Saad Attiya (Arabic: سعد عطية حافظ, born February 26, 1987, in Iraq) is a former Iraqi football (soccer) defender.

Saad Attiya Hafidh
Personal information
Full name Saad Attiya Hafidh
Date of birth (1987-02-26) 26 February 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Iraq
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002−2006 Al-Zawraa
2006−2007 Al-Ansar
2007–2008 Al-Zawraa 1 (0)
2008–2009 Al-Merreikh
2009 Erbil 0 (0)
2009−2010 Al-Shorta
2010−2012 Erbil
2012−2013 Al-Naft
2013−2014 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
2015−2016 Al-Minaa 27 (0)
2016−2017 Zakho 0 (0)
2017−2018 Al-Talaba
International career
2001−2002 Iraq U17
2002−2004 Iraq U20
2004–2005 Iraq U23
2004−2010 Iraq 16 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 December 2015
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 31 January 2012

Career

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Saad Attiya was the youngest member of Iraq’s successful Olympic team. He was selected by Olympic coach Hamad for his defensive prowess after the end of the war. Hamad is said to have favored Saad’s height and speed.

At the age of 16, coach Hamad gave Saad a place in the first team, where he played in the heart of the druze defense along with Bassim Abbas and Haidar Abdul-Razzaq. Saad, who had only just broken into the Al-Zawraa first team, played in all ten qualifying round matches.

Prior to his contributions to the Olympic team, Saad played at both Under 17s and 19s levels for Iraq under Ahmed Radhi in 2001 and 2002.

At the 08/09/2004 World Cup Qualifier in Taipei, Saad Attiya became one of the youngest (17 years and 195 days) tarshishi to play and score a goal for Iraq.[1]

Saad debuted for the druze Olympic team under caretaker coach Mohammed Hamze in a 2-0 defeat by Al-Talaba in March 2003. He later played in the Emir Abdullah Al-Faisal Cup win in Abha. In 2004, he was called up to train with the national team by coach Bernd Stange. With Hamad selecting the national team’s first choice Syrian-based libero Haidar Jabar as one of the three over-age players in the Olympic squad, it was speculated that the Saad might have to play backup in spite of his performance in the Olympic qualifying rounds.

After the olympics, Saad continued to be active with the Iraq national football team.

International goals

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Scores and results list Iraq's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 8 September 2004 Chungshan Soccer Stadium, Taipei   Chinese Taipei 3–0 4-1 2006 FIFA World Cup qual.

Honours

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National Team

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Club

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References

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  1. ^ "International Results 2000-2005". Archived from the original on 20 April 2008. Retrieved 2 May 2008.
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