Pashang Abdulla (Arabic: باشانغ عبدالله; born 29 May 1994) is an Iraqi Kurdish professional footballer who plays as a centre-forward for Iraq Stars League club Duhok and the Iraq national team.[1]
Club career
Abdulla started his senior playing career at the age of 14,[2] as he went on to feature for several teams from the Stockholm metropolitan area,[2][3] before joining Karlbergs BK for the 2019 season.[2]
Having scored 26 goals in 24 matches for the side, Abdulla joined IFK Haninge for the 2020 season.[2] However, due to injuries, he scored just five goals in 14 matches, and was released at the end of the year.[2]
On 19 January 2021, Abdulla officially signed for newly promoted Ettan Norra side Piteå IF,[4] penning his first full-time professional contract.[2] On 11 October, he scored all of his side's goals in a 4–4 league draw against Umeå FC.[5] Throughout the 2021 season, he established himself as one of the best players in the Swedish third tier,[2][6] eventually becoming Ettan Norra's joint top scorer for the year (together with Rodin Deprem).[6][7]
In January 2022, Abdulla joined newly promoted Superettan side Dalkurd FF.[2]
On 6 February 2023, he officially signed for fellow second-tier club Jönköpings Södra IF.[8][9] Throughout the first half of the 2023 season, the striker rose to prominence as one of the league's best performers,[10][11] having scored eight goals in 12 matches.[11]
On 6 July 2023, Abdulla officially joined Allsvenskan side Degerfors IF for an undisclosed fee, signing a contract until the end of 2025 with the club.[12][13] Two days later, he made his top-tier debut, starting and playing full 90 minutes in a 2–1 league win over Brommapojkarna.[14] The forward stayed with Degerfors IF following their relegation at the end of the 2024 season; however, he terminated his contract with the club by mutual consent on 21 May 2024, after falling out with manager William Lundin.[15][16]
On 24 July 2024, Abdulla joined Iraq Stars League club Duhok on a free transfer.[17][18]
International career
After going through the bureaucratic process to obtain his Iraqi citizenship,[19] in June 2023 Abdulla received his first call-up to the Iraq senior national team by head coach Jesús Casas.[19][20] He then made his full international debut on 16 June, starting in a friendly match against Colombia, which ended in a 1–0 loss.[21][22]
Personal life
Born in Iraqi Kurdistan,[3] but raised in Stockholm, Sweden,[2][3] Abdulla worked as a teacher while playing part-time football during the first part of his career;[2][3] he eventually quit his job after signing his first full-time deal with Piteå IF.[2]
Honours
Individual
- Ettan Norra top scorer: 2021[6][7]
References
- ^ "Pashang Abdulla" (in Swedish). Fotbolltransfers. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Julin, Max (20 January 2022). "Läraren flyttade 85 mil och vann skytteligan - nu klar för superettanklubb: "Stolt att vara här"". fotbollskanalen (in Swedish). Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ a b c d Sundvall, Magnus (19 March 2023). ""Min dröm är roligare än vad pengarna är"". Jnytt.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ "Pashang Abdulla klar för Piteå IF FF". Piteå IF (in Swedish). 19 January 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ "Umeå FC fixade kryss borta mot Piteå". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). 11 October 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ a b c "Rankar: 25 bästa spelarna i division 1 säsongen 2021". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). 22 November 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Division 1 Norra 2021 - Top Scorer". Worldfootball.net. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
- ^ "Pashang Abdulla är klar för Södra". Jönköpings Södra IF (in Swedish). 6 February 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ Persson, Max (6 February 2023). "J-Södra värvar – plockar in anfallare". Jnytt.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ Sjöblom, Patrik (29 April 2023). "Pashang Abdulla ny publikfavorit på Vallen: "Det är svårt att ta in det"". Jnytt.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Uppgifter: Pashang Abdulla nära Degerfors". fotbollskanalen (in Swedish). 4 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ "Pashang Abdulla klar för Degerfors IF". Degerfors IF (in Swedish). 6 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ "Han ska skjuta Degerfors kvar i allsvenskan". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). 6 July 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ Fiskaare, Jonas (8 July 2023). "Degerfors vände och vann – efter målvaktstabbe". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 9 July 2023.
- ^ "Pashang Abdulla lämnar Degerfors IF". Degerfors IF (in Swedish). 21 May 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ Billengren, Ludwig (21 May 2024). "Officiellt: Degerfors går skilda vägar med Abdulla". fotbollskanalen (in Swedish). Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ Hennix, Simon (24 July 2024). "Skyttekungen överens med ny klubb – efter anmärkningsvärda uppbrottet med Degerfors". VF (in Swedish). Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ Hjortling, Rasmus (24 July 2024). "Officiellt: Pashang Abdulla klar för irakiska Duhok SC". Fotbolldirekt (in Swedish). Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ a b Billengren, Ludwig (3 June 2023). "Abdulla uttagen i irakiska landslaget: "Väldigt häftig känsla"". fotbollskanalen (in Swedish). Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ "Irak anuncia su convocatoria para enfrentar a Selección Colombia". Diario AS (in Spanish). 2 June 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ Valle, Conrado (16 June 2023). "Selección Colombia vence a Irak en amistoso de fecha FIFA". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ "Colombia 1–0 Iraq (16 Jun, 2023) – Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
External links
- Pashang Abdulla at Soccerway
- Pashang Abdulla at WorldFootball.net