Habib Jafar

Habib Jafar Akal (; born 1 July 1966) is a former Iraqi footballer. He was featured on the national team many times and is remembered for competing in various Gulf Cup competitions. In the 1988 Gulf Cup, he was voted as the best player of the competition. He became a regular of the national team at a young age and was almost even called up for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, but he was thought to be to inexperienced by then-coach, Evaristo de Macedo.

Career He was a key player in the Iraqi national team during the late 1980s and through the 1990s. Habib first appeared in the national team in 1988, playing in the Arab Championship, Olympics in Seoul and the Gulf Cup, where he was voted as player of the tournament. Was an important part of a talented Iraqi side that nearly qualified for the World Cup in 1994. However, in their penultimate match against Iran, he was sent off receiving a red card, and did not participate in their next and last game against Japan.

He spent his time with clubs in Iraq, and spent a 4-year spell in Qatar with Al-Rayyan, Al-Ittihad (now known as "Al-Gharaffa"), and Al-Wakra, and in the latest part of his career, with Dhofar of Oman.

Retired from the international scene after being omitted from the Asian Cup squad in Lebanon in 2000, by Milan Zivadinovic, but was surprisingly brought back by Adnan Hamad after the sacking of Milan in February 2001. Habib was placed by the German-based Federation of Football History & Statistics as Iraq's 3rd best player of the century.

Career statistics

International goals Scores and results list Iraq's goal tally first.

No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1. 27 March 1986 Bahrain National Stadium, Riffa 1–0 1–1 8th Arabian Gulf Cup 2. 8 March 1988 King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh 1–0 3–0 9th Arabian Gulf Cup 3. 13 January 1989 Amman International Stadium, Amman 1–0 1–0 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification 4. 26 February 1990 Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, Kuwait City 1–0 1–0 10th Arabian Gulf Cup 5. 18 August 1992 Al-Hassan Stadium, Irbid 4–0 13–0 1992 Jordan Tournament 6. 8–0 7. 26 August 1992 1–0 1–0 8. 19 October 1993 Khalifa International Stadium, Doha 2–2 2–2 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification 9. 16 February 1997 Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad 1–0 1–0 Friendly 10. 17 November 1998 National Stadium, Beirut 2–0 2–0 Friendly 11. 3 August 1999 Central Stadium, Dushanbe 2–1 2–1 2000 AFC Asian Cup qualification 12. 29 August 1999 Amman International Stadium, Amman 1–0 3–1 1999 Pan Arab Games 13. 14 April 2001 Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad 4–0 9–1 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification