Rahmat Akbari (born 20 June 2000) is an Afghan professional footballer who played as a central midfielder for Georgian Erovnuli Liga club Torpedo Kutaisi and still currently plays for the Afghanistan national football team.[1]

Rahmat Akbari
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-06-20) 20 June 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Jaghori, Afghanistan
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Central midfielder
Youth career
Logan Lightning
Brisbane Strikers
2015–2016 QAS NTC
2017–2018 Brisbane Roar
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2020 Brisbane Roar NPL 46 (9)
2017–2023 Brisbane Roar 82 (2)
2018–2019Melbourne Victory (loan) 9 (0)
2018–2019Melbourne Victory NPL (loan) 9 (3)
2023–2024 Torpedo Kutaisi 24 (0)
International career
2015 Australia U17 15 (6)
2023– Afghanistan 9 (1)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Australia
AFF U-16 Youth Championship
First place 2016 Cambodia U-17 Team
Third place 2015 Cambodia U-17 Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 June 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 November 2024

Club career

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Brisbane Roar

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On 6 October 2017, Akbari made his professional debut in the opening round of the 2017–18 season, replacing Nicholas D'Agostino in the 83rd minute as Brisbane Roar were beaten 2–0 by Melbourne City at AAMI Park.

Melbourne Victory

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Akbari joined Melbourne Victory on a one-year loan in October 2018.[2][3][4] He made his Victory debut on 11 November 2018, replacing James Troisi in the 89th minute as they demolished the Central Coast Mariners 4–1 at home.

Return to Brisbane Roar

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On 4 June 2019, it was announced that Akbari had returned to Brisbane following the completion of his contract.[5]

Torpedo Kutaisi

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On 28 June 2023, Georgian top-flight club Torpedo Kutaisi announced it had signed Akbari on a 1.5-year contract.[6]

International career

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Due to his Afghan heritage, Akbari is available to represent Afghanistan national football team. On 7 March 2022, he reportedly accepted a call-up for Afghanistan to play in two hybrid friendly matches.[7]

Akbari was called up to the Afghan side to play Bangladesh in Dhaka in September 2023.[8] He made his debut in their 1–1 draw against Bangladesh at the Bashundhara Kings Arena on 7 September.

Personal life

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Born in Jaghori, Afghanistan to an ethnic Hazara family, Akbari was raised in Pakistan for the first five years of his life, before his family migrated to south-east Queensland as refugees in 2005. Coming to Australia and playing football with his brothers at the local park. He ended up discovering football at the age of 8. This is where he first played for Beenleigh Lions. He eventually moved onto Logan Lightning and he played with them for several years before joining the Brisbane Strikers [9]

Career statistics

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As of match played 15 May 2024[10]
  • Note - also played for the Brisbane Roar NPL side in 2017 and 2018 seasons however the statistics can no longer be found on the competition website.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Brisbane Roar NPL 2019 NPL Queensland 4 0 4 0
2020 6 0 6 0
Total 10 0 10 0
Brisbane Roar 2017–18 A-League 6 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
2019–20 5 0 2 0 7 0
2020–21 26 0 26 0
2021–22 A-League 23 2 2 0 25 2
2022–23 22 0 5 1 27 1
Total 82 2 9 1 0 0 91 3
Melbourne Victory (loan) 2018–19 A-League 9 0 0 0 2[a] 0 11 0
Torpedo Kutaisi 2023 Erovnuli Liga 11 0 1 0 12 0
2024 13 0 0 0 0 0 13 0
Total 24 0 1 0 0 0 25 0
Career total 125 2 10 1 2 0 137 3
  1. ^ Appearances in AFC Champions League

International goals

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No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 26 March 2024 Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium, Guwahati, India   India 1–1 2–1 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

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Australia U17

References

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  1. ^ "Rahmat Akbari". Brisbane Roar FC. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Melbourne Victory signs Rahmat Akbari". Melbourne Victory. Football Federation Australia. 24 October 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  3. ^ "Signing news: Victory secure exciting teenager Barnett". A-League. Football Federation Australia. 4 June 2019. Rahmat Akbari was on loan at Victory from Roar for the 2018/19 Season
  4. ^ Rugari, Vince (19 October 2018). "Victory sign exciting teen Akbari in time for A-League kick-off". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  5. ^ "Melbourne Victory signs Jay Barnett". Melbourne Victory. Football Federation Australia. 4 June 2019.
  6. ^ "Welcome Rahmat Akbari" (in Georgian). Torpedo Kutaisi. 28 June 2023 – via Facebook.
  7. ^ Lewis, Dale (7 March 2022). "Aussie Akbari accepts Afghanistan call-up". FTBL. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  8. ^ "Bangladesh face Afghanistan in first match tomorrow | Sports". BSS. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  9. ^ Cormack, Michael (22 July 2015). "Edens Landing teen Rahmat Akbari finds peace on the football field after migrating to Australia". The Courier Mail. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  10. ^ Rahmat Akbari at Soccerway
  11. ^ "Vietnam − Australia Match Summary" (PDF). ASEAN Football Federation. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
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