Amer Shafi

Amer Shafi Mahmoud Sabbah (Arabic: عَامِر شَفِيع مَحْمُود صَبَّاح; born 14 February 1982) is a Jordanian former footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Amer Shafi

Amer Shafi saves a ball for Jordan at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
Personal information
Full name	Amer Shafi Mahmoud Sabbah
Date of birth	(1982-02-14) 14 February 1982 (age 43)
Place of birth	Amman, Jordan
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
	Al-Yarmouk
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2000–2007	Al-Yarmouk	52	(0)
2004–2005	→ Al-Faisaly (loan)	17	(0)
2006–2007	→ Ismaily (loan)	9	(0)
2007–2018	Al-Wehdat	203	(1)
2018–2019	Shabab Al-Ordon	11	(0)
2019	→ Al-Fayha (loan)	13	(0)
2019–2020	Al-Fayha	16	(0)
International career‡
2002–2021	Jordan	179	(1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20 March 2020 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 1 February 2021

Club career

Shafi began his career as a midfielder and later on became a goalkeeper. After playing many years for Al-Yarmouk,^[1] he joined Al-Wehdat.^[2] After his performances in the 2004 AFC Asian Cup, he had offers to play in Europe, but he was not able to leave Jordan due to family conditions and his international career.^[3]

International career

Shafi played his first international match with the Jordan national team against Kenya in a friendly match on 17 August 2002, which ended in a 1–1 draw.^[4] Shafi is and has always been nicknamed the "Whale of Asia" due to his outstanding and incredible acrobatic saves and performances.^[5]

He scored his first international goal for Jordan in a friendly against India on 17 November 2018, letting fly with a long kick that bounced just outside the India penalty area, catching his opposite number Gurpreet Singh Sandhu by surprise. The game ended 2–1 in Jordan's favour.^[6][7]

He later played in the 2004, 2011, 2015 and 2019 AFC Asian Cup tournaments. On 1 February 2021, he played his last international match in a 2–0 win over Tajikistan in a friendly match.

Retirement and aftermath

On 8 February 2021, he announced his retirement from football.^[8] In March 2021, he joined the coaching staff of the national team.^[9]

Career statistics

International

Source:^[10][11][12]

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Jordan	2002	12	0
	2003	7	0
	2004	23	0
	2006	11	0
	2007	4	0
	2008	6	0
	2009	7	0
	2010	8	0
	2011	17	0
	2012	12	0
	2013	12	0
	2014	4	0
	2015	14	0
	2016	6	0
	2017	5	0
	2018	7	1
	2019	13	0
	2020	2	0
	2021	1	0
Total		171	1

International goals

Scores and results list Jordan's goal tally first.^[13]

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	17 November 2018	King Abdullah II Stadium, Amman, Jordan	India	1–0	2–1	Friendly

Honours

Al-Wehdat

• Jordan Premier League: 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18
• Jordan FA Cup: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2013–14
• Jordan FA Shield: 2008, 2010, 2017
• Jordan Super Cup: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014

Al-Faisaly

• Jordan FA Cup: 2004–05

See also

• List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps