Mohamed Faisal Explained

Mohamed Faisal
Birth Date:1988 8, df=yes
Birth Place:Fenfushi, Maldives
Height:1.83 m
Position:Goalkeeper
Currentclub:Maziya
Clubnumber:22
Years1:2006–2009
Caps1:40
Goals1:0
Years2:2007
Clubs2:Victory (loan)
Goals2:0
Years3:2010–2012
Caps3:43
Goals3:0
Years4:2013
Caps4:17
Goals4:0
Years5:2014–2015
Caps5:17
Goals5:0
Years6:2016–2017
Caps6:35
Goals6:0
Years7:2017–2018
Caps7:39
Goals7:0
Years8:2019–2020
Caps8:20
Goals8:0
Years9:2020–2023
Years10:2021
Clubs10:Club Eagles (loan)
Caps10:0
Goals10:0
Years11:2023–
Nationalyears1:2010
Nationalteam1:Maldives U23
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2009–
Nationalteam2:Maldives
Nationalcaps2:35
Nationalgoals2:0
Pcupdate:22 April 2021
Ntupdate:15 December 2022
Medaltemplates: under-23

Mohamed Faisal (Divehi; Dhivehi; Maldivian: މުޙައްމަދު ފައިސަލް; born 4 August 1988) is a Maldivian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Dhivehi Premier League club Maziya and the Maldives national team.

Faisal began his career with Club All Youth Linkage, made his debut as a teenager in 2006 Third Division. He started every match of the season in goal and secured promotion to Second Division football as league runner ups. In his second year, Faisal won both Second Division and Dhivehi League (first division) in 2007 with Club AYL and Victory Sports Club while on loan. He also helped Club AYL promote to Dhivehi League for the first time in club's history. He later played for Victory, Valencia, Club Eagles, New Radiant and Da Grande Sports Club. He joined Valencia on a swap deal on deadline day 2020 from Da Grande Sports Club.

Since his national team debut in 2009, he was mostly used as a back-up goalkeeper and earned number one spot following Imran Mohamed's retirement from international football. He led Maldives to win the 2018 SAFF Championship as the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Club career

Born in Fenfushi, Maldives, Faisal started his playing career with Club All Youth Linkage in 2006, where he helped the team gain promotion to top division from Third Division, during his four year at the club. During his first season, they gained promotion to Second Division as 2006 Third Division runner-ups, also winning the best goalkeeper award.

Faisal won Second Division and Dhivehi League both in 2007. He first claimed 2007 Second Division with Club AYL but failed to get promoted to first division in the play-off. He was then loaned to Victory Sports Club for the rest of the season as their first choice Imran Mohamed got injured, and won first division with them.

In 2008, Faisal earned another best goalkeeper award despite Club AYL were runner-ups of the 2008 Second Division. They also gained promotion to first division football, winning the play-offs.

Faisal left Club AYL to play for Victory SC in 2010, making his debut in the AFC Cup against Indonesian club Sriwijaya. He won the FA Cup and President's Cup in his first two seasons. In 2012, Faisal fractured a bone in his left ankle in the AFC Cup qualifying round against Al-Tilal which sidelined him for five months.[1] [2]

On 2 November 2012, Faisal signed for Club Valencia on a one-year deal for the 2013 season.[3]

Faisal became a Club Eagles player on 25 February 2014. [4] Faisal helped Club Eagles, qualify to the President's Cup for the first time in the club's history, after securing third in the league. They reached the final where they lost to the only goal which came in the extra time.

On 9 April 2015, Faisal suffered an ACL injury during the pre season trainings with Club Eagles.[2] After a gap of one season without a game, Faisal returned for Club Valencia on 7 January 2016.[5] [6] They became the ultimate champions of the 2016 FA Cup, defeating the league runner ups TC Sports Club in the final, ending a trophy drought of 8 years for the club.[7]

On 25 July 2017, Faisal joined New Radiant as Club Valencia failed to secure a top 4 spot in 2017 Malé League.[8] [9] [10] He won a domestic treble in 2017, winning the Premier League, FA Cup and the President's Cup. He also won the Malé League with New Radiant in 2018.

Faisal signed for Da Grande Sports Club on 28 May 2019.[11] He spent one season with the club until returning to Club Valencia for the third time, on a deadline day; 5 December 2020, swap with Mohamed Jazlaan.[12]

On 21 January 2021, Faisal made his third Valencia debut against the newly promoted Super United Sports in the last gameweek of Dhivehi Premier League first round, keeping a clean sheet in the goalless draw.[13] During a Premier League match against United Victory on 22 April 2021, Faisal suffered a hamstring injury, forcing him to make way for Mohamed Shafeeu in the 40th minute of the game.[14]

International career

Faisal made his international debut on 18 April 2009, against Bhutan in the 2010 AFC Challenge Cup qualification. He kept a clean sheet to his name in the game as Maldives won by 5–0.[15]

In 2010, he was called up for the 2010 South Asian Games, where he won bronze with the national under-23 team. He only played the third-place play-off match against India, in which he saved two penalties to win the penalty shoot-out.

Following the retirement of then goalkeeper Imran Mohamed, Faisal was the number one goalkeeper for the national team since 2017. His first major tournament was the 2018 SAFF Championship in which they won the tournament for the second time in their history, also winning the best player award.[16]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonDivisionLeagueFA CupPresident's CupContinentalOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Club AYL2006Third Division800080
2007Second Division800060140
2008Second Division602030110
2009Dhivehi League1801000190
Total40030000090520
Victory (loan)2007Dhivehi League000000
Victory2010Dhivehi League21030206010330
2011Dhivehi League19020206010300
2012Dhivehi League3020301090
Total430707012030720
Valencia2013Dhivehi League17010180
Eagles2014Dhivehi League1703030230
2015Premier League000000
Total17030300000230
Valencia2016Premier League21010220
2017Malé League14050190
Total35010000050410
New Radiant2017Premier League140001000150
2018Malé League13000000000250
Premier League120
Total39000100000400
Da Grande2019–20Premier League20010210
Valencia2020–21Premier League70000070
Eagles (loan)2020–21Premier League1010
Career totals21801501101201802740

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Maldives U23
201010
Total10
Maldives
200910
201130
201620
201760
201860
201950
202130
Total260

Honours

Club AYL

2007; runner-up: 2008

Victory

2007

2010; third place: 2007, 2011

2011; runner-up: 2007, 2010, 2012

Eagles

Valencia

2016

New Radiant

2017

2017

2017

2018

Maldives

2018

Maldives U23

Individual

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://archive.mv/dv/articles/AVWLd Faisal Sidelined for 4 months
  2. https://archive.mv/dv/articles/goXB Eagles keeper injured
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20121212083919/http://www.maldivesoccer.com/s/Faisal-Labaan-and-Aslam-has-signed-for-Valencia-4736 Faisal, Labaan and Aslam has signed for Valencia
  4. https://archive.mv/dv/articles/0NqNK Faisal & Easa to Eagles
  5. https://archive.mv/dv/articles/woDBm Faisal & Shaafy joins Valencia
  6. https://archive.mv/dv/articles/Om4BM Shaafy & Faisal to Valencia
  7. https://mihaaru.com/sports/8782 Valencia lifts the FA cup after 12 years
  8. https://archive.mv/dv/articles/MB5dK Keeper Faisa & Adhuham to NRSC
  9. https://archive.mv/dv/articles/X8XBn Keeper Faisal, Adhuham & Riley to New Radiant
  10. https://archive.mv/dv/articles/aRvwE Riley, Sadey & Keeper Faisal joins New Rasiant
  11. https://mihaaru.com/local_sports/55589 Best player of SAFF joins Da Grande SC
  12. https://mihaaru.com/sports/83870 Faisal to Valencia, Jazlaan to Da Grande
  13. https://mihaaru.com/local_sports/85766 SUS holds Valencia
  14. https://adhadhu.com/article/10958 UV not looking backwards as they beats Valencia
  15. https://web.archive.org/web/20120601140722/http://images.the-afc.com/Documents/competitions/fixtures/365-2330.pdf Match summary
  16. Web site: Most Valuable Player. 15 September 2018. 6 February 2021. 31 October 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231031082330/https://twitter.com/SAFFSuzukiCup/status/1041006962098487297. live.
  17. Web site: Red Line wins on penalties . Divehi . Haveeru Online . 22 January 2007 . 25 June 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303231148/http://www.haveeru.com.mv/dhivehi/news/42370 . 3 March 2016 . dead . dmy-all .
  18. Web site: Red Line beat AYL to be the champions . Divehi . Haveeru Online . 30 August 2008 . 25 June 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060735/http://www.haveeru.com.mv/dhivehi/sports/66653 . 2016-03-04 . dead .