Jalaluddin Jaafar
{{Short description|Malaysian footballer}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Jalaluddin Jaafar
| fullname = Jalaluddin bin Abu Jaafar
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1975|01|01}}
| birth_place = Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia
| height = {{height|meter=1.73}}
| currentclub = Retire
| position = Defender
| years1 = 1997–2008 | clubs1 = Pahang FA | caps1 = 330 | goals1 = 5
| years2 = 2009–2010 | clubs2 = Shahzan Muda | caps2 = 18 | goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2010 | clubs3 = → Pahang FA (loan) | caps3 = 30 | goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2011– 2015 | clubs4 = Pahang FA | caps4 = 89 | goals4 = 0
| | totalcaps= 467 |totalgoals=6
| nationalyears1 = 1998– 2015
| nationalteam1 = Malaysia
| nationalcaps1 = 3
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| club-update = 9 June 2014
| nationalteam-update = 9 June 2014
}}
Jalaluddin bin Abu Jaafar born 1 January 1975, commonly known as Jalal, is a Malaysian footballer who played for Pahang FA as a defender.{{cite web|title=Jalalludin bin Abu Jaafar|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/jalaluddin-jaafar/132481/|work=Soccerway|publisher=Global Sports Media|accessdate=24 December 2011}} He was the captain of the team.{{cite news|title=Pahang ikat Ivanov, Yaw|url=http://www.bh.com.my/myMetro/articles/PahangikatIvanov_Yaw/Article/index_html|accessdate=24 December 2011|newspaper=Harian Metro|language=Malay|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426071245/http://www.bh.com.my/myMetro/articles/PahangikatIvanov_Yaw/Article/index_html|archive-date=26 April 2012|url-status=dead}}
Career
He began his professional football career with Pahang FA in 1997. Since then, he has helped Pahang FA to win the Malaysia Premier League in 1999, the Malaysia Super League in 2004 and the Malaysia FA Cup in 2006.{{cite news|title=Usia bukan penghalang Jalaluddin tabur bakti|url=http://www.hmetro.com.my/articles/UsiabukanpenghalangJalaluddintaburbakti/Article/|accessdate=17 January 2012|newspaper=Harian Metro|language=Malay}}
Apart from Pahang FA, he also played for Shahzan Muda FC, also based in Pahang, for two seasons. He was loaned back to Pahang in 2009 for 2009 Malaysia Cup campaign and permanently stay.{{cite news|title=Dua tidak lulus dipinjam ke Piala Malaysia|url=http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2009&dt=0924&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Sukan&pg=su_03.htm|accessdate=19 July 2012|newspaper=Utusan Malaysia|language=Malay}}
Though played for Pahang since 1997, he never won any Malaysia cup trophy. So the 2013 final seems impossible for him since Kelantan is the dominant force of Malaysia football then and Pahang finished second to them in a group stage. But it all went well for him when Matias Conti header is the only crack that separated these two teams and Pahang finally won the Malaysia Cup.{{cite web| url = http://www.astroawani.com/berita-sukan/pahang-menang-piala-malaysia-2013-24997| title = Pahang menang Piala Malaysia 2013 {{!}} Astro Awani}}
2014 is another successful year for Jalal when Pahang ended up their domestic campaign with FA cup & Malaysia Cup. Both are dramatic finals when they trailed by behind to finished as champion and secure upcoming AFC Cup 2015 campaign.{{cite web |url=http://www.mstar.com.my/sukan/bola-sepak/2014/06/07/pahang-julang-trofi/ |title=Pahang Julang Trofi Juara Piala FA 2014 - Bola Sepak {{!}} mStar |website=www.mstar.com.my |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228003612/http://www.mstar.com.my/sukan/bola-sepak/2014/06/07/pahang-julang-trofi/ |archive-date=2017-12-28}} Though Jalal didn't play regularly he still gave his best when fielded since he is the oldest player of the team and most experiences amongst them.
Personal life
Jalal is a father of two kids. He resides in Taman Guru, Kuantan. The reason why he was still fit for professional football until forty years old was because he had never suffered from any major injuries and had never gone through any major surgery. Therefore, he remained fit to play while other players of his generation had already hung up their boots by the time they reached their 30s.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bharian.com.my/node/44356|title = 40 tahun masih berbisa|date = 31 March 2015}}
In December 2015, he retired from professional football.
Honours
=Club=
- Malaysia Cup:
- Winners (2): 2013, 2014
- FA Cup:
- Winners (2): 2006, 2014
- Division 1/ Premier 1/ Super League:
- Winners (2): 1999, 2004
- Malaysian Charity Shield
- Winner (1): 2014