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Ahmed Radhi

Ahmed Radhi Humaiesh Al-Salehi (Arabic: أحمد راضي هميش الصالحي, 21 April 1964 – 21 June 2020) was an Iraqi footballer 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 in its 1986 edition, a low shot to the corner of the net against Belgium in a 2–1 defeat. He was voted the Asian Footballer of the Year in 1988.

Ahmed Radhi
Radhi (right) in 2019
Personal information
Full name Ahmed Radhi Humaiesh Al-Salehi
Date of birth (1964-04-21)21 April 1964
Place of birth Baghdad, Iraq
Date of death 21 June 2020(2020-06-21) (aged 56)
Place of death Baghdad, Iraq
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1979–1980 Al-Shorta[1]
1980–1981 Al-Zawraa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1981–1985 Al-Zawraa (11)
1985–1989 Al-Rasheed (43)
1989–1993 Al-Zawraa (78)
1993–1997 Al-Wakrah (11+)
1997–1998 Al-Zawraa (7)
1998 Al-Arabi 1 (1)
1998 Dibba Al-Hisn
1998–1999 Al-Zawraa (7)
International career
1982–1997 Iraq 121 (62)
Managerial career
1999–2001 Al-Shorta
2001 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
2001–2002 Iraq U20
2002–2003 Al-Zawraa
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Radhi started to make a name for himself after he was forced to switch childhood club Al-Zawraa for new powerhouse Al-Rasheed, the club founded and owned by Saddam Hussein's eldest son Uday. Alongside fellow legend Adnan Dirjal, Radhi led the club to reaching the 1988–89 Asian Club Championship final, losing to Qatari side Al Sadd on away goals.[2] He later had a four-year spell at Al-Wakrah in Qatar before finishing his career with Al-Zawraa.

International career

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Radhi was given his debut for Iraq against Jordan 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.[2] 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.[3]

Personal life

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Radhi had three daughters and one son.[4]

He fled Iraq in 2006 because of the sectarian violence and moved with his family to the Jordanian capital Amman, but returned to Iraq in 2007 for a career in politics.[5] In October 2007, he was nominated by the opposition Iraqi Accord Front to the Council of Representatives of Iraq, replacing Abd al-Nasir al-Janabi, who had resigned to join the insurgency.[6]

He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 2014 and 2018 elections with the National Alliance, a coalition of Sunni and Shia figures.

Death

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Radhi was admitted into Al Nuaman General Hospital in Adhamiyah on 13 June 2020 after contracting COVID-19.[7] 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 during the pandemic in Iraq.[8][9]

Details about his death were later revealed, that he was about to be taken to be treated in Jordan, but delays in finalizing his medical report postponed the proposed flight. However, the death happened after Radhi removed his artificial ventilation to go to the restroom by himself, later on the medical staff found him dead.[10] His resting place is the Karkh Cemetery in Abu Ghraib.[11]

Career statistics

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Club Season Qatar Stars League Qatar Sheikh Jassem Cup Crown Prince Cup Qatar Emir Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Assist
Al-Wakrah Sport Club 1993–94
1994–95 0 0 0 0 7 6 0 0 +7 +6
1995–96 15 7 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 0 20 7
1996–97 15 4 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 17 4
Career total
Club Season Qatar Stars League Qatar Sheikh Jassem Cup Crown Prince Cup Qatar Emir Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Assist
Al-Arabi Sports Club 1997–98 1 1 0 0 3 2 2 1 0 0 6 4
Career total 1 1 0 0 3 2 2 1 0 0 6 4

International goals

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Scores and results list Iraq's goal tally first.[12]

Honours

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Player

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Al-Rasheed
Al-Zawraa
Iraq
Individual

Manager

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Al-Shorta

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "أحمد راضي - Ahmad Radhi". Kooora. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  2. ^ a b Asian Icons: Ahmed Radhi (Iraq) - The AFC
  3. ^ Hassanin Mubarak. "Player Database". iraqsport.com. Archived from the original on 21 April 2003.
  4. ^ "من هي زوجة احمد راضي اللاعب العراقي". sawahhost.com (in Arabic). 21 June 2020.
  5. ^ Iraqi football legend Ahmad Radhi dies after battling COVID-19 - Al Jazeera
  6. ^ Soccer star joins parliament, San Diego Union Tribune, 2007-10-05, accessed on 6 January 2008
  7. ^ "أحمد راضي يروي معاناته مع كورونا ويوجه هذه الرسالة". alaraby.co.uk (in Arabic). 13 June 2020.
  8. ^ "وفاة أسطورة كرة القدم العراقية أحمد راضي بسبب فيروس كورونا (وزارة الصحة)". euronews (in Arabic). 21 June 2020.
  9. ^ "Iraqi football great Ahmed Radhi dies after contracting coronavirus". The National. 21 June 2020.
  10. ^ "كيف مات "نهر العراق الثالث"؟.. عائلة راضي تكشف المستور". Al Arabiya (in Arabic). 25 June 2020.
  11. ^ "شاهد دفن جثمان اللاعب العراقى أحمد راضى.. أوصى بتشريح جثمانه قبل وفاته" (in Arabic). youm7.com. 21 June 2020. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020.
  12. ^ "Ahmed Radhi- Century of International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  13. ^ "Asia All Time best player". teammelli.com. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
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