Muhammad Hafiz bin Abu Sujad (born 1 November 1990) is a former footballer who played in the Singapore Premier League and Malaysia Super League. He is a versatile player who can play in midfield or defence.[3] He captained Young Lions, playing as a left-back prior to signing for LionsXII in 2013. With LionsXII, he began to play in more advanced positions in left and central midfield.
 Hafiz in 2013 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Muhammad Hafiz bin Abu Sujad[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 1 November 1990[2] | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Singapore | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in) | ||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Left-back, left midfielder | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| National Football Academy | |||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2009–2012 | Young Lions | 68 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2013–2015 | LionsXII | 24 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Tampines Rovers | 20 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2017 | BBCU | 7 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Tampines Rovers | 15 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| 2018 | Johor Darul Ta'zim II | 10 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2018 | Tampines Rovers | 19 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2019–2022 | Hougang United | 27 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2021 | Singapore | 44 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:41 at 08 October 2019 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:48, 11 June 2021 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||
Club career
editYoung Lions
editHafiz began his professional football career with Under-23 side Young Lions in the S.League in 2009.
LionsXII
editIn December 2011, the FAS announced that Hafiz was to join the newly formed LionsXII for the 2012 Malaysia Super League.
Tampines Rovers
editIn 2016, Hafiz signed for Tampines Rovers for the 2016 S.League campaign after LionsXII was disbanded in 2015. He had a stellar season with the Stags, earning him a nomination for the 2016 S.League Player of the Season award.[4] In December, Hafiz went to Thailand for trials with Thai League 2 sides BBCU F.C. and Sisaket F.C.[5]
BBCU
editThe 2017 season saw Hafiz seal a move to Thai Division 2 side BBCU F.C. on an initial one-year contract after he impressed on a trial there in December 2016.[6]
Tampines Rovers
editAfter leaving BBCU, Hafiz had signed a deal to return to Tampines Rovers and will be wearing the no.18 shirt which had been vacated by fellow Singapore International, Yasir Hanapi who had moved to PDRM in Malaysia.
JDT II
editHafiz next moved to Malaysia Premier League side JDT II for the 2018 season. Despite being on trial with Super League side Melaka United, Melaka opted for fellow Singapore international, Shahdan Sulaiman, instead, leaving Hafiz to seek a move to JDT II.[7]
Return to Tampines
editHafiz rejoins Tampines Rovers on Singapore Premier League deadline day for registration, 13 April 2018.[8]
International career
editHafiz made his international debut on 16 October 2012, coming on as a substitute against India in a friendly match.
Personal life
editHafiz comes from a sporting family. His father, Abu Sujad is a former Singapore international left-back while his mother, Norija, is a housewife.[9][10] His sister Nurhafizah, is a former national netballer and became the Lions' physiotherapist.[10][11] His older brother Nadzi, played in the S.League player with Balestier Central.[10]
Hafiz's uncle is Mat Noh, a Malaysia Cup winner with Singapore and his cousin is Fandi Ahmad, former Singapore national player and former interim head coach of the Singapore national football team.[10]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played 10 Oct 2021. Caps and goals may not be correct.
| Club | Season | S.League | Singapore Cup | Singapore League Cup |
Asia | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Young Lions | 2009 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| 2010 | 21 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 26 | 2 | ||
| 2011 | 17 | 0 | — | — | — | 17 | 0 | ||||
| 2012 | 22 | 1 | — | 4 | 1 | — | 26 | 2 | |||
| Total | 68 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 77 | 4 | |
| Club | Season | Malaysia Super League |
Malaysia FA Cup |
Malaysia Cup | Asia | Total | |||||
| LionsXII | 2013[12] | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | — | 26 | 2 | |
| 2014[13] | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 16 | 1 | ||
| Total | 24 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 3 | |
| Club | Season | S.League | Singapore Cup | Singapore League Cup |
Asia | Total | |||||
| Tampines Rovers | 2016 | 20 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 35 | 7 |
| Total | 45 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 67 | 9 | |
| Club | Season | Thai League | FA Cup | League Cup | Asia | Total | |||||
| BBCU F.C. | 2017 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Total | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| Club | Season | S.League | Singapore Cup | Singapore League Cup |
Asia | Total | |||||
| Tampines Rovers | 2017 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 2 |
| 2018 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| Total | 45 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 67 | 9 | |
| Club | Season | Malaysia Premier League |
Malaysia FA Cup |
Malaysia Cup | Asia | Total | |||||
| Johor Darul Ta'zim II F.C. | 2018 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Total | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| Hougang United | 2019 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2 |
| 2020 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 4 | |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 44 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 49 | 6 | |
| Career total | 144 | 9 | 14 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 13 | 2 | 181 | 18 | |
- Young Lions and LionsXII are ineligible for qualification to AFC competitions in their respective leagues.
- Young Lions withdrew from the 2011 and 2012 Singapore Cup, and the 2011 Singapore League Cup due to participation in AFC and AFF youth competitions.
International
edit| Singapore national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2012 | 1 | 0 |
| 2013 | 5 | 0 |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 8 | 0 |
Statistics accurate as of match played 5 March 2014
Honours
editClub
editLionsXII
References
edit- ^ "FAS names 2014 LionsXII squad list". Football Association of Singapore. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
- ^ "Player profile – Hafiz Sujad". LionsXII official website. Archived from the original on 3 October 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
- ^ "Hafiz happy to play utility man". LionsXII official website. Archived from the original on 8 February 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
- ^ "Hafiz Abu Sujad impresses during trial in Thailand". The New Paper. 28 December 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
- ^ "Hafiz goes for Thai audition". The New Paper. 19 December 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
- ^ "Hafiz signs with BBCU". FourFourTwo. 10 January 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
- ^ "Singapore international Hafiz Sujad headed to JDT II". FourFourTwo. 3 January 2018. Archived from the original on 3 January 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
- ^ "Hafiz Sujad rejoins Tampines Rovers from Johor Darul Ta'zim II". Fox Sports Asia. 16 April 2018. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
- ^ "Versatile Hafiz boon to LionsXII". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Nerves no longer freeze rising son". AsiaOne. 6 December 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
- ^ "MSL: Physioptherapist plays unsung hero in LionsXII's rise". The New Paper. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
- ^ "LionsXII fixtures and results for 2013 season". LionsXII official website. Archived from the original on 16 February 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
- ^ "LionsXII fixtures and results for 2014 season". LionsXII official website. Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.