Mukhtar Ali should not be confused with Muktar Ali.
| Mukhtar Ali | |
| Fullname: | Mukhtar Abdullah Ali |
| Birth Date: | 30 October 1997 |
| Birth Place: | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia[1] |
| Height: | 1.85m |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Currentclub: | Al-Nassr |
| Clubnumber: | 6 |
| Youthyears1: | –2008 |
| Youthclubs1: | Leyton Orient |
| Youthyears2: | 2008–2017 |
| Youthclubs2: | Chelsea |
| Years1: | 2017 |
| Clubs1: | Chelsea |
| Caps1: | 0 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2017 |
| Clubs2: | → Vitesse (loan) |
| Caps2: | 6 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2017 |
| Clubs3: | → Jong Vitesse (loan) |
| Caps3: | 4 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 2017–2019 |
| Clubs4: | Vitesse |
| Caps4: | 9 |
| Goals4: | 1 |
| Years5: | 2019– |
| Clubs5: | Al-Nassr |
| Caps5: | 28 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Years6: | 2022 |
| Clubs6: | → Al-Tai (loan) |
| Caps6: | 11 |
| Goals6: | 2 |
| Years7: | 2022–2023 |
| Clubs7: | → Al-Tai (loan) |
| Caps7: | 27 |
| Goals7: | 2 |
| Years8: | 2023–2024 |
| Clubs8: | → Al-Fateh (loan) |
| Caps8: | 27 |
| Goals8: | 0 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2012 |
| Nationalteam1: | England U16 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2013–2014 |
| Nationalteam2: | England U17 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 4 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2017–2021 |
| Nationalteam3: | Saudi Arabia U23 |
| Nationalyears4: | 2017– |
| Nationalteam4: | Saudi Arabia |
| Nationalcaps4: | 13 |
| Nationalgoals4: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 27 May 2024 |
| Nationalteam-Update: | 11 June 2024 |
Mukhtar Abdullahi Ali (Arabic: مختار علي, born 30 October 1997) is a Somali-Saudi Arabian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Saudi Arabia national team and for Al-Nassr. He was born in Jeddah and moved to London as an infant.[1]
In 2008, Ali joined Chelsea at under-11 level from Leyton Orient and progressed through the club's academy system.[2] He was part of the Chelsea youth side which recorded back to back triumphs in the FA Youth Cup in 2015 and 2016.[2] With 42 appearances in all competitions he was the second-leading appearance maker in the academy and was also nominated for International Somali Sportsman of the Year.[3]
On 29 January 2017, Ali joined Vitesse on loan for the remainder of the 2016–17 campaign.[4] On 19 February 2017, Ali made his Vitesse debut in their 1–0 home defeat against Ajax, replacing Marvelous Nakamba in the 84th minute.[5] On 4 February 2017, he played his first match for Jong Vitesse against SV Spakenburg.[6] Ali went onto appear in five more league games during his loan spell.
On 17 July 2017, Vitesse permanently signed Ali on a three-year deal.[7]
On 31 August 2019, Al-Nassr signed Mukhtar Ali on a one-year deal from Vitesse.[8] On 29 January 2022, he renewed his contract with Al-Nassr until 2025 and was loaned out to Al-Tai.[9] On 29 August 2022, Mukhtar Ali rejoined Al-Tai on a one-year loan.[10] On 7 September 2023, Mukhtar Ali joined Al-Fateh on a one-year loan.[11]
Ali represented England at both under-16 and under-17 level and was also eligible to represent Somalia, the country of his parents.[12] However, he pledged his allegiance to the Saudi Arabia national team,[13] and made his senior debut on 7 October 2017 against Jamaica. This was possibly based on the player's assertion that he was instead born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.[14]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Vitesse (loan) | 2016–17 | Eredivisie | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | |||
| Vitesse | 2017–18 | Eredivisie | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2018–19 | Eredivisie | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 1 | |||
| Al-Nassr | 2019–20 | Saudi Pro League | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 29 | 1 | ||
| 2020–21 | Saudi Pro League | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| 2021–22 | Saudi Pro League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2023–24 | Saudi Pro League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Total | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 1 | |||
| Al-Tai (loan) | 2021–22 | Saudi Pro League | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 2 | |||
| 2022–23 | Saudi Pro League | 27 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 38 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 4 | |||||
| Al-Fateh (loan) | 2023–24 | Saudi Pro League | 27 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 108 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 129 | 6 | |||
Chelsea Reserves[2]
Vitesse
Al-Nassr