Mahdi Karim
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mahdi Karim Ajeel | ||
| Date of birth | December 10, 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Baghdad, Iraq | ||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 8 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Winger, Right Back | ||
| Club information | |||
|
Current team
|
Al-Talaba | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1995–1996 | Al-Shorta | ||
| 1996–1997 | Al-Khutot | ||
| 1997–1998 | Al-Salikh | ||
| 1998–1999 | Al-Shabab | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1999–2002 | Al Naft | ? | (?) |
| 2002–2005 | Al Talaba | ? | (?) |
| 2005–2007 | Apollon Limassol | 83 | (10) |
| 2007–2008 | Al Ahly Tripoli | 18 | (11) |
| 2008–2009 | Al-Khor | 19 | (3) |
| 2009–2013 | Erbil SC | ||
| 2013–2015 | Al-Shorta | (3) | |
| 2015– | Al-Talaba | ||
| National team‡ | |||
| 2001–2014 | Iraq | 109 | (12) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of December 28, 2014 |
|||
Mahdi Karim Ajeel (Arabic: مهدي كريم عجيل, born December 10, 1977 in Iraq) is an Iraqi footballer. He currently plays as a winger for Al-Talaba in Iraq and the Iraq national football team.
Mahdi Kareem Ajeel's successful conversion to a right winger came initially came as a result of his failure claim a more central striking role in the face of competition from the likes of Younis Mahmoud. Kareem's club career began with Al Naft, where he displayed his predatory instincts by scoring regularly for the local powerhouses. However, his career as a centre-forward effectively ended when he moved to Al Talaba in 2002.
With Alaa Kadhim, Younis Mahmoud and Ahmed Salah all in their prime and ahead of Kareem in the pecking order for a starting place, the youngster found himself switched to the right wing. Not that it took long for the versatile player to adapt to his new position; indeed, it was on the wing that Kareem really came into his own.
Having thrived in his new role at the club level, he quickly broke into Iraqi Olympic team under Adnan Hamad. There, he formed one half of a dynamic wing duo with Hawar Mulla Mohammed, whose surging down the left flank were as significant as Kareem's in breaking down opposition defences. Both figured prominently with the Iraq junior side as they came through Asia's hard-fought qualifying round to book an appearance at Athens 2004, where they would stun the watching world by storming into the last four.
The high point of Kareem's international career had still to come, however. That arrived later in the year when Iraq won their first continental title at year's AFC Asian Cup. He also figured prominently in Iraq's qualifying campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, scoring four times in the 7-0 victory over Pakistan. This outstanding display helped earned him a move to Al Ahly Tripoli, where he has already scored 11 times in just 18 appearances. Then he went to the Qatari Club Al-Khor, where he had a great season. In 2009, Iraq played disastrous Gulf Cup. But Mahdi was one of the best players. He always fights. He never gives up. Combined with speed and a great technique, it makes him to one of the best Iraqi player ever. He played a great Confederations Cup. After that he moved to the giant Iraqi Club Arbil FC. He made great matches in the AFC Cup against Al-Kuwait, where he also scored a goal. Mahdi is a great player and one of Iraq's hope to defend the Asian Cup Title in 2011.
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