Abu Bakar Mahari

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Abu Bakar Mahari

| image = League Cup 2009 Final- DPMM vs SAFFC, 19 Jun - 3641969986.jpg

| fullname = Muhammad Abu Bakar bin Mahari

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|02|11}}

| birth_place = Brunei Darussalam

| height = {{height|meter=1.64}}

| position = Midfielder, Striker

| currentclub = PKT FT

| clubnumber = 7

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 2007

| clubs1 = KKSJ Penjara

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 2007–2008

| clubs2 = NBT FC

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| years3 = 2009–2012

| clubs3 = DPMM

| caps3 = 24

| goals3 = 3

| years4 = 2010–2011

| clubs4 = → KKSJ Penjara (loan)

| caps4 =

| goals4 =

| years5 = 2012–2013

| clubs5 = Jerudong FC

| caps5 =

| goals5 = 6

| years6 = 2014

| clubs6 = QAF FC

| caps6 =

| goals6 = 2

| years7 = 2015

| clubs7 = Kasuka FC

| caps7 =

| goals7 = 6

| years8 = 2016–2019

| clubs8 = Kota Ranger

| caps8 =

| goals8 = 25

| years9 = 2021–2022

| clubs9 = Tutong Hotspurs

| caps9 =

| goals9 = 1

| years10 = 2023

| clubs10 = Lun Bawang

| caps10 = 2

| goals10 = 0

| years11 = 2023

| clubs11 = Kota Ranger

| caps11 = 5

| goals11 = 2

| years12 = 2025–

| clubs12 = PKT

| caps12 = 0

| goals12 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2008

| nationalteam1 = Brunei U23

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| nationalyears2 = 2008–2017

| nationalteam2 = Brunei

| nationalcaps2 = 6

| nationalgoals2 = 1

| club-update = 6 April 2025

| ntupdate = 27 July 2022

| caption = Abu Bakar (bottom, second from right) during the 2009 Singapore League Cup

}}

Muhammad Abu Bakar bin Mahari (born 11 February 1985) is a Bruneian footballer playing as a striker for Penabai Kuala Tutong FT. He is nicknamed the "Eto'o of Tutong" due to similarities in appearance and footballing qualities with Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon.{{cite web|title=DPMM FC's made in Tutong Eto'o|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/local_sport/2009/03/03/dpmm_fcs_made_in_tutong_etoo|date=3 March 2009|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=7 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413115702/http://www.bt.com.bn/local_sport/2009/03/03/dpmm_fcs_made_in_tutong_etoo|archive-date=13 April 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|title='Eto'o & mates' ready for QAF FC|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2011/03/20/etoo-mates-ready-qaf-fc|date=20 March 2011|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=7 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402181815/http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2011/03/20/etoo-mates-ready-qaf-fc|archive-date=2015-04-02|url-status=dead}}

Club career

After impressive displays for the Prisons Department and NBT FC in the domestic league,{{cite web|title=KKS struggle to down NBT|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/sport/2007/09/01/kks_struggle_to_down_nbt|date=1 September 2007|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=7 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413122312/http://www.bt.com.bn/sport/2007/09/01/kks_struggle_to_down_nbt|archive-date=13 April 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|title=NBT win, ABDB regain lead|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/sport/2008/04/12/nbt_win_abdb_regain_lead|date=12 April 2008|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=7 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413125915/http://www.bt.com.bn/sport/2008/04/12/nbt_win_abdb_regain_lead|archive-date=13 April 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} Abu Bakar was drafted in to play for Brunei's sole professional club DPMM FC in the Singaporean S.League and he contributed 3 goals in 20 matches, winning the 2009 Singapore League Cup.

Abu Bakar was sent on loan to his old club the Prisons Department while DPMM could not resume playing due to a FIFA ban{{Broken anchor|date=2024-04-20|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=Brunei DPMM FC#S.League, and suspension|reason= The anchor (S.League, and suspension) has been deleted.}}.{{cite web|title=Prisons overpower Ranger|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/sport-national/2010/01/30/prisons-overpower-ranger|date=30 January 2010|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=7 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413122306/http://www.bt.com.bn/sport-national/2010/01/30/prisons-overpower-ranger|archive-date=13 April 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web |title=BPL under watchful eyes of DPMM FC|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2011/03/03/bpl-under-watchful-eyes-dpmm-fc|date=3 March 2011|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=7 April 2015}} In this period, he suffered an injury which kept him out for a year.{{cite web|title=Simunic makes rusty DPMM FC work hard|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2011/09/27/simunic-makes-rusty-dpmm-fc-work-hard|date=27 September 2011|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=7 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413122256/http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2011/09/27/simunic-makes-rusty-dpmm-fc-work-hard|archive-date=13 April 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} Contemplating retirement, his then-coach Vjeran Simunić finally convinced him to play for DPMM in their comeback season in 2012, but he only managed to appear in 4 games before being released.{{cite web|title=DPMM FC players raring to go: coach|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2011/11/30/dpmm-fc-players-raring-go-coach|date=30 November 2011|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=7 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413123901/http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2011/11/30/dpmm-fc-players-raring-go-coach|archive-date=2015-04-13|url-status=dead}}

Abu Bakar subsequently played for Jerudong FC in the 2012–13 Brunei Super League,{{cite web|title=Jerudong FC run riot in 6-0 victory over Najip FC|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/2012/12/24/jerudong-fc-run-riot-6-0-victory-over-najip-fc|date=24 December 2012|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=8 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414130314/http://www.bt.com.bn/2012/12/24/jerudong-fc-run-riot-6-0-victory-over-najip-fc|archive-date=14 April 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} then QAF FC the following year.{{cite web|title=Majra pick up first win|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2014/03/05/majra-pick-first-winmajra-pick-first-win|date=5 March 2014|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=8 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414130256/http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2014/03/05/majra-pick-first-winmajra-pick-first-win|archive-date=14 April 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} He dropped a division in 2015, appearing for re-banded Kasuka FC in the 2015 Brunei Premier League.{{cite web|title=Kasuka surge to second after Panchor Murai win|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2015/03/26/kasuka-surge-second-after-panchor-murai-win|date=26 March 2015|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=8 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414130238/http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2015/03/26/kasuka-surge-second-after-panchor-murai-win|archive-date=14 April 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} He scored six goals to help Kasuka gain promotion to the 2016 Brunei Super League.{{cite web|title=Piala Sumbangsih DST buka tirai |url=http://mediapermata.com.bn/index.php/2016/03/piala-sumbangsih-dst-buka-tirai/ |publisher=Media Permata |accessdate=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306074555/http://mediapermata.com.bn/index.php/2016/03/piala-sumbangsih-dst-buka-tirai/ |archivedate=6 March 2016 }}

Abu Bakar moved to Kota Ranger FC in 2016.{{cite web|title=Indera SC closing in after Kota Ranger win|url=http://borneobulletin.com.bn/indera-sc-closing-kota-ranger-win/|date=14 September 2016|publisher=Borneo Bulletin|accessdate=27 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427194658/http://borneobulletin.com.bn/indera-sc-closing-kota-ranger-win/|archive-date=27 April 2017|url-status=dead}} He scored four goals against Menglait FC in his club's opening match for the 2017 Brunei Super League.{{cite web |title=Abu fires Kota Ranger to the top|url=http://nfabd.org/press-release/2017042701.htm|date=27 April 2017|publisher=National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam|accessdate=27 April 2017}} On 11 August, in a match that pitted two unbeaten teams in the Super League, Abu Bakar scored two goals to beat his club's direct rivals MS ABDB. The 2–1 score would send Kota Ranger three points clear off the top of the 11-team league.

Abu Bakar finished the 2017–18 season as the second highest top scorer (behind Abdul Azizi Ali Rahman) with 22 goals. His team also finished second in the league, three points off the champions MS ABDB.{{cite web |title=MS ABDB pertahankan kejuaraan Liga Super DST|url=http://www.pelitabrunei.gov.bn/Lists/Berita%202018/NewDisplayForm.aspx?ID=12710|date=10 February 2018|publisher=Pelita Brunei|accessdate=22 February 2018}} He was unable to recapture his goalscoring form in the following season, but managed to win the FA Cup instead.{{cite web |title=KOTA RANGER CROWNED DST FA CUP CHAMPIONS|url=https://www.brusports.com/2019/04/23/kota-ranger-crowned-dst-fa-cup-champions/|date=23 April 2019|publisher=BruSports News|accessdate=23 April 2019}}

In 2025, he captained PKT FT competing in the 2025 Brunei FA Cup.{{Cite instagram |user=penabaift |date=7 April 2025|postid=DIH_XTxz9Z5 |title=⚔️FULL TIME⚔️ Result FA CUP: PKTFT 0 - 12 DPMMFC|access-date=14 April 2025}}

International career

Abu Bakar was selected for the Brunei national under-23 football team competing in the 2008 Sukma Games in Malaysia.{{cite web|title=Brunei Out Of Sukma Football|url=http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/News/Archive/June08/020608/nite25.htm|publisher=Borneo Bulletin|date=2 June 2008|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080605004755/http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/News/Archive/June08/020608/nite25.htm|archivedate=5 June 2008|accessdate=27 July 2022}}

Abu Bakar made his national team debut in a 0–1 loss against Philippines on 13 May 2008. His first goal came against Laos in a 2–3 reverse in the 2008 AFF Suzuki Cup qualification on 23 October the same year.

Abu Bakar's league form in 2017 forced the doors to an international callup in December for the 2017 Aceh World Solidarity Tsunami Cup, nine years after last representing his country.{{cite web|title=Brunei Darussalam Bawa 22 Pemain ke Banda Aceh|url=https://awsc2017.id/2017/11/26/brunei-darussalam-bawa-22-pemain-ke-banda-aceh/|date=26 November 2017|publisher=Football Association of Indonesia|accessdate=27 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201041641/https://awsc2017.id/2017/11/26/brunei-darussalam-bawa-22-pemain-ke-banda-aceh/|archive-date=1 December 2017|url-status=dead}}