1. Early Life and Background
Ali Abbas was born on 30 August 1986 in Baghdad, Iraq. His early football development began in Iraq, where he started his professional career with Al Talaba. He later joined Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in July 2006, an Iraqi club based in Baghdad. These foundational experiences laid the groundwork for his professional journey before he moved to Australia.
2. Club career
Ali Abbas has had an extensive professional football career across several clubs in Australia and South Korea. His club career is marked by his initial move to Australia under unique circumstances, his significant tenure with Sydney FC, and two stints with the Newcastle Jets.
2.1. Initial Career and Asylum Attempt
In November 2007, Ali Abbas garnered international attention when he, along with teammates Ali Mansour and Ali Khudhair, sought asylum in Australia. This occurred after they played for the Iraqi Under-23 side against the Olyroos in an Olympic Games qualifier held in Gosford, Australia. Following discussions with the Iraqi Football Association, Abbas returned to Iraq in early 2008 and rejoined Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in Baghdad. By February 2009, Marconi Stallions, an Australian club, reached an agreement with Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya for Abbas to join them permanently.
2.2. Marconi Stallions
Abbas made an impactful debut for Marconi Stallions in the opening game of the NSW Premier League season. He scored a remarkable curling free-kick, contributing to Marconi's 2-0 victory over Penrith Nepean United at Marconi Stadium. His contributions helped Marconi secure second place in the 2009 New South Wales Premier League season before he signed with the A-League side, Newcastle United Jets.
2.3. Newcastle Jets (first stint)
Prior to the 2009-10 regular season, Abbas trialed with the Newcastle Jets under coach Gary Van Egmond, but was not initially signed. However, on 18 September 2009, he officially joined the club as an injury replacement player for Shaun Ontong. He scored his first goal for the Jets on 12 February 2010 in a 2-1 loss to Adelaide United. Abbas subsequently re-signed with the Jets for an additional season, extending his play until the conclusion of the 2010-11 A-League season. He later secured another contract extension, keeping him with the club until the end of the 2011-12 A-League season.
2.4. Sydney FC
On 21 May 2012, Ali Abbas signed a two-year deal with Sydney FC. Initially recognized as a left winger, a position he played throughout pre-season, manager Ian Crook shifted him to a central midfield role early in the 2012-13 season. He scored his first competitive goal for Sydney FC on 3 November 2012 against Central Coast Mariners, volleying the ball over goalkeeper Mathew Ryan after receiving a reverse pass from Yairo Yau.
A notable performance came on 12 August 2014, when Abbas scored two extra-time penalties for Sydney FC in the club's inaugural FFA Cup match against Melbourne City. With the game tied at 1-1 at full time, Abbas converted penalties in the 111th and 114th minutes after fouls on Corey Gameiro and Terry Antonis, securing a 3-1 win for Sydney FC after extra time.
However, on 29 November 2014, during the Sydney Derby at Parramatta Stadium, Abbas suffered a severe knee injury in the opening minutes due to a heavy collision with Iacopo La Rocca. The injury involved tears to both his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments, sidelining him for the remainder of the season. After a recovery period of 405 days, Abbas made his return on 9 January 2016 in a match against his former club, Newcastle Jets. He scored Sydney's second goal in a 2-0 victory, receiving significant appreciation from the fans. On 1 May 2016, Sydney FC announced Abbas's release to allow him to pursue an overseas career opportunity.
2.5. Pohang Steelers
On 12 May 2016, Abbas moved to South Korea, joining Pohang Steelers on a one-and-a-half-year contract. His performances against Pohang Steelers in the AFC Champions League while playing for Sydney FC had notably impressed the South Korean club, leading to his transfer. His K League registration name was "Ali".
2.6. Wellington Phoenix
On 23 August 2017, Abbas signed a two-year contract with Wellington Phoenix, joining as an injury replacement for Louis Fenton. Despite the contract, he played limited minutes, appearing in only eight games for a total of 640 minutes. Consequently, Abbas and Wellington Phoenix mutually agreed to part ways on 31 January 2018.
2.7. Newcastle Jets (second stint)
In December 2020, Ali Abbas returned to the Newcastle Jets, signing a one-year deal with the club.
3. International career
Ali Abbas has represented the Iraq national football team at various levels. Despite playing only one of Iraq's six matches in the 2008 Asian Olympic qualifiers, the 20-year-old midfielder was called up to the senior national team for the 2007 WAFF Championship. He was part of the squad that lifted the Asian Cup Trophy in 2007, a significant achievement for his country.
After a seven-year absence, Abbas was recalled to the national team in September 2014 as part of an extended squad for friendly matches against Bahrain and Yemen. In September 2016, he was again called up to the national squad for the final stage of World Cup qualifying against Australia in Perth.
4. Personal Life
On 26 January 2012, Ali Abbas officially became an Australian citizen. This naturalization meant that he was no longer counted against foreign player quotas in the A-League, providing him greater flexibility within the league. His nephew, Mohammed Ridha Jalil, is also an Iraqi international footballer.
5. Honours
5.1. Country
- AFC Asian Cup: 2007
5.2. Individual
- A-League All Star: 2014
6. Career statistics
6.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Marconi Stallions | 2009 | NSW Premier League | 29 | 8 | - | - | 29 | 8 | ||
| Newcastle Jets | 2009-10 | A-League | 17 | 1 | - | - | 17 | 1 | ||
| 2010-11 | A-League | 24 | 1 | - | - | 24 | 1 | |||
| 2011-12 | A-League | 19 | 2 | - | - | 19 | 2 | |||
| Total | 60 | 4 | - | - | 60 | 4 | ||||
| Sydney FC | 2012-13 | A-League | 24 | 1 | - | - | 24 | 1 | ||
| 2013-14 | A-League | 28 | 2 | - | - | 28 | 2 | |||
| 2014-15 | A-League | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | - | 10 | 3 | ||
| 2015-16 | A-League | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 2 | |
| Total | 68 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 75 | 8 | ||
| Career total | 211 | 32 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 218 | 35 | ||