Ali Ashfaq

2.1. Club Valencia

Ashfaq began his professional career with Club Valencia, where he played for five years, from 2001 to 2005.

His very first professional match was on 26 October 2001, in the 2001 POMIS Cup tournament against Thailand's BEC Tero Sasana FC, donning the Club Valencia jersey. He received this opportunity due to a three-match suspension faced by teammate Ali Umar. In that match, he created a scoring chance by dribbling past two defenders and the goalkeeper, but opted to pass to Ali Shiham for the goal. Ashfaq scored his first goal for the club on 30 October in the second match of the POMIS Cup, securing a 1-0 victory for Valencia against Victory Sports Club. In the semi-final, he assisted Ali Shiham for Valencia's first goal in a 2-0 win against FC Kochin of India.

On 8 June 2002, Ashfaq netted his first goal of the season in a 5-0 win against Eagles. He played his first international club tournament match on 9 October 2002, against Mohun Bagan of India in the 2002-03 AFC Champions League qualification. In the first leg in Kolkata, Ashfaq scored to level the game when Valencia was trailing 2-1. On 21 August 2002, he claimed his first hat-trick against Veymandoo Zuvaanunge Gulhun. In his first full season for Valencia, Ashfaq managed to score 12 goals.

The 2003 season saw Ashfaq score 36 goals, earning him the Best Player of the Season Award. On 6 April 2004, he played his first AFC Cup match against Hong Kong's Happy Valley AA, scoring both goals in a 2-1 victory. Although Happy Valley won the second leg 3-1 on 21 April, Ashfaq scored Valencia's lone goal. He continued his prolific form, becoming the top scorer for three consecutive seasons, with 37 goals in 2004 and 34 goals in 2005. By the age of 20, he had accumulated 110 goals for Club Valencia.

2.2. New Radiant SC

For the 2006 season, Ashfaq joined New Radiant, a club that had finished third in the 2005 AFC Cup the previous year. Despite playing alongside notable players like Ibrahim Fazeel, Ali Umar, Sobah Mohamed, and Ahmed Thoriq, Ashfaq's goal-scoring rate dipped, and he lost the Golden Boot to his teammate Fazeel. Nevertheless, he scored over 40 goals during his tenure with New Radiant, playing a crucial role in the club's numerous title wins. In 2007, he was named Haveeru Best Footballer of the Year.

Ashfaq rejoined New Radiant on 19 December 2011, after being released by VB Sports Club. In the 2012 season, he scored a hat-trick against his former club, VB, in the first league game. He helped New Radiant win the league and qualify for the 2013 AFC Cup. New Radiant also secured the President's Cup title that year, defeating Victory Sports Club in a penalty shootout. Ashfaq scored one goal in the President's Cup, contributing a total of 22 goals for New Radiant in 2012.

The 2013 season was particularly successful for Ashfaq and New Radiant, often referred to as the "Invincibles" season due to their perfect winning record. Ashfaq's first goal of the season came in the FA Charity Shield victory over Maziya, scoring from the spot in a 3-1 win. On 5 March, in the 2013 AFC Cup against Sun Hei SC of Hong Kong, Ashfaq delivered a crucial ball that led to Mohamed Umair's decisive goal, securing three points for New Radiant. On 12 March, in their second AFC Cup match against Persibo Bojonegoro in Indonesia, Ashfaq scored five goals in a dominant performance. He continued his impressive form on 1 May, scoring another hat-trick against Persibo at home, which also marked his 300th career goal, scored from the penalty spot in the 80th minute. Ashfaq has scored in every AFC Cup he participated in since 2004, becoming Maldives' all-time top scorer in the competition and the first Maldivian player to score five goals in two consecutive AFC Cup tournaments. New Radiant advanced to the Round of 16 after defeating Malaysia's Selangor 2-0 in extra time. However, they were eliminated from the tournament after losing to the 2012 AFC Cup champions, Kuwait SC, with an aggregate score of 12-2 across both legs. Ashfaq scored one of New Radiant's two goals against Kuwait SC in the first leg.

Before the President's Cup final, New Radiant announced that Ashfaq's contract would not be renewed as he sought to play for a foreign club in 2014. In his final game for New Radiant, many supporters gathered at the National Stadium to bid him farewell. Ashfaq scored one last goal in the final minutes, as Maziya was defeated 4-2. Throughout the 2013 season, Ashfaq scored an outstanding 44 goals for New Radiant, earning him the Best Player and Top Scorer awards for the year.

2.3. Brunei DPMM FC

In October 2007, Ali Ashfaq ventured abroad, signing a two-month contract with Brunei DPMM FC, which competed in the Malaysia Super League. He made his debut on 18 November against Perak FA. Ashfaq scored his first goal for DPMM FC on 21 November in a 5-1 victory over Negeri Sembilan. In January 2008, after making seven appearances for DPMM, he was transferred to the Maldivian club VB Sports Club for a transfer fee of 13.00 K EUR. Despite DPMM's efforts to retain the Maldivian striker, he chose to return to his home country.

2.4. VB Sports Club

After his brief stint in Brunei, Ashfaq joined VB Sports Club and was appointed captain. His first season with VB did not fully showcase his potential. However, in his second season, he made a strong comeback, scoring 33 goals for the club and playing a pivotal role in leading VB to their first-ever league title. In 2009, he was named Best Player of the Maldives for the third time and also secured the top scorer award. The 2010 season saw him miss a significant portion of games due to numerous suspensions and injuries, yet he still managed to score 30 goals. This was also the year VB won the President's Cup for the first time, with Ashfaq scoring four goals in the 5-3 final victory over local rivals Victory SC.

Ashfaq started the 2011 season with two goals in the Milo Charity Shield against Victory on 13 February. VB's first league victory of the season came on 30 March, a 3-1 win against New Radiant, with Ashfaq scoring one goal. On 7 April, he scored a hat-trick against Club Eagles in a dominant 9-0 league win. VB were crowned champions of the 2011 Dhivehi League with 47 points, and Ashfaq contributed 14 league goals. On 11 May, he scored his only goal in the 2011 AFC Cup against Sông Lam Nghệ An in Vietnam, though VB did not advance to the knockout stage that year. In the FA Cup final on 31 October, Ashfaq netted four times to help VB secure the championship with a 6-4 victory over Maziya. He concluded the 2011 season with 22 goals. For his impressive performances, Haveeru named Ashfaq the Maldivian Footballer of the Year, and he also received the 2nd Best Player of the Season award from the Football Association of Maldives.

2.5. PDRM FA

On 10 December 2013, Ali Ashfaq scored his first unofficial goal for PDRM FA in a friendly match against Penjara, which PDRM won 2-0. He made his official debut on 21 January 2014, in the Malaysia FA Cup against KL Spa, scoring his first official goal for PDRM. On 27 January, Ashfaq scored his first goal in the Malaysia Premier League against Penang in a resounding 7-1 victory for PDRM. He then scored his first league hat-trick on 14 February against Perlis, followed by a second hat-trick on 28 March against Kedah. PDRM released Ashfaq on 19 April to allow him to participate in the AFC Challenge Cup with the Maldives national football team, and he rejoined the club on 31 May, having missed two league matches.

On 20 June 2014, Ashfaq achieved a significant milestone by winning the 2014 Malaysia Premier League with PDRM, becoming the first Maldivian player to win a title abroad. He scored 17 goals in 20 league matches for PDRM during this victorious season. In the Malaysia Cup, he scored twice against Super League side Sime Darby in their opening match. On 20 August, PDRM secured a surprising 2-0 victory against Malaysian football giants Selangor, with Ashfaq breaking the deadlock from a penalty after being fouled. He netted three goals in the final two group stage games against T-Team, helping PDRM top their group. However, PDRM was eliminated from the tournament after losing to Pahang on a 3-2 aggregate score in the Malaysia Cup quarter-finals. On 13 November, Ashfaq was honored with the "Best Import Player Award" at the 2014 FA Malaysia Football Awards for his outstanding performances. In his first year in Malaysia, he scored 27 goals in 30 matches. Ashfaq subsequently renewed his contract with PDRM for another two years on 20 November, stating to the media, "I am really thankful to the management of the club for the trust on me and giving the chance to stay with them for another two years. It was the best offer for me and my career, so I decided to stay with them."

In January 2015, PDRM traveled to the Maldives to participate in the 2015 POMIS Cup at the invitation of the Maldives FA. PDRM won their first game in the POMIS Cup 1-0 against Ashfaq's former club, New Radiant. PDRM reached the final, where they defeated Maziya 5-4 in extra time, with Ashfaq scoring a hat-trick in the final. In the FA Cup Round of 32, Ashfaq scored the opening goal against Sabah in a 3-0 victory, advancing PDRM to the last 16. On 14 March, Ashfaq suffered a hamstring injury while playing against Perak, but he returned on 11 April, scoring a goal against Felda United. On 18 April, PDRM defeated Sime Darby 4-1, with Ashfaq scoring twice. He also scored PDRM's only goal in a 1-1 draw against Selangor. Ashfaq sustained another injury after the Selangor game, which caused him to miss matches against Sarawak and Terengganu. He scored PDRM's final goal of the season in their 22 August win against ATM. Ashfaq finished the league season with 10 goals in 17 matches. In the Malaysia Cup, he scored 3 goals in 6 matches against Pahang, Penang, and PKNS FC in Group D, but PDRM was knocked out in the group stage. On 14 December 2015, Ashfaq was nominated for the Best Foreign Player Award at the Malaysia Football Awards 2015.

PDRM announced on 17 December 2015 that Ashfaq would remain with the club for the 2016 season, which was the final year of his two-year contract signed in 2014. On 13 February 2016, Ashfaq scored the sole goal for PDRM in their 1-0 victory over Sarawak in the opening game of the season. His final game for the club was a 1-1 draw against Kedah at home on 21 May. On 24 May, Ashfaq announced that he and PDRM had mutually agreed to terminate his contract, with seven months remaining, due to an injury he had sustained.

2.6. Maziya S&RC

Ali Ashfaq signed a four-month deal with Maziya S&RC on 12 July 2016. He made his debut for the club on 20 July against BG Sports in the Dhivehi Premier League. Ashfaq scored his first goal for Maziya against New Radiant on 7 August.

2.7. Other Clubs

Following his time with Maziya, Ashfaq continued his career with several other Maldivian clubs. He returned to New Radiant for the 2017 season, playing 14 league matches and scoring 13 goals. In 2018, he joined TC Sports Club, where he made 16 league appearances and scored 22 goals. He also played for Club Green Streets in the 2019-20 Dhivehi Premier League, scoring 8 goals in 9 matches. During the same 2019-20 season, he had another stint with TC Sports Club, where he scored 12 goals in 11 league matches and made one appearance in an AFC competition. In the 2020-21 Dhivehi Premier League, Ashfaq played for Club Valencia, scoring 5 goals in 9 appearances. He briefly joined Club Eagles for the 2022 Dhivehi Premier League but made no appearances or goals. His final known club was SUS, where he played in the 2023 and 2024 Dhivehi Premier League seasons. In the 2023 season, he scored 3 goals in the President's Cup.

3.1. Debut and early years

Ashfaq made his international debut for the Maldives senior national team in December 2003 at the age of 18. He had missed out on a spot in the 2003 SAFF Championship National Squad to fellow striker Ahmed Thariq. His first international goals came on 3 December 2003, in the second leg of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Asian first round qualifier against Mongolia, where he scored a remarkable four goals. This contributed to Maldives' dominant 13-0 aggregate victory, securing their progression to the second round of qualifiers. On 13 October 2004, he scored two goals against Vietnam in a 3-0 victory during the 2006 FIFA World Cup Asian second round qualifiers.

3.2. SAFF Championship

Ashfaq's first participation in the SAFF Championship was the 2005 SAFF Championship held in Karachi. He scored two goals against Afghanistan and one against Sri Lanka in the group stage, though Maldives was eventually knocked out by India in the semi-finals.

In the 2008 SAFF Championship, which Maldives co-hosted with Sri Lanka, Maldives secured their first-ever SAFF Championship title. Despite not scoring any goals throughout the tournament, Ashfaq provided six assists for his team and was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. His performance led to his inclusion in Goal's Asia's top ten performers of 2008.

Ashfaq became the captain of the Maldives national football team in 2009 at the age of 23. During the 2009 SAFF Championship, he scored three goals. Maldives reached the final but lost the title to India after a penalty shootout. Ashfaq was the runner-up for the Most Valuable Player award but was voted the best player of the tournament by the Bangladeshi media.

The 2011 SAFF Championship was hosted by India in New Delhi. Maldives, placed in a challenging "Group of Death" with Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh, entered the tournament with high hopes. In their first match against Nepal, Ashfaq scored a brilliant, world-class long-range shot in the final minutes of the first half, a goal widely praised by international media as the best of the tournament. The match ended in a draw. The Maldives-Pakistan match also ended in a draw, with the team's performance drawing criticism. Maldives was ultimately knocked out in the semi-finals by eventual winners, India.

In the 2013 SAFF Championship held in Nepal, Ashfaq had a record-breaking performance. He scored six goals against Sri Lanka in a match that Maldives won 10-0, breaking their previous record for the largest winning margin (9-1 against Afghanistan in 2005). With these goals, Ashfaq also became the all-time top scorer of the SAFF Championship with a total of 14 goals. He continued his exceptional form by scoring four goals in an 8-2 victory over Bhutan, bringing his total SAFF Championship goals to 18.

On 26 November 2015, Ashfaq announced that the 2015 SAFF Championship would be his last edition of the tournament before his retirement from international football. Maldives prepared for the tournament with a training camp in Malaysia, including several friendly matches, one of which was against Ashfaq's club, PDRM FA, which Maldives won 3-2. On 24 December, Maldives faced Bhutan in their opening game, winning 3-1, with Ashfaq scoring a stunning goal after beating a couple of defenders outside the area. In their second group stage game against Bangladesh on 26 December, Maldives secured a narrow 3-1 victory by scoring two late goals, with Ashfaq converting a penalty. Ashfaq concluded his last SAFF tournament in the semi-finals on 31 December 2015, remaining the all-time top scorer of the SAFF Suzuki Cup with 20 goals. In the 2021 SAFF Championship, he scored 3 goals, leading the team to a third-place finish.

3.3. AFC Challenge Cup and other international tournaments

In the opening match of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup against Myanmar, Ashfaq assisted Mohamed Umair for a goal and scored the final goal himself in a 3-2 defeat. He continued his fine form with two goals in a 2-0 win over Kyrgyzstan. In the last match of the group stage, Maldives drew 0-0 with Palestine, securing a place in the semi-finals. Despite Ashfaq's skill, Maldives lost to Philippines 3-2 in extra time and had to play for third place. Maldives and Afghanistan battled to a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes, with Maldives ultimately winning 8-7 in a penalty shootout, securing their first-ever medal from an AFC tournament.

On 26 March 2015, Maldives played Tajikistan, but Ashfaq was sidelined due to a hamstring injury sustained in the Malaysia Super League. Tajikistan defeated Maldives 2-0. On 3 September 2015, Maldives lost 2-0 to the Philippines in a friendly game in Manila. Ashfaq was rested for this match by the Football Association of Maldives due to his demanding schedule of competitive matches in the Malaysia Super League.

Maldives was drawn into Group C for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualification (AFC) round 2, alongside Qatar, China, Hong Kong, and Bhutan. On 11 June 2015, Maldives suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Qatar at home due to a 99th-minute goal. On 16 June, Maldives lost 2-0 to Hong Kong away. Ashfaq was not in good form in either of these matches. He could not participate in the China game due to personal reasons, which Maldives lost 4-0 in Shenyang. On 8 October, Ashfaq scored a hat-trick against Bhutan at home before being substituted in the 59th minute, with Maldives winning 4-3. Maldives lost their home game against Hong Kong by one goal on 12 November. In the 2018 FIFA World Cup Asian second round qualifiers, Ashfaq scored five goals against Bhutan, contributing to Maldives' qualification for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification play-off.

In the 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification play-off round 1, Maldives suffered a 4-0 aggregate defeat to Yemen. However, in round 2, Maldives defeated Laos 4-1, marking their first-ever qualification for the AFC Asian Cup final qualification round. Ashfaq contributed two goals in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Asian second round qualifiers, helping Maldives qualify for the AFC Asian Cup final qualification for the second consecutive time. He was not included in the squad for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup final qualification.

3.4. Captaincy and National Team Records

Ali Ashfaq assumed the captaincy of the Maldives national football team in 2009. He led the team to the semi-finals of the 2009 SAFF Championship. In September 2013, he became the all-time top scorer of the SAFF Championship, having scored 10 goals in the 2013 edition, bringing his total to 18 goals in the tournament. By May 2014, Ashfaq won his first medal as captain when Maldives finished third in the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup. He also participated in the 2010 South Asian Games as a wildcard, leading the team to a bronze medal. On 31 December 2015, as he concluded his last SAFF tournament from the semi-finals, he remained the all-time top scorer of the SAFF Suzuki Cup with 20 goals. In March 2016, Ashfaq scored his 50th goal for Maldives, solidifying his status as the Maldives' all-time leading scorer with 58 goals from 98 caps.

5.1. Club Honours

• Dhivehi League: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 (with Club Valencia); 2006, 2012, 2013 (with New Radiant); 2009, 2010, 2011 (with VB Sports Club)
• FA Cup: 2004 (with Club Valencia); 2006, 2007, 2013 (with New Radiant); 2008, 2011 (with VB Sports Club)
• President's Cup: 2007, 2012, 2013 (with New Radiant); 2010 (with VB Sports Club)
• Cup Winners' Cup: 2004, 2005 (with Club Valencia)
• Maldivian Charity Shield: 2010, 2011 (with VB Sports Club); 2013 (with New Radiant)
• POMIS Cup: 2001 (with Club Valencia); 2015 (with PDRM FA)
• Malaysia Premier League: 2014 (with PDRM FA)

5.2. Individual Awards

• FAM Appreciation Award for scoring 50 goals for National Team: 2016
• Maldives National Youth Award: 2014
• eultimategoal.com's Best Player of South Asia: 2014
• Malaysia's Best Import Player of the Year: 2014
• Top 3 Import Players in Malaysia: 2015
• Haveeru Special Award for becoming the World's 2nd Best Top Goal Scorer of the Year: 2013
• IFFHS World's Top Goal Scorer: 2013 (23 goals)
• SAFF Championship Dream Team: 2013
• New Radiant SC's Supporters Player of the Year: 2013
• New Radiant SC's Excellence Award: 2013
• New Radiant SC's Best Goal of the Season: 2013 (against Persibo of Indonesia in AFC Cup)
• New Radiant SC's Best Player of the Season: 2013
• Bangladeshi Media's SAFF Championship Player of the Year: 2009
• Fans' Favorite Player of South Asia: 2009
• Top 10 Asian Players of the Year: 2008, 2009
• Most Valuable Player of SAFF Championship: 2008
• Top Scorer of SAFF Championship: 2005, 2013
• FAM Best Player of the Year: 2004, 2009, 2013 (2nd place in 2011)
• Haveeru Golden Boot: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013
• Haveeru Maldivian Player of the Year: 2003, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013
• Maldivian Top Scorer of the Season: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013

5.3. Records

• Maldivian all-time top scorer: 464 goals
• All-time top scorer for Maldives national team: 58 goals
• Maldivian all-time top scorer in AFC Cup: 29 goals
• All-time top scorer of SAFF Championship: 23 goals (as of 2021)
• First Maldivian player to score a double hat-trick (6 goals) in an international match: against Sri Lanka in the 2013 SAFF Championship (Maldives 10-0 Sri Lanka)
• First Maldivian player to score a hat-trick in AFC Cup
• Only Maldivian player to win the Most Valuable Player of SAFF Championship: 2008
• First and only Maldivian player to win a tournament with a foreign club: 2014 Malaysia Premier League with PDRM FA
• Only Maldivian player to win the best player award abroad: 2014 (Best Foreign Player in Malaysia)
• Youngest player to score for senior Maldives national team: 18 years old
• Youngest player to score a hat-trick for senior Maldives national team: 4 goals at the age of 18 (against Mongolia in 2003)

6.1. Philanthropy

On 15 August 2014, Ashfaq demonstrated his commitment to social causes by donating one of his football boots to support the Palestine Relief Fund, which was established by the Maldivian Red Crescent. His boot was subsequently auctioned to raise funds aimed at assisting the people in the Palestinian territories.

6.2. Commercial endorsements

In January 2013, Milo announced Ashfaq as their brand ambassador in the Maldives. As part of this ambassadorship, he was featured in Milo's advertisements across the Maldives, including TV commercials, billboards, posters, and various roadshows and events organized by the brand.

In May 2013, the Maldives Olympic Committee appointed Ashfaq as their sports ambassador. This prestigious role also led to him receiving the Maldives government's green passport. Ashfaq expressed his pleasure, stating, "This is a great success, an honor. I will work with the government and sports associations to improve and promote the Maldives sports sector. I would like to thank senior members of the Olympic committee for this great honor. I am very pleased." On 11 September 2014, he officially received his green passport.

In August 2014, Ashfaq became the brand ambassador for State Trading Organization's local brand "Noo-Fahi" for a two-year period. Additionally, Zott Yoghurt appointed him as their ambassador in the Maldives in 2014. In March 2016, Ooredoo Maldives unveiled Ashfaq as their brand ambassador for a one-year term.

7.1. Club

7.2. International