Harith Haiqal
{{short description|Malaysian footballer}}
{{Malay name|Harith Haiqal Adam Afkar|Harith Haiqal}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Harith Haiqal
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Harith Haiqal bin Adam Afkar
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|2002|6|22}}
| birth_place = Klang, Selangor, Malaysia
| currentclub = Selangor
| height = {{height|m=1.79}}
| clubnumber = 55
| position = Centre-back
| youthyears1 = 2017–2019
| youthclubs1 = Mokhtar Dahari Academy
| years1 = 2020–
| clubs1 = Selangor II
| caps1 = 27
| goals1 = 4
| years2 = 2021–
| clubs2 = Selangor
| caps2 = 40
| goals2 = 6
| nationalyears1 = 2019–2021
| nationalteam1 = Malaysia U19
| nationalcaps1 = 7
| nationalgoals1 = 2
| nationalyears2 = 2021–
| nationalteam2 = Malaysia U23
| nationalcaps2 = 5
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2024–
| nationalteam3 = Malaysia
| nationalcaps3 = 6
| nationalgoals3 = 1
| club-update = 19 April 2025
| nationalteam-update = 21 December 2024
}}
Harith Haiqal bin Adam Afkar (born 22 June 2002) is a Malaysian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Malaysia Super League club Selangor and the Malaysia national team.{{cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/en-my/news/meet-harith-haikal-malaysias-answer-to-joe-gomez-whos-ready/a5ag07rno01l1xwdx3j52qjp4|title=Meet Harith Haiqal - Malaysia's answer to Joe Gomez who's ready to show what he can do at the highest level|date=20 April 2020|access-date=20 April 2020|website=Goal|first=Ooi|last=Kin Fai}}
Early life
Harith start beginning of his career football with been spotted by the NFDP officials while he was playing for his school's under-12 before joining the Mokhtar Dahari Academy (AMD). He was a striker at the beginning of his football journey, but his talent in handling the defense line as a central defender started with the AMD team and shines in that position up until now.{{cite web|url=https://selangorfc.com/en/news/3099/Know%20Me%20Better%20%20Harith%20Haiqal|title=Know Me Better: Harith Haiqal|date=4 December 2021|website=selangorfc}}
Club career
=Selangor=
Harith became one of the AMD players who signed his first professional contract with Selangor after graduating from high school. He then managed to be listed with the Selangor II team after displaying an impressive performance during the three cornered match against the other young Selangor players handled by German coach, Michael Feichtenbeiner at the end of 2019.
On 31 July 2021, Harith made his debut for the first team in the 2021 Malaysia Super League matches against Penang; which he came on as substitute.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2021/07/31/malaysia/super-league/pulau-pinang/selangor-fc/3462114/|title=Penang vs. Selangor|date=31 July 2021|website=Soccerway}}
On 25 November 2021, Selangor confirmed that Harith would be definitely promoted to Selangor's first team for 2022 season.
During the 2024–25 AFC Champions League Two fixture against Korean giants Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on 23 October 2024, Harith was chosen as the captain during the match as both club captains, Safuwan Baharuddin and Noor Al-Rawabdeh was out due to injury. Harith went on to score the opening goal in the match and guided the team to a historic 2–1 win against the Korean club.
International career
= Youth =
Harith was part of the 2018 AFC U-16 Championship squad.{{cite web|url=https://www.fam.org.my/news/senarai-23-pemain-skuad-malaysia-ke-kejuaraan-b-16-afc-2018|title=Senarai 23 Pemain Skuad Malaysia Ke Kejuaraan B-16 AFC 2018|date=14 September 2018|website=Football Association of Malaysia}} He was later selected for the national under-23 team for the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification, helping the squad to reach the final tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.bharian.com.my/sukan/bola/2021/10/882200/malaysia-ke-pusingan-akhir-piala-asia-b-23|title=Malaysia ke pusingan akhir Piala Asia B-23|date=31 October 2021|access-date=31 October 2021|website=Berita Harian|first=Syafiq|last=Aznan}}
= Senior =
In March 2024, Harith was called up to the Malaysia national team for their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches. He made his debut for Malaysia on 14 October 2024 during a friendly match against New Zealand at the North Harbour Stadium.
Harith scored his first international goal on 14 November 2024 in a friendly match against Laos at the PAT Stadium.
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played 19 April 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/harith-haiqal-adam-afkar/714179/|title=Harith Haiqal Adam Afkar|website=Soccerway.com|accessdate=18 November 2021}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="3"|Selangor II
|2020 |10 | 0 | colspan="8"|— | 10 | 0 | ||||||||
| 2021
|Malaysia Premier League |17 | 4 | colspan="8"|— | 17 | 4 | ||||||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!27||4||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||27||4 | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="5"|Selangor
|2021 |2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="4"|— | 4 | 0 | ||||
| 2022
|Malaysia Super League |8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="4"|— | 9 | 0 | ||||
| 2023
|Malaysia Super League |11 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | colspan="4"|— | 16 | 4 | ||||
| 2024–25
|Malaysia Super League |19 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6{{efn|name=ACL Two|Appearances in AFC Champions League Two}} | 1 | 3{{efn|name=MFL|Appearance(s) in MFL Challenge Cup}} | 0 | 35 | 4 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!40||6||7||0||8||1||6||1||3||0||64||8 | ||||||||||||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!67 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 91 | 12 |
{{notelist}}
=International=
{{updated|matches played 14 November 2024.}}
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="4"|Malaysia
|2024 | 2 | 1 | |
| colspan="1"|Total | 2 | 1 |
International goals
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%;"
! No. !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition | ||||||
| 1. | 14 November 2024 | PAT Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand. | {{fb|LAO}} | align=center | 0–1 | align=center | 1–3 | rowspan=5| Friendly Match |
Honours
- Malaysia Cup runner-up: 2022
- Malaysia Super League runner-up: 2023
- MFL Challenge Cup: 2024-25{{Cite web |last=BERNAMA |date=2025-02-23 |title=Selangor End 10-Year Wait By Lifting Challenge Cup After Gunning Down PDRM FC 7-0 |url=https://www.bernama.com/en/sports/news.php?id=2395404 |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=BERNAMA |language=en}}
Malaysia
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|714179}}
{{Selangor F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harith Haiqal}}
Category:Malaysian people of Malay descent
Category:Footballers from Selangor
Category:Malaysian men's footballers
Category:Men's association football goalkeepers
Category:Selangor F.C. players
Category:Malaysia Premier League players
Category:21st-century Malaysian sportsmen
Category:Malaysia Super League players
Category:Malaysia men's youth international footballers
Category:Malaysia men's international footballers
Category:Competitors at the 2021 SEA Games
Category:Competitors at the 2023 SEA Games
Category:SEA Games competitors for Malaysia
{{Malaysia-footy-goalkeeper-stub}}