Hafiz Abu Sujad

Hafiz Abu Sujad
Hafiz in 2013
Personal information
Full name Muhammad Hafiz bin Abu Sujad[1]
Date of birth (1990-11-01) 1 November 1990 (age 34)[2]
Place of birth Singapore
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 7+12 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
Men's football
Representing  Singapore
Sea Games
Bronze medal – third place Naypyidaw 2013 Football
*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)

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.

Club career

Young Lions

Hafiz began his professional football career with Under-23 side Young Lions in the S.League in 2009.

LionsXII

In December 2011, the FAS announced that Hafiz was to join the newly formed LionsXII for the 2012 Malaysia Super League.

Tampines Rovers

In 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

The 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

After 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

Hafiz 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

Hafiz rejoins Tampines Rovers on Singapore Premier League deadline day for registration, 13 April 2018.[8]

International career

Hafiz made his international debut on 16 October 2012, coming on as a substitute against India in a friendly match.

Personal life

Hafiz 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

Club

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

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

Club

LionsXII

References

  1. ^ "FAS names 2014 LionsXII squad list". Football Association of Singapore. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  2. ^ "Player profile – Hafiz Sujad". LionsXII official website. Archived from the original on 3 October 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  3. ^ "Hafiz happy to play utility man". LionsXII official website. Archived from the original on 8 February 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  4. ^ "Hafiz Abu Sujad impresses during trial in Thailand". The New Paper. 28 December 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  5. ^ "Hafiz goes for Thai audition". The New Paper. 19 December 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  6. ^ "Hafiz signs with BBCU". FourFourTwo. 10 January 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  7. ^ "Singapore international Hafiz Sujad headed to JDT II". FourFourTwo. 3 January 2018. Archived from the original on 3 January 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ "Versatile Hafiz boon to LionsXII". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  10. ^ a b c d "Nerves no longer freeze rising son". AsiaOne. 6 December 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  11. ^ "MSL: Physioptherapist plays unsung hero in LionsXII's rise". The New Paper. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  12. ^ "LionsXII fixtures and results for 2013 season". LionsXII official website. Archived from the original on 16 February 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  13. ^ "LionsXII fixtures and results for 2014 season". LionsXII official website. Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.