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Ahmed Radhi Humaiesh Al-Salehi (, 21 April 1964 – 21 June 2020) was an Iraqi
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, rugby lea ...
who played as a striker. Nicknamed "Al-Saher" (The Magician) in his playing days and regarded as one of Iraq's and Asia's best players of all time, Radhi scored the only Iraqi goal at the
FIFA World Cup The FIFA World Cup, often called the World Cup, is an international association football competition among the senior List of men's national association football teams, men's national teams of the members of the FIFA, Fédération Internatio ...
in its 1986 edition, a low shot to the corner of the net against
Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
in a 2–1 defeat. He was voted the Asian Footballer of the Year in 1988.


Club career

Radhi started to make a name for himself after he was forced to switch childhood club
Al-Zawraa Al-Zawra'a Sports Club () is an Iraqi professional sports club based in Utayfia, Karkh District (near Tigris River), Baghdad. Their football team competes in the Iraq Stars League, the top-flight of Iraqi football. Al-Zawra'a have won the most ...
for new powerhouse Al-Rasheed, the club founded and owned by
Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician and revolutionary who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 1979 until Saddam Hussein statue destruction, his overthrow in 2003 during the 2003 invasion of Ira ...
's eldest son Uday. Alongside fellow legend Adnan Dirjal, Radhi led the club to reaching the
1988–89 Asian Club Championship The 1988–89 Asian Club Championship was the 8th edition of the annual Asian club football competition hosted by Asian Football Confederation. Al-Sadd of Qatar won the final and became Asian champions for the first time. Qualifying Group rou ...
final, losing to Qatari side Al Sadd on away goals. He later had a four-year spell at Al-Wakrah in Qatar before finishing his career with Al-Zawraa.


International career

Radhi was given his debut for
Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
against
Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
on 21 February 1982 by Ammo Baba, who acknowledged his talent and supported the player in his first years of senior football. Coach Baba however left Radhi out of the 1984 Summer Olympics squad citing a lack of effort by the player.Asian Icons: Ahmed Radhi (Iraq)
- The AFC
He then scored 8 goals in World Cup qualification, leading Iraq to a first World Cup finals, in Mexico in 1986. With Iraq he won 2 Arab Cups, 1 Pan-Arab Games & a Gulf Cup, while he also did represent Iraq in the Olympics in 1988, scoring a goal each in games against Zambia and Guatemala. In 1988, he was voted Asian player of the year and 9th best Asian player of the century in 1999.


Personal life

Radhi had three daughters and one son. He fled Iraq in 2006 because of the sectarian violence and moved with his family to the Jordanian capital
Amman Amman ( , ; , ) is the capital and the largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of four million as of 2021, Amman is Jordan's primate city and is the largest city in the Levant ...
, but returned to Iraq in 2007 for a career in politics. In October 2007, he was nominated by the opposition Iraqi Accord Front to the
Council of Representatives of Iraq The Council of Representatives is the ''de facto'' unicameral legislature of Iraq. According to the Constitution of Iraq, it is the lower house of the bicameral legislature of the country. As of 2020, it comprises 329 seats and meets in Baghdad ...
, replacing Abd al-Nasir al-Janabi, who had resigned to join the insurgency. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 2014 and 2018 elections with the National Alliance, a coalition of Sunni and Shia figures.


Death

Radhi was admitted into Al Nuaman General Hospital in Adhamiyah on 13 June 2020 after contracting
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
. He left the hospital only to be readmitted on 18 June after his condition worsened. On 21 June, Radhi was pronounced dead at the age of 56 following complications from
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
during the pandemic in Iraq. Details about his death were later revealed, that he was about to be taken to be treated in
Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
, but delays in finalizing his medical report postponed the proposed flight. However, the death happened after Radhi removed his
artificial ventilation Artificial ventilation or respiration is when a machine assists in a metabolic process to exchange gases in the body by pulmonary ventilation, external respiration, and internal respiration. A machine called a ventilator provides the person air ...
to go to the restroom by himself, later on the medical staff found him dead. His resting place is the Karkh Cemetery in Abu Ghraib.


Career statistics


International goals

:''Scores and results list Iraq's goal tally first.''


Honours


Player

;Al-Rasheed * Iraqi Premier League: 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89 *
Iraq FA Cup The Iraq Cup (), commonly known as the Iraq FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in men's domestic Football in Iraq, Iraqi football organised by the Iraq Football Association. Firs ...
: 1986–87, 1987–88 * Arab Club Champions Cup:
1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...
, 1986,
1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...
;Al-Zawraa * Iraqi Premier League: 1990–91, 1998–99 *
Iraq FA Cup The Iraq Cup (), commonly known as the Iraq FA Cup, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout association football, football competition in men's domestic Football in Iraq, Iraqi football organised by the Iraq Football Association. Firs ...
: 1990–91, 1992–93, 1997–98, 1998–99 * Baghdad Championship: 1991–92 ;Iraq *
Asian Games The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years for athletes of Asia. The Games were regulated by Asian Games Federation from the 1951 Asian Games, first Games in New Delhi, India in 1951, until ...
:
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
*
Arabian Gulf Cup The Arabian Gulf Cup (, ''Kaʾs al-Khalīj al-ʿArabī''), also referred to simply as the Gulf Cup, is a biennial association football competition governed by the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation for its eight member nations. The history of ...
:
1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...
, 1988 * Arab Games:
1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...
* Arab Cup: 1988 ;Individual * Asian Footballer of the Year: 1988 *
Arabian Gulf Cup The Arabian Gulf Cup (, ''Kaʾs al-Khalīj al-ʿArabī''), also referred to simply as the Gulf Cup, is a biennial association football competition governed by the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation for its eight member nations. The history of ...
top scorer: 1988 * Arab Cup top scorer: 1988 * Iraqi Premier League top scorer: 1985–86, 1991–92 * Chosen in the Asia's Top 10 Players of the Century list by IFFHS.


Manager

;Al-Shorta * Baghdad Championship: 2000–01


See also

*
List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps In association football, a cap is traditionally awarded in international football to a player making an official appearance for their national team. This article lists all men's football players who have played in 100 or more official internat ...
*
List of men's footballers with 50 or more international goals In total, 84 male Football player, footballers to date have scored at least 50 goals with their national team at senior level, according to FIFA documents, RSSSF and International Federation of Football History & Statistics, IFFHS statistics. S ...


References


External links

* * *Ahmed Radhi at https://www.ahmedradhi.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Radhi, Ahmed 1964 births 2020 deaths Footballers from Baghdad Men's association football forwards Iraqi men's footballers Olympic footballers for Iraq Iraq men's international footballers FIFA Men's Century Club Footballers at the 1982 Asian Games Footballers at the 1986 Asian Games Asian Games medalists in football Asian Games gold medalists for Iraq Medalists at the 1982 Asian Games 1986 FIFA World Cup players Footballers at the 1988 Summer Olympics Al-Zawraa SC players Al-Rasheed SC players Al-Wakrah SC players Iraq Stars League players Qatar Stars League players Iraqi expatriate men's footballers Expatriate men's footballers in Qatar Iraqi expatriate sportspeople in Qatar Asian Footballer of the Year winners Iraqi football managers Al-Shorta SC managers Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya managers Al-Zawraa SC managers Iraqi Accord Front politicians Iraqi sportsperson-politicians Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Iraq Iraqi expatriate sportspeople in the United Arab Emirates Expatriate men's footballers in the United Arab Emirates