 1952) is a Serbian professional football manager.
He is the most successful coach in the history of Serbian powerhouse Partizan which he led to six national championship titles and three national cup w ...
was in awe of Nashat's performance in the Emir Faisal Abdullah Friendship Cup in Abha in the 5–1 demolition of his side. Nashat has since seen three of his coaches at Al-Nassr replaced,
Ljubiša Tumbaković
Ljubiša Tumbaković (, ; born 2 September 1952) is a Serbian professional football manager.
He is the most successful coach in the history of Serbian powerhouse Partizan which he led to six national championship titles and three national cup w ...
, the Romanian
Mircea Rednic
Mircea Rednic (born 9 April 1962) is a Romanian football coach and former player who played as a defender.
Club career
Mircea Rednic, nicknamed "Puriul" was born on 9 April 1962 in Hunedoara and until he was 14 years old he played table tenn ...
, and the Egyptian
Mohsen Saleh
Mohsen Saleh ( ar, محسن صالح) (born 22 June 1949) is an Egyptian Football Analyst and a former football player and manager. He was recently appointed as Head of Football Planning Committee at Al Ahly club.
Football career
As a midfie ...
after less than a year at the club. He left the Saudi club due to wranglings over unpaid wages owed to him. Al Nassr finished 7th (out of 12) in his only season with the club.
Al-Shabab
In 2004, Nashat signed with the giant club
Al-Shabab; in his first season, the team won the
Saudi Premier League
The Saudi Pro League (SPL for short) ( ar, دوري المحترفين السعودي, link=no, ''Dawriyy al-Muḥtarifayni as-Suʿūdī''), known as the Roshn Saudi League (RSL for short) for sponsorship reasons, is the top division of associat ...
, and won the title again in 2006, where Akram also won the league's Player of the Year and Foreign Player of the Year awards.
Al-Ain and moving to England controversy
On 1 August 2007, Nashat Akram signed a 1-year contract with the club
Al-Ain
Al Ain ( ar, ٱلْعَيْن, , ) is a city in the western side of Tuwwam region and the seat of the administrative division of its namesake, Al Ain in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It is bordered to the east by the Omani ...
from UAE for 1 million dollars, he was also linked to England with
Sunderland
Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...
.
During the current transfer window (January 2008), Akram agreed a deal to sign for
Sven-Göran Eriksson
Sven-Göran Eriksson (; born 5 February 1948) is a Swedish football manager and former player.
After an unassuming playing career as a right-back, Eriksson went on to experience major success in club management between 1977 and 2001, winning 18 ...
's
Manchester City
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
side following a successful trial spell. Described by the Swede as an "elegant footballer," Akram was however refused the necessary work permit due to Iraq's FIFA ranking being outside the world's top 70 at the time. After his unsucceful transfer move, Nashat returned to Al Ain and the team finished 6th (out of 12) in the league that season. Following that season he signed for
Al-Gharafa
Al-Gharafa Sports Club ( ar, نادي الغرافة الرياضي) is a Qatari multisports club based in the Al Gharrafa district of Al Rayyan. It is best known for its football team, although it also has teams for other sports. It was estab ...
on a free transfer.
Al-Gharafa
In April 2008, Nashat signed with the
Qatari League
The Qatar Stars League ( ar, دوري نجوم قطر), or the QSL, also called QNB Stars League for sponsorship reasons, is the top level football league in Qatar football league system. Contested by 12 teams, it operates on a system of promotio ...
champions
Al-Gharafa
Al-Gharafa Sports Club ( ar, نادي الغرافة الرياضي) is a Qatari multisports club based in the Al Gharrafa district of Al Rayyan. It is best known for its football team, although it also has teams for other sports. It was estab ...
for one season. He made his debut on 27. April against
Al-Arabi Sports Club in the
Qatar Crown Prince Cup
The Qatar Cup is a tournament in men's football. It is played by the top 4 teams of the Qatar Stars League
The Qatar Stars League ( ar, دوري نجوم قطر), or the QSL, also called QNB Stars League for sponsorship reasons, is the top l ...
. They won 4:3 and Nashat assisted two goals. He completed his achievement with Al-Gharafa when he won the
Qatari League 2008–09 and
2009 Emir of Qatar Cup. Nashat scored 10 goals with Al-Gharafa.
Nashat Akram vs. Real Madrid
On 15 May 2008, although Nashat Akram signed for
Al-Gharafa
Al-Gharafa Sports Club ( ar, نادي الغرافة الرياضي) is a Qatari multisports club based in the Al Gharrafa district of Al Rayyan. It is best known for its football team, although it also has teams for other sports. It was estab ...
, Akram has received an invitation from
Al-Nassr
Al Nassr Football Club ( ar, نادي النصر السعودي; '' Naṣr'' meaning ''Victory'') is a Saudi Arabian football club based in Riyadh. Formed in 1955, the club plays its home games at the Mrsool Park. Their home colours are yello ...
of
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
to participate in a testimonial honoring club legend
Majed Abdullah
Majed Ahmed Abdullah ( ar, ماجد احمد عبد الله; born 11 January 1959) is a Saudi Arabian former footballer who played for Al-Nassr and the Saudi national team. Abdullah is the all-time leading goalscorer for Saudi Arabia with 72 ...
on 20 May against the Stars of
Real Madrid CF
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (, meaning ''Royal Madrid Football Club''), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid.
Founded in 1902 as Madrid Football Club, the club has traditionally worn ...
. On 20 May 2008, Nashat Akram played with Al-Nassr against Real Madrid for 75 minutes, in the 53rd minute Nashat Akram assisted the first goal and scored the 2nd goal in the 55th minute. The match finished 4–1 for Al-Nassr.
FC Twente
On 19 May 2009, the Iraqi international midfielder signed a three-year contract with
FC Twente
Football Club Twente () is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, sometimes known internationally as Twente Enschede. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Dutch champions Sportclub Enschede with Enschedes ...
in the Netherlands, he comes on a free transfer until 2012 and previously played for Qatari club
Al-Gharafa
Al-Gharafa Sports Club ( ar, نادي الغرافة الرياضي) is a Qatari multisports club based in the Al Gharrafa district of Al Rayyan. It is best known for its football team, although it also has teams for other sports. It was estab ...
. FC Twente won the Dutch league in 2009/10.
On 10 June 2010, Nashat was released and canceled his two-year contract remaining with Dutch champions FC Twente after having many difficulties with the club, such as an injury keeping him off the pitch for more than 8 weeks.
Al-Wakrah
In November 2010, Akram signed with
Al-Wakrah
Al Wakrah ( ar, الوكرة, al-Wakra) is the capital city of the Al Wakrah Municipality in Qatar. Al Wakrah's eastern edge is the shores of the Persian Gulf and Qatar's capital Doha is situated to the city's immediate north. Governed by Sheikh ...
on a free transfer for the remainder of the season. Al Wakrah finished 7th in the league (out of 12 teams). They were eliminated in the Quarter Final by
Lekhwiya
Al-Duhail Sports Club ( ar, نادي الدحيل الرياضي), formerly Lekhwiya SC, is a Qatari sports club, best known for its football team, which plays in the Qatar Stars League. The club is based in the Duhail district in the city ...
in the
2011 Emir of Qatar Cup. He Left Al Wakrah at the end of the season to sign for Qatari champions
Lekhwiya
Al-Duhail Sports Club ( ar, نادي الدحيل الرياضي), formerly Lekhwiya SC, is a Qatari sports club, best known for its football team, which plays in the Qatar Stars League. The club is based in the Duhail district in the city ...
Lekhwiya
In July 2011, Akram signed with
Lekhwiya
Al-Duhail Sports Club ( ar, نادي الدحيل الرياضي), formerly Lekhwiya SC, is a Qatari sports club, best known for its football team, which plays in the Qatar Stars League. The club is based in the Duhail district in the city ...
, the league title holder in the
Qatar Stars League. He had some problems which he later released him from his contract during the winter transfer window.
Al-Wakrah
On 3 January 2012, shortly after being released by Lekhwiya, Nashat signed with his former club Al-Wakrah. He joined alongside national teammates
Younis Mahmoud
Younis Mahmoud Khalaf ( ar, يونس محمود خلف; born 3 February 1983) is an Iraqi former professional footballer who played as a forward for the Iraq national football team and is currently the second vice-president of the Iraq Footbal ...
,
Alaa Abdul-Zahra, and
Ali Rehema
Ali Hussein Rehema Al-Mutairi ( ar, علي حسين رحيمة المطيري, born on 8 August 1985) is an Iraqi former footballer. He has represented the Iraq national football team.
Career
Since playing every minute of Iraq's title-winnin ...
.
where he added the
Qatari Stars Cup
The Qatari Stars Cup is a Qatari football competition played during the Qatar Stars League season known as Ooredoo Cup due to sponsorship reasons.
The knockout competition, which involves a round-robin league structure, was first started in 2009 ...
to his trophy tally after winning it in March, where he scored an 85th-minute winner against his former club
Lekhwiya
Al-Duhail Sports Club ( ar, نادي الدحيل الرياضي), formerly Lekhwiya SC, is a Qatari sports club, best known for its football team, which plays in the Qatar Stars League. The club is based in the Duhail district in the city ...
in the Semi Final. Al Wakrah once again finished 7th in the league with Nashat Akram.
Al-Nasr
At the beginning of the season, Nashat signed with
Al-Nasr Dubai. On 24 September 2012 he won his first league game started in the
UAE Pro-League
The UAE Pro League ( ar, دوري المحترفين الإماراتي), known for sponsorship reasons as the ADNOC Pro League, is the top professional football league in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The first team to win the title was Al ...
against
Al Jazira. On 29 September Nashat scored his first goal for the club in the
UAE Pro-League
The UAE Pro League ( ar, دوري المحترفين الإماراتي), known for sponsorship reasons as the ADNOC Pro League, is the top professional football league in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The first team to win the title was Al ...
against
Al Wasl in a 2–2 draw, next fixture after that on 5 October Nashat scored in 4–2 win against
Al Shabab then after that
Al-Nasr won 6–1 against
Ittihad Kalba
Ittihad Kalba Football Club ( ar, نادي إتحاد كلباء لكرة القدم) is a football club in Kalba, United Arab Emirates.
History
Ittihad Kalba was established in 1972 when two clubs ''(Al Shabab)'' and ''(Al Rooba)'' merged w ...
with Nashat Akram on the score sheet. Nashat left the club in February to return to his home country of Iraq.
Al-Shorta
On 17 February 2013, Nashat signed a contract with his former club
Al Shorta
Al-Shorta Sports Club ( ar, نادي الشرطة الرياضي, lit=''Police Sports Club'') is an Iraqi sports club based in Al-Rusafa, Baghdad. It has teams in 17 different sports, more than any other Iraqi club, and the best known sectio ...
after 10 years abroad. He said that he wished to fulfill the dreams of Al Shorta's fans and win the
Iraqi Premier League
The Iraqi Premier League ( ar, الدوري العراقي الممتاز) is the top level of the Iraqi football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it is operated by the Iraq Football Association (IFA) and operates on a system of promotion ...
. He was given the number 15 shirt, formerly worn by
Abbas Rehema who had just left to join
Al-Talaba. Nashat scored on his first start for Al Shorta with a free-kick in a comfortable 3–0 win against
Al-Sinaa
Al-Sinaa Sport club ( ar, نادي الصناعة الرياضي, lit=''Industry SC'') is a football club based in Thawra District, East Districts of the Tigris River, Baghdad, that plays in Iraqi Premier League.
History Premier League Play Ove ...
. He went on to score against
Al-Najaf FC
Al-Najaf Sports Club ( ar, نادي النجف الرياضي) is an Iraqi professional football club based in Najaf. They are members of the Iraqi Premier League. Al-Najaf has competed in the 2007 AFC Champions League.
History
In 1960, the city ...
,
Erbil SC
Erbil Sports Club ( ar, نادي أربيل الرياضي, ) is a sports club based in the city of Erbil, Kurdistan Region that plays in the Iraqi Premier League, the first-tier of Iraqi football. The club is also known as "Yaney Hewlêr", th ...
,
Zakho FC
Zakho Sport Club, also spelled as Zaxo Sport Club ( ku-2, یانا زاخو یا وهرزشی / ''Yana Zaxo ya Werzişî'') is a sports club based in Zakho, Iraqi Kurdistan. Zakho SC's biggest rivals are also their neighbours Duhok SC, with wh ...
,
Karbalaa FC
Karbala Sport Club is an Iraqi football club based in Karbala that plays in the Iraqi Premier League, the top tier of Iraqi football.
SWAT Incident
On June 23, 2013, after a match against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, seven football players of Karbala FC a ...
and in the
Baghdad Derby
The Baghdad derbies are a series of derby matches between four Baghdad-based football clubs: Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Shorta, Al-Talaba and Al-Zawraa, collectively known as the 'Popular Teams'. They are the four most successful teams in the histor ...
against
Al-Zawraa in his return season, captaining his side to their third
Iraqi Premier League
The Iraqi Premier League ( ar, الدوري العراقي الممتاز) is the top level of the Iraqi football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it is operated by the Iraq Football Association (IFA) and operates on a system of promotion ...
title. He also allowed
Amjad Kalaf to be the first man to lift the trophy for Al Shorta, even though Nashat was the captain. The Maestro, as he is called by the Al Shorta supporters, continued to be a key player for the team as his side started the
2013–14 in an attempt to defend their title, scoring a goal against
Al-Karkh SC
Al-Karkh Sports Club ( ar, نادي الكرخ الرياضي) is an Iraqi sports club based in Karkh, Baghdad. Its professional football team plays in the Iraqi Premier League, the top tier of the Iraqi football. The club's home stadium is Al-S ...
before leaving the club.
Dalian Aerbin
On 11 February 2014, Nashat free transferred from Al-Shorta to the
Chinese Super League
The Chinese Football Association Super League, commonly known as Chinese Super League or CSL, currently known as the China Ping An Chinese Football Association Super League for sponsorship reasons, is the highest tier of professional association ...
, signing a 2-years contract with
Dalian Aerbin
Dalian Professional Football Club () is a professional Chinese football club based in Dalian, Liaoning, that participates in the China Super League under licence from the Chinese Football Association (CFA). Their home stadium is Dalian Sports Ce ...
. He made his debut with this team on 22 March against
Henan Jianye
Henan Songshan Longmen Football Club (), previously known as Henan Jianye Football Club (), is a professional football club that currently participates in the Chinese Super League under licence from the Chinese Football Association (CFA). The team ...
in the Chinese Super League, playing the first half and being substituted in the 53 minute for
Sun Bo.
His debut match ended in a 2–2 draw between the two teams.
Nashat played three matches with this team and then he stopped due to injury. Because of Injuries and Nashat failing to adjusting to the lifestyle in China he terminated his contract, but the matter was acrimonious and resulted in a case before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS 2015/A/4039) which he lost and he was ordered to pay compensation to the Chinese club. He returned to Al Shorta.
Al-Shorta
On 17 August 2014, Nashat re-signed for
Al-Shorta
Al-Shorta Sports Club ( ar, نادي الشرطة الرياضي, lit=''Police Sports Club'') is an Iraqi sports club based in Al-Rusafa, Iraq, Al-Rusafa, Baghdad. It has teams in 17 different sports, more than any other Iraqi club, and the b ...
after his unsuccessful spell in
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. The news of his arrival at the club excited supporters who hoped that he could replicate the form he showed in the 2012–13 season and help the club to win the league title again. However, after just two games at the club, Nashat left the club due to Ayad Bunyan (Nashat's father-in-law) being voted out from his position as president of the club. He became a free agent and said that he would only play for Al-Shorta if Ayad Bunyan was the president.
Erbil
In February 2015, Nashat signed a contract with
Erbil SC
Erbil Sports Club ( ar, نادي أربيل الرياضي, ) is a sports club based in the city of Erbil, Kurdistan Region that plays in the Iraqi Premier League, the first-tier of Iraqi football. The club is also known as "Yaney Hewlêr", th ...
, but only to play
AFC Cup matches. He made his debut against
FC Istiklol
)
, image = FC Istiklol.png
, image_size = 200px
, founded =
, ground = Central Republican Stadium
, capacity = 20,000
, chairman = Shohruh Saidzoda , coming on as a substitute in the 72nd minute and assisting Erbil's final goal in a 3–1 victory. He made another substitute appearance against
Qadsia SC
) The Royal ( ar, الملكي) The Yellow Castle ( ar, القلعة الصفراء)
, founded = as ''Al-Jazira''
, ground = Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium Hawalli
, capacity = 26,000
, chairman = Khaled Fahad Al Sabah
, manager = Boris ...
, coming on in the 71st minute of a 1–0 loss. He made his final appearance for the club in a 2–1 defeat to
Ahal FK
Ahal Änew Football Club ( tk, Ahal Änew Futbol Kluby), or simply Ahal FC, is a Turkmen professional association football club based in the Änew, Ahal Province. Founded in 1989, the club played its first-ever top flight season in 1992. The ...
, starting the match before getting subbed off on 73 minutes while the scores were still levelled at 1–1.
Nashat announced his retirement in April 2015 after becoming a father.
International career
Youth team
Nashat Akram made his name as the star player in Iraq's U-17s managed by
Ammo Baba
Emmanuel Baba Dawud (27 November 1934 – 27 May 2009), better known as Ammo Baba ( ar, عمو بابا, syr, ܥܡܘ ܒܒܐ), was an Iraqi Assyrian football player and coach of the Iraq national football team.
He scored the first international ...
, who finished 2nd in their Asian Cup qualifiers group in July 2000. He was later called up by
Adnan Hamad
Adnan Hamad Majid Al-Abbassi ( ar, عدنان حمد مجيد العباسي; born 1 February 1961) is an Iraqi football manager and former player.
Career
Playing career
Adnan was born in Samarra, Iraq, the son of a wealthy land-owning family ...
into the Iraq Under-19s. He was instrumental in the 6–0 demolition of
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, setting up 2 goals in 6 minutes. He was a regular until he was replaced at half time against Korea Republic due to a tactical change; he later made appearances late on in games and created openings with his inspirational play. In part due to his efforts, Iraq won the
AFC Youth Championship 2000
The 2000 AFC Youth Championship was held between November 12 and 26 in Iran. It was won by Iraq 2–1 over Japan.
Participants
* Iran (qualified as hosts)
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
The teams that reached the semi-final qualified for the 2001 FIFA Worl ...
and qualified to the
2001 FIFA World Youth Championship in
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
. Later he was nominated the
Asian Young Footballer of the Year The Asian Young Footballer of the Year award, officially known as the AFC Youth Player of the Year award, is presented to the best young football player in Asia. It has been awarded by the Asian Football Confederation
The Asian Football Con ...
.
Iraq national team
He made his international debut on 5 October 2001 in a
World Cup qualification match against
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the Ara ...
in
Amman
Amman (; ar, عَمَّان, ' ; Ammonite language, Ammonite: 𐤓𐤁𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤍 ''Rabat ʻAmān'') is the capital and largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of 4,061,150 a ...
at the age of only 17 years and 23 days. On 15 June 2008 Nashat Akram scored a goal against
China
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
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, to make an important 2 – 1 win for Iraq and gave a hope for qualifying to the next stage.
In the
Asian World cup 2014 qualifiers, he provided a crucial assist to
Younis Mahmoud
Younis Mahmoud Khalaf ( ar, يونس محمود خلف; born 3 February 1983) is an Iraqi former professional footballer who played as a forward for the Iraq national football team and is currently the second vice-president of the Iraq Footbal ...
against
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. In the following game, he scored a double in
Iraq's 3–1 victory over
Jordan
Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
to allow Iraq to advance to the final round of the
Asian World cup 2014 qualifiers, and he also score a penalty in
Iraq's 7–1 triumph over
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 ...
helping his country to seal the top spot in the group. He scored again, in
Iraq's opening match in the final round of
Asian World cup 2014 qualifiers against
Jordan
Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
, though the match ended in a 1–1 stalemate. In the
Asian World cup 2014 qualifiers he went on to feature against
Oman
Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
(albeit as a substitute), and against
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. Before the match against
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, he was part of
Iraq's starting XI in their
friendly match
An exhibition game (also known as a friendly, a scrimmage, a demonstration, a preseason game, a warmup match, or a preparation match, depending at least in part on the sport) is a sporting event whose prize money and impact on the player's or ...
against
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
.
Iraqi Olympic team
After the 2003 war, even though he was one of the youngest players in the squad, he was named the Iraqi Olympic team captain by
Adnan Hamad
Adnan Hamad Majid Al-Abbassi ( ar, عدنان حمد مجيد العباسي; born 1 February 1961) is an Iraqi football manager and former player.
Career
Playing career
Adnan was born in Samarra, Iraq, the son of a wealthy land-owning family ...
and impressed during the Emir Faisal Abdullah Friendship Cup in Abha, In 2004 Nashat Akram helped his team to qualify to the
2004 Olympic Games
The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad ( el, Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, ) and also known as Athens 2004 ( el, Αθήνα 2004), ...
and he was part of the team in the finals, Iraq Olympic team reached the 4th place losing to
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
0–1
The 2007 Asian Cup
Nashat Akram was a major factor in the team, his great vision and mentality helped the team to win the
2007 Asian Cup; Nashat Akram was part of almost all Iraq's goals in the Asian Cup. He scored the opening goal against the 3–1 victory over
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
in the 23rd minute, and also made the assist for the 2nd goal by Hawar, and was part of the third goal. Nashat Akram won the Most Valuable Player award in 2 matches, the first against
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
and the 2nd against
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the Ara ...
in the final. In 2007 Nashat Akram was
Asian Footballer of the Year 3rd place.
International goals
:''Scores and results list Iraq's goal tally first.''
Honours
Club
; Al-Shorta
*
Iraqi Premier League
The Iraqi Premier League ( ar, الدوري العراقي الممتاز) is the top level of the Iraqi football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it is operated by the Iraq Football Association (IFA) and operates on a system of promotion ...
:
2012–13
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
*
Iraqi Elite Cup
The Iraqi Elite Cup ( ar, كأس النخبة العراقي), known officially as the Baghdad Championship ( ar, بطولة بغداد) and previously known as the Mother of all Battles Championship ( ar, بطولة أم المعارك, ''Botola ...
:
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...
,
2001
The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a multi-national coalition in an invasion of Afghanist ...
,
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
; Al-Shabab
*
Saudi Professional League
The Saudi Pro League (SPL for short) ( ar, دوري المحترفين السعودي, link=no, ''Dawriyy al-Muḥtarifayni as-Suʿūdī''), known as the Roshn Saudi League (RSL for short) for sponsorship reasons, is the top division of associat ...
:
2005–06
; Al-Gharafa
*
Qatar Stars League:
2008–09
*
Emir of Qatar Cup
Emir of Qatar Cup ( ar, كأس أمير قطر), also known as the Emir Cup, but changed to Amir Cup starting in 2019, is an association football tournament played every season by 18 first and second division teams. The most successful is Al Sad ...
:
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 ...
; Twente
*
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie (; ''"Honour Division"'' or ''"Premier Division"'') is the highest level of professional football in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956, two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is c ...
:
2009–10
; Al-Wakrah
*
Qatari Stars Cup
The Qatari Stars Cup is a Qatari football competition played during the Qatar Stars League season known as Ooredoo Cup due to sponsorship reasons.
The knockout competition, which involves a round-robin league structure, was first started in 2009 ...
:
2011–12
Country
*
AFC U-19 Championship:
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
*
WAFF Championship
The West Asian Football Federation Championship (), or simply WAFF Championship, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF), the ...
:
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
*
West Asian Games
The West Asian Games (also known as the WAG) was a multi-sport event held every four years among the athletes from West Asia.
The West Asian Games was first organised in Tehran, Iran and was considered as the first of its kind. The success of th ...
:
2005
File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
*
AFC Asian Cup
The AFC Asian Cup is the primary association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), determining the continental champion of Asia. It is the second oldest cont ...
:
2007
Individual
* Best Foreign Player in the
2005–06 Saudi Premier League
Statistics of the 2005–06 Saudi Premier League.
Stadia and locations
Final league table
Championship playoffs
Match against fourth place
Match against third place
Final
Season statistics
Top scorers
References
Extern ...
* Most Valuable Player of the
2007 AFC Asian Cup Final
* Selected for the
2007 AFC Asian Cup
The 2007 AFC Asian Cup was the 14th edition of the men's AFC Asian Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The finals were held from 7 to 29 July 2007. For the first time in its h ...
All-Star XI
* Finished third place in the 2007
Asian Footballer of the Year award
* FIFA Midfielder of the Year in 2007
* Asian Player of the Year at the 2009 International Football Award
*
Soccer Iraq Team of the Decade: 2010–2019
Personal life
Nashats parents are from
Babil
''Bābili(m)''
* sux, 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠
* arc, 𐡁𐡁𐡋 ''Bāḇel''
* syc, ܒܒܠ ''Bāḇel''
* grc-gre, Βαβυλών ''Babylṓn''
* he, בָּבֶל ''Bāvel''
* peo, 𐎲𐎠𐎲𐎡𐎽𐎢 ''Bābiru''
* elx, 𒀸𒁀𒉿𒇷 ''Babi ...
. Nashat is the second child after his oldest brother Haider Akram and before his youngest brother Hassan Akram. In the year 2009, Hassan was kidnapped by a terrorist group in Iraq but was freed by the Iraqi police. Nashat is married with
Hawra Al-Nadawi, an Iraqi writer living in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
and they have two children. His father died when he was a little child.
See also
*
List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
In men's association football, a cap is traditionally awarded in international football to a player making an official match appearance for their national team. In total, over 600 players have played in 100 or more international matches. The re ...
References
External links
*
*
Profile on IraqsportPlayer's Forum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Akram, Nashat
1984 births
Living people
People from Hillah
Iraqi footballers
Iraq international footballers
Iraqi expatriate footballers
Association football midfielders
Expatriate footballers in the Netherlands
Al-Wakrah SC players
Al-Gharafa SC players
Lekhwiya SC players
Al-Zawraa SC players
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya players
Al Ain FC players
FC Twente players
Eredivisie players
Footballers at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Olympic footballers of Iraq
2004 AFC Asian Cup players
2007 AFC Asian Cup players
2009 FIFA Confederations Cup players
2011 AFC Asian Cup players
AFC Asian Cup-winning players
Qatar Stars League players
FIFA Century Club
Expatriate footballers in the United Arab Emirates
Al Nassr FC players
Al-Shabab FC (Riyadh) players
Al-Nasr SC (Dubai) players
Expatriate footballers in China
Dalian Professional F.C. players
Chinese Super League players
Erbil SC players
Al-Shorta SC players
Saudi Professional League players
Expatriate footballers in Saudi Arabia
Iraqi expatriate sportspeople in Saudi Arabia
UAE Pro League players
Iraq under-20 international footballers
Iraq youth international footballers