Amer Shafi

Amer Shafi
Amer Shafi saves a ball for Jordan at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
Personal information
Full name Amer Shafi Mahmoud Sabbah
Date of birth (1982-02-14) 14 February 1982 (age 42)
Place of birth Amman, Jordan
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Al-Yarmouk
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2007 Al-Yarmouk 52 (0)
2004–2005 → Al-Faisaly (loan) 17 (0)
2006–2007 → Ismaily (loan) 9 (0)
2007–2018 Al-Wehdat 203 (1)
2018–2019 Shabab Al-Ordon 11 (0)
2019 → Al-Fayha (loan) 13 (0)
2019–2020 Al-Fayha 16 (0)
International career‡
2002–2021 Jordan 171 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 March 2020
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1 February 2021

Amer Shafi Mahmoud Sabbah (Arabic: عامر شفيع; born 14 February 1982) is a Jordanian former footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Club career

Shafi began his career as a midfielder and later on became a goalkeeper. After playing many years for Al-Yarmouk,[1] he joined Al-Wehdat.[2] After his performances in the 2004 AFC Asian Cup, he had offers to play in Europe, but he was not able to leave Jordan due to family conditions and his international career.[3]

International career

Shafi played his first international match with the Jordan national team against Kenya in a friendly match on 17 August 2002, which ended in a 1–1 draw.[4] Shafi is and has always been nicknamed the "Whale of Asia" due to his outstanding and incredible acrobatic saves and performances.[5]

He scored his first international goal for Jordan in a friendly against India on 17 November 2018, letting fly with a long kick that bounced just outside the India penalty area, catching his opposite number Gurpreet Singh Sandhu by surprise. The game ended 2–1 in Jordan's favour.[6][7]

He later played in the 2004, 2011, 2015 and 2019 AFC Asian Cup tournaments. On 1 February 2021, he played his last international match in a 2–0 win over Tajikistan in a friendly match.

Retirement and aftermath

On 8 February 2021, he announced his retirement from football.[8] In March 2021, he joined the coaching staff of the national team.[9]

Career statistics

International

Source:[10][11][12]

National team Year Apps Goals
Jordan 2002 12 0
2003 7 0
2004 23 0
2006 11 0
2007 4 0
2008 6 0
2009 7 0
2010 8 0
2011 17 0
2012 12 0
2013 12 0
2014 4 0
2015 14 0
2016 6 0
2017 5 0
2018 7 1
2019 13 0
2020 2 0
2021 1 0
Total 171 1

International goals

Scores and results list Jordan's goal tally first.[13]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 17 November 2018 King Abdullah II Stadium, Amman, Jordan  India 1–0 2–1 Friendly

Honours

Al-Wehdat

Al-Faisaly

See also

References

  1. ^ International player Amer Shafi transfers from Al-Yarmouk to Ismaily SC
  2. ^ Amer Shafi officially signs up for Al-Wehdat SC
  3. ^ Amer Shafi's second suspension
  4. ^ Shafi: "My relationship and business with Al-Wehdat Club is based on love not money"
  5. ^ The suspension of the Jordanian Whale
  6. ^ "Jordan goalkeeper scores from own penalty area in friendly against India". FourFourTwo. 17 November 2018. Archived from the original on 17 November 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  7. ^ IANS (18 November 2018). "Jordan beat India in international friendly". News and Analysis from India. A Refreshing approach to news. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  8. ^ "Jordan's Amer Shafi announces retirement". AFC. 9 February 2021.
  9. ^ "شفيع ينضم لجهاز المنتخب الأردني". Kooora (in Arabic). 4 March 2021.
  10. ^ Mohammed, Husain; Mamrud, Roberto (7 February 2019). "Amer Shafi Sabbah Mahmoud - Century of International Appearances". RSSSF.
  11. ^ Amer Shafi Sabbah Mahmoud – Century of International Appearances
  12. ^ "FIFA Century Club" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  13. ^ "Shafi, Amer". National Football Teams. Retrieved 21 November 2018.