:Ahmad Hatifi

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Ahmad Hatifi

| image = Ahmad hatifie.jpg

| fullname = Ahmad Arash Hatifi

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|3|13|df=y}}

| birth_place = Oakland, California, United States{{cite web|title=AHMAD HATIFIE|url=http://www.ucdavisaggies.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/ahmad_hatifie_168306.html|work=UC Davis|accessdate=2 November 2013|archive-date=28 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928215756/http://www.ucdavisaggies.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/ahmad_hatifie_168306.html|url-status=dead}}

| height = {{height|m=1.87}}

| currentclub = Afghan Premier FC

| clubnumber = 10{{cite web |title=APFC |url=https://apfc.co/ |access-date=30 March 2025}}

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = East Bay United/Bay Oaks

| collegeyears1 = 2005–2008

| college1 = UC Davis Aggies

| years1 = 2012–2013

| clubs1 = Bay Area Ambassadors

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 2013–2014

| clubs2 = Mumbai

| caps2 = 15

| goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2015

| clubs3 = Sacramento Republic

| caps3 =

| goals3 =

| years4 = 2015

| clubs4 = IFX Ballistic United

| caps4 =

| goals4 =

| years5 = 2016–2018

| clubs5 = CD Aguiluchos USA

| caps5 =

| goals5 =

| years6 = 2019–?

| clubs6 = Oakland Stompers

| caps6 =

| goals6 =

| years7 = 2024–

| clubs7 = Afghan Premier FC

| caps7 = 10

| goals7 = 2

| nationalyears1 = 2011–

| nationalteam1 = Afghanistan

| nationalcaps1 = 34

| nationalgoals1 = 4

| club-update = 29 March 2025

| nationalteam-update = 1 February 2016

| caption = Hatifi with Afghanistan in 2015

| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's football}}

{{Medal|Country|{{fb|AFG}}}}

}}

Ahmad Arash Hatifi (born 13 March 1986) is a professional football player who currently plays as a midfielder for Afghan Premier FC in The League for Clubs.{{cite web |title=Ahmad Hatifie - Roster |url=https://nisanation.com/roster/ahmad--hatifie |website=NISA Nation |access-date=30 March 2025}} Born in the United States, he has represented the Afghanistan national team.

Club career

=Youth=

Born in Oakland, California, Hatifi grew up in Alameda, California, and attended Alameda High School, where he captained the varsity soccer team. He then started to attend University of California, Davis in 2004 where played for the soccer team in 2005. He captained the team in his junior and senior years.{{cite web|title=Afghan Premier Profile |url=http://afghanpremierfc.com/Text%20docs/Player%20Profiles/Arash%20Profile.pdf |work=Afghan Premier FC |accessdate=2 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106082633/http://afghanpremierfc.com/Text%20docs/Player%20Profiles/Arash%20Profile.pdf |archivedate=6 November 2013 }} After leaving college, Hatifi played for the Bay Area Ambassadors of the National Premier Soccer League, the fourth tier of American soccer, from 2012 to 2013.{{cite web|title=Ahmad Hatifie|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/45874/Ahmad_Hatifie.html|work=National-Football-Teams|accessdate=2 November 2013|archive-date=3 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103211929/http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/45874/Ahmad_Hatifie.html|url-status=live}}

=Mumbai=

On 1 November 2013 it was confirmed that Hatifi had signed with Mumbai FC of the I-League in India.{{cite web|title=Mumbai FC rope in Afghanistan's Hashmatullah Barikzai and Ahmad Hatifie|url=http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/1064/i-league/2013/11/01/4374696/mumbai-fc-rope-in-afghanistans-hashmatullah-barikzai-and?ICID=HP_BN_1|work=Goal.com|accessdate=2 November 2013|archive-date=4 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104112743/http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/1064/i-league/2013/11/01/4374696/mumbai-fc-rope-in-afghanistans-hashmatullah-barikzai-and?ICID=HP_BN_1|url-status=live}} He made his debut for the side the next day against Bengaluru FC at the Balewadi Sports Complex, in which he started and played 87 minutes as Mumbai drew the match 2–2.{{cite web|title=MUMBAI VS. BENGALURU 2 – 2|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2013/11/02/india/i-league/mumbai-fc/bengaluru/1585329/|work=Soccerway|accessdate=2 November 2013|archive-date=23 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131223100312/http://int.soccerway.com/matches/2013/11/02/india/i-league/mumbai-fc/bengaluru/1585329/|url-status=live}}

International career

In 2007, Hatifi was selected to play for Afghanistan in the World Cup qualifiers against Syria and Sri Lanka. He scored his first goal for his country on 20 August 2013 against Pakistan in which he found the net in the 32nd minute as Afghanistan went on to win the match 3–0.{{cite news|last=Allen|first=Karen|title=Afghanistan beat Pakistan 3–0 in Kabul friendly|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23766790|date=20 August 2013|work=BBC|accessdate=16 August 2018|archive-date=11 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011011811/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23766790|url-status=live}} He then won his first ever championship with Afghanistan on 11 September 2013 when his country won the 2013 SAFF Championship by beating India 2–0.{{cite web|last=Bali|first=Rahul|title=Afghanistan 2–0 India: The Lions of Khorasan win their first ever SAFF Championship title|url=http://www.goal.com/en-india/match/123521/afghanistan-vs-india/report|work=Goal.com|accessdate=2 November 2013|archive-date=17 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817124837/http://www.goal.com/en-india/match/123521/afghanistan-vs-india/report|url-status=live}} On 22 May Hatifi scored the second goal in Afghanistan's 3–1 victory over Turkmenistan at the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup. This was also Afghanistan's first every victory at the AFC Challenge Cup in eight attempts.{{cite web|title=AFC Challenge Cup: Afghanistan 3–1 Turkmenistan |url=http://www.the-afc.com/en/afc-challenge-2014-cup-all-news/28644-afc-challenge-cup-afghanistan-vs-turkmenistan.html |work=AFC |date=23 May 2014 |accessdate=23 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140524004236/http://www.the-afc.com/en/afc-challenge-2014-cup-all-news/28644-afc-challenge-cup-afghanistan-vs-turkmenistan.html |archivedate=24 May 2014 }}

After Afghanistan's 0–0 draw with Laos that confirmed their progression out of the group stage, an accident occurred while the Afghan players were being driven back to their hotel. Hatifi suffered injuries along with teammates Zohib Islam Amiri, Faisal Sakhizada, Balal Arezou, and Mustafa Azadzoy, the latter of which had to take three weeks off to recover, while Hatifi was set to miss two weeks. All five players were set to miss the semi-finals against Palestine. Former coach Mohammad Yousef Kargar and current coach Erich Rutemöller also suffered minor injuries.{{cite web|title=Afghan contingent suffers minor injuries in team bus accident |url=http://www.the-afc.com/en/afc-challenge-2014-cup-all-news/28666-afghan-contingent-suffers-minor-injuries-in-team-bus-accident.html |work=AFC |date=25 May 2014 |accessdate=25 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140526111215/http://www.the-afc.com/en/afc-challenge-2014-cup-all-news/28666-afghan-contingent-suffers-minor-injuries-in-team-bus-accident.html |archivedate=26 May 2014 }}{{cite web |title=Five Afghan players to miss semi |url=http://www.maldivesoccer.com/s/Five-Afghan-players-to-miss-semi-5447 |work=Maldives Soccer |date=25 May 2014 |accessdate=26 May 2014 |author=Shimaaz Ali |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140526013910/http://www.maldivesoccer.com/s/Five-Afghan-players-to-miss-semi-5447 |archive-date=2014-05-26 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |title=Afghanistan is all over worried |url=http://www.maldivesoccer.com/s/Afghanistan-is-all-over-worried-5449 |work=Maldives Soccer |date=25 May 2014 |accessdate=26 May 2014 |author=Mohamed Sajid |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527211421/http://www.maldivesoccer.com/s/Afghanistan-is-all-over-worried-5449 |archive-date=2014-05-27 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |title=Afghan five players injured due to the accident |url=http://www.maldivesoccer.com/s/Afghan-five-players-injured-due-to-the-accident-5443 |work=Maldives Soccer |date=24 May 2014 |accessdate=26 May 2014 |author=Shimaaz Ali |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140526011500/http://www.maldivesoccer.com/s/Afghan-five-players-injured-due-to-the-accident-5443 |archive-date=2014-05-26 |url-status=dead }}

Career statistics

=Club=

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Federation Cup !colspan="2"\|Durand Cup !colspan="2"\|AFC !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="1"\|Mumbai \|2013–14 \|I-League	15	1	0	0	—	—	—	—	15	1
colspan="3"\|Career total !15	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	15	1

=National team statistics=

Year	Apps	Goals
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan=3 \| Afghanistan national team
2011	3	0
2013	8	1
Total\|\|11\|\|1

=International goals=

Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
class="wikitable"
1	20 August 2013	Ghazi Stadium, Kabul, Afghanistan	{{fb\|PAK}}	2–0	3–0	International friendly
2	22 May 2014	Addu Football Stadium, Addu City, Maldives	{{fb\|TKM}}	2–0	3–1	2014 AFC Challenge Cup
3	28 December 2015	Trivandrum International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, India	{{fb\|MDV}}	3–1	4–1	2015 SAFF Championship
4	31 December 2015	Trivandrum International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, India	{{fb\|SRI}}	4–0	5–0	2015 SAFF Championship