Abdul Khalili
Khalili with Hammarby IF in 2021
Personal information
Full name Abdul Rahman Khalili
Date of birth (1992-06-07) 7 June 1992 (age 31)[1]
Place of birth Helsingborg, Sweden
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Central midfielder
Youth career
Högaborgs BK
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008 Högaborgs BK 2 (0)
2009–2011 Helsingborgs IF 2 (0)
2009 → Högaborgs BK (loan) 21 (9)
2011 → IFK Värnamo (loan) 12 (1)
2012–2013 IFK Värnamo 28 (4)
2014 Helsingborgs IF 12 (1)
2014–2016 Mersin İdmanyurdu 54 (3)
2016–2018 Gençlerbirliği 57 (3)
2018–2020 Kasımpaşa 24 (4)
2020–2022 Hammarby IF 43 (6)
2022–2023 Helsingborgs IF 12 (0)
2023 Olympiakos Nicosia 11 (1)
International career‡
2008–2009 Sweden U17 11 (1)
2010–2011 Sweden U19 10 (1)
2014–2015 Sweden U21 14 (0)
2016 Sweden Olympic (O.P.) 3 (0)
2015 Sweden 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 April 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 August 2016

Abdul Rahman "Abbe" Khalili (Arabic: عبد الرحمن خليلي; born 7 June 1992) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder.

Club career

Early career and Helsingborgs IF

Born and raised in Helsingborg, Khalili started playing football with local club Högaborgs BK as a youngster. He later moved to Helsingborgs IF and made his debut in Allsvenskan, Sweden's first tier, by making two appearances in 2010.[2]

In 2011, he was loaned to IFK Värnamo in Superettan, the domestic second division. The transfer was made permanent at the end of the season. He stayed for two more years with the club, mostly competing at the bottom half of the table, but left by mutual consent at the end of 2013. In total, Khalili played 40 league games and scored five goals for IFK Värnamo.[2][3]

Ahead of the 2014 season, Khalili was re-signed by Helsingborgs IF.[2] Under manager Roar Hansen, he had his major breakthrough and established himself as a starter in Allsvenskan, playing 12 games and scoring once during the first half of the season. In the semi-final of the 2013–14 Svenska Cupen, Khalili scored as Helsingborgs IF eliminated local rival Malmö FF through a 2–0 win.[4][3]

Years in Turkey

In the 2014 summer transfer window, Khalili transferred to Mersin İdman Yurdu in the Turkish Süper Lig on a three-year deal, for a reported fee of around 6 million Swedish kronor. His teammate Loret Sadiku had just completed a similar transfer.[4] Khalili soon became a key player for Mersin İdman Yurdu. In the summer of 2015, he reportedly attracted interest from Spanish club Real Betis and other Turkish sides, but a transfer was not materialised due to a high asking price of around €5 million.[5]

He left Mersin İdman Yurdu by mutual consent after two years. Before the start of the 2016–17 season, Khalili signed with Gençlerbirliği, linking up with compatriot Johannes Hopf, in which the side finished 8th in the table. In 2017–18, Khalili's second season with the club, Gençlerbirliği was relegated from the Süper Lig.[6]

Before the start of the 2018–19 season, Khalili signed with Kasımpaşa on a free transfer. He stayed with the club for one and half year, mostly competing at the bottom half of the Süper Lig table, before leaving by mutual consent in January 2020.[6]

Hammarby IF

On 20 February 2020, he signed a two-year contract with Hammarby IF in Allsvenskan.[7] The season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Khalili established himself as a starter, making 27 league appearances and scoring twice, although his side disappointedly finished 8th in the table.[3] Khalili scored in the first round of the 2020–21 UEFA Europa League against Puskás Akadémia (in a 3–0 win), before the club was eliminated from the tournament in the second round against Lech Poznań (in a 3–0 loss).[8][9]

Before the start of the 2021 season, Khalili was appointed joint-captain of Hammarby together with Jeppe Andersen,[10] but was later replaced in role by head coach Miloš Milojević.[11] On 30 May 2021, Khalili won the 2020–21 Svenska Cupen, the main domestic cup, with Hammarby through a 5–4 win on penalties (0–0 after full-time) against BK Häcken in the final.[12][13] The club reached the play-off of the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League, where it was knocked out by Basel (4–4 on aggregate) after a penalty shoot-out, although Khalili scored in the first leg away.[14][15] In September, Khalili's season was cut short due to a knee injury.[16]

Khalili featured in the final of the 2021–22 Svenska Cupen, in which Hammarby lost by 4–5 on penalties to Malmö FF after the game ended in a 0–0 draw.[17][18] On 12 July 2022, it was announced that Khalili had departed Hammarby at the expiration of his contract.[19]

Return to Helsingborg

On 11 August 2022, Khalili returned to his former club Helsingborgs IF in Allsvenskan, signing a six month-contract.[20]

Olympiakos Nicosia

On 28 January 2023, Khalili move to Cypriot First Division club Olympiakos Nicosia with contract until the end of the season.[21]

International career

Khalili was part of the Sweden under-21 squad which won the 2015 European Championship, although his attempt in the final's penalty shootout was saved by Portugal's José Sá.[22]

He made his full international debut for Sweden on 8 September 2015 in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier against Austria at Friends Arena that ended in a 4–1 loss.[23]

In 2016, he represented the Sweden Olympic team at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[24]

Personal life

Born in Sweden, Khalili is of Palestinian descent. He is the cousin of fellow professional footballers Imad Khalili and Moustafa Zeidan.[25]

Career statistics

Club

As of 30 May 2022[26]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Högaborgs BK 2008 Division 2 Södra Götaland 3 0 0 0 — — 3 0
Högaborgs BK (loan) 2009 Division 2 Södra Götaland 21 9 0 0 — — 21 9
Helsingborgs IF 2010 Allsvenskan 2 0 0 0 — — 2 0
IFK Värnamo (loan) 2011 Superettan 12 1 0 0 — 2[a] 0 14 1
IFK Värnamo 2012 Superettan 16 4 4 0 — 2[a] 0 22 4
2013 Superettan 12 0 0 0 — — 12 0
Total 28 4 4 0 0 0 2 0 34 4
Helsingborgs IF 2014 Allsvenskan 12 1 6 1 — — 18 2
Mersin 2014–15 Süper Lig 30 2 7 0 — — 37 2
2015–16 Süper Lig 24 1 0 0 — — 24 1
Total 54 3 7 0 0 0 0 0 61 3
Gençlerbirliği 2016–17 Süper Lig 29 1 4 1 — — 33 2
2017–18 Süper Lig 28 2 5 0 — — 33 2
Total 57 3 9 1 0 0 0 0 66 4
Kasımpaşa 2018–19 Süper Lig 8 2 1 0 — — 9 2
2019–20 Süper Lig 16 2 2 0 — — 18 2
Total 24 4 3 0 0 0 0 0 27 4
Hammarby IF 2020 Allsvenskan 27 2 3 0 2[b] 1 — 32 3
2021 Allsvenskan 13 4 4 1 5[c] 1 — 22 6
2022 Allsvenskan 3 0 1 0 — — 4 0
Total 43 6 8 1 7 2 0 0 58 9
Helsingborgs IF 2022 Allsvenskan 12 0 0 0 — — 12 0
Olympiakos Nicosia 2022–23 Cypriot First Division 11 1 4 0 — — 15 1
Career total 279 32 41 3 7 2 4 0 331 37
  1. ^ a b Appearance in Relegation play-offs
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

Honours

Helsingborgs IF

Hammarby IF

Sweden U21

References

  1. ^ "Abdul Khalili". Soccerway. Global Sports Media. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  2. ^ a b c "Khalili återvänder till HIF". Helsingborgs IF. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Abdul Rahman Khalili" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Avslöjar: Så mycket får HIF för Khalili" (in Swedish). Expressen. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Här är Mersins enorma prislapp på Khalili: 50 miljoner" (in Swedish). Fotbollskanalen. 10 July 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Abdul Rahman Khalili" (in Swedish). Turkish Football Association. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Abbe Khalili och David Ousted till Hammarby" (in Swedish). Hammarby Fotboll. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Hammarby 3 – 0 Puskás Akadémia". UEFA. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  9. ^ "Hammarby 0 – 3 Lech". UEFA. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Jeppe delar kaptensrollen med Abbe" (in Swedish). Hammarby Fotboll. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  11. ^ "Milojevic bekräftar kaptensbyte i Bajen - petade Andersen: "Det är jobbigt"" (in Swedish). Fotbollskanalen. 23 September 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Hammarby cupvinnare efter straffdrama" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. 30 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Historisk och dramatisk cupfinalseger mot Häcken" (in Swedish). Hammarby Fotboll. 30 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  14. ^ "Hammarby 3 – 1 Basel". UEFA. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Ett slut att glömma efter 210 minnesvärda minuter" (in Swedish). Hammarby Fotboll. 26 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  16. ^ "Lyckad operation för Abbe Khalili" (in Swedish). Hammarby Fotboll. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  17. ^ "Straffar gav MFF första cupguldet på 33 år" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  18. ^ "Bajen golvat från elva meter i titelmatchen" (in Swedish). Hammarby Fotboll. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  19. ^ "Ingen fortsättning för Abbe Khalili" (in Swedish). Hammarby Fotboll. 12 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  20. ^ "Abdul Khalili klar för HIF" (in Swedish). Helsingborgs IF. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  21. ^ "Έναρξη συνεργασίας με Abdul Rahman Khalili!". 28 January 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  22. ^ "Sweden beat Portugal on penalties to win U21 title". UEFA.com. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  23. ^ "Sverige - Österrike - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  24. ^ "Sverige förlorade och är utslaget ur Rio-OS". www.expressen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  25. ^ "Palestine-Eligible Players -". footballpalestine.com.
  26. ^ "Abdullah Khalili". Soccerway. Retrieved 1 August 2021.

External links

Sweden men's football squad – 2016 Summer Olympics
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