Sahal Abdul Samad Biography: Personal Life, Career, Playing Style, Age, Height, Girlfriend, Facts & Networth

Sahal Abdul Samad Biography

Sahal Abdul Samad Biography

Sahal Abdul Samad, an Indian professional footballer who competes for both the Indian national team and Indian Super League side Mohun Bagan SG, was born on April 1, of the year 1997. Sahal Abdul plays in the midfield.

Early Life And Youth Career

Born in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE), to Malayali parents from Kerala, India, Sahal attended the New Indian Model School in Al Ain for his final 14 years of education. Sahal Abdul first picked up a football when he was eight years old. Sahal enrolled in the Al Ethihad Sports Academy in the year 2010 to receive training in professional football. Sahal Abdul relocated to Payyannur in Kannur, Kerala, India, to finish his degree and play college football after completing his studies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

A coach at SN College in Kannur noticed him a few months after Sahal Abdul began his degree and convinced him to change schools. Sahal Abdul’s participation in the district Under-21 team and later the Kerala team to compete in the Santosh Trophy followed strong showings at university-level competitions.

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Football Club Career

Sahal, a talented Indian footballer, made his debut in the 2017 Santosh Trophy and was signed to his first professional contract by Kerala Blasters. Sahal Abdul was appointed captain for the 2017–18 I-League 2nd Division season and scored seven goals from ten games, becoming the third top-scorer in the league. Despite struggling with the senior team, Sahal was promoted to the senior team by manager René Meulensteen.

In the 2018–19 season, Sahal was included in the starting 11 and played in 17 league games, scoring his first goal against Chennaiyin. Sahal Abdul improved his passing capability and made 688 touches, becoming one of the top Indian players with the most key passes. Despite the club’s poor campaign, Sahal won ISL Emerging Player of the Season and AIFF Emerging Player of the Year.

In the 2019–20 ISL season, Sahal was mostly used as a winger and sometimes as a secondary striker, starting most matches on the right side of the midfield. After Sandesh Jhingan’s departure, Sahal replaced him as the club’s poster boy and signed a contract until the year 2025.

In the month of December of the year 2020, Sahal made his comeback from a quads injury and was deployed as a winger by new manager Kibu Vicuña. Sahal Abdul won the Hero of the Match award in a match against the football club of East Bengal and again in a 0–0 draw against the football club of Jamshedpur. Sahal created 28 chances in his 14 appearances, ranking second among Indian players to create the most chances during the season.

In the 2021 summer transfer window, ATK Mohun Bagan offered three senior players in exchange for Sahal, but the offer was rejected by the football club Kerala Blasters. Sahal was included in the Kerala Blasters squad for the 2021 Durand Cup and scored his first goal against Delhi FC on 21 September of the year 2021.

Sahal Abdul Samad scored his second goal against ATK Mohun Bagan on 19 November, a 4–2 defeat. Sahal scored his fourth goal and third consecutive goal in the season against the football club of Jamshedpur on 26 December, becoming the second Indian player after Sunil Chhetri to score in three consecutive the matches of Indian Super League.

Sahal became the joint-second-highest Indian goal-scorer in the league with six goals, sharing the record with Mumbai City’s Bipin Singh. Sahal Abdul Samad was the leading Indian goal scorer for the Blasters in the season. In the month of June of the year 2022, Kerala Blasters sporting director Karolis Skinkys revealed that IBV Westmannaejar, an Icelandic top-tier league, was interested in signing Sahal on a short-term loan deal until the end of the month August. However, the deal did not work out due to visa and work permit issues.

Sahal made 97 appearances in football matches, scored 10 goals, and assisted 9 times across all competitions for the Blasters over his six years at the club. On 14 July of the year 2023, the football club of Kerala Blasters announced the transfer of Sahal to Mohun Bagan SG for an undisclosed transfer fee in exchange for a player. Mohun Bagan paid the Blasters approximately ₹90 lakhs and exchanged their captain Pritam Kotal to sign Sahal until the year 2028, making it one of the most expensive transfers in the entire history of Indian football.

International Football Career

Sahal, a talented Indian footballer, made his football debut with the under-23 team in a friendly match against the football team of Qatar U23 on 11 March 2019. Sahal Abdul Samad was included in the Indian senior team’s preliminary squad for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup but did not make the final squad. In May 2019, Sahal Abdul Samad was named in the squad for the 2019 King’s Cup, where he made his football debut in a 3-1 loss against Curaçao.

Sahal was named in the 23-men Indian squad for the 2021 SAFF Championship in Maldives, where he scored his first international goal against Nepal on 16 October 2021. After an impressive 2021–22 season, Sahal made it to the squad for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, scoring his second international goal on 11 June 2022 against the football team of Afghanistan.

In the month of May of the year 2023, Sahal was included in the final squad for the 2023 Intercontinental Cup, starting against Mongolia and scoring the opening goal in the 2nd minute, helping India win the match 2–0.

Playing Style

Sahal Abdul Samad initially played as an attacking midfielder or central midfielder for the Kerala Blasters. Sahal Abdul later transitioned to a winger role, defensive midfielder, and even a center-forward. Sahal is considered one of the best players in Kerala Blasters’ history and one of the best midfielders in India by many football pundits and fans.

Personal Life

Born in the year 1997 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sahal attended the New Indian Model School and later pursued a bachelor’s degree from S. N. College. In the month of June of the year 2020, Sahal Abdul signed a deal with German sportswear company Puma as its ambassador. In the month of June of the year 2020, Sahal Abdul auctioned his national team jersey and donated proceeds to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund for COVID-19 prevention.

In the month of September of the year 2022, Sahal became the Indian ambassador of the global energy drink company Predator Energy. In the month of June of the year 2022, Sahal Abdul got engaged to badminton player Reza Farhath and married her in the month of July of the year 2023.

Bio Data

Date of birth: 1 April 1997 

Age: 26 Years

Place of birth: Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Height: 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)

Position(s): Attacking midfielder, Winge