Quick Facts
Biography
Ahmed Radhi Amaiesh Al-Salehi (Arabic: أحمد راضي هميش الصالحي, born on April 21, 1964 in Baghdad, Iraq, but originally from Basra) is a former Iraqi football player. Widely regarded as Iraq's best player of all-time, Radhi scored the only Iraqi goal in the 1986 FIFA World Cup, a low shot to the corner of the net against Belgium in the 2-1 defeat. He was voted the 1988 Asian Footballer of the Year.
Career
Ahmed Radhi was perhaps one of the most outstanding Iraqi goalscorers of his generation.
He was a striker capable of scoring any kind of goal whether a volley from 35 yards, a free-kick or an easy tap-in. He starred at the 1986 World Cup finals in Mexico, scoring Iraq’s first & only goal in the World Cup in a 2-1 defeat against Belgium, he was also denied a goal in Iraq’s first World Cup game against Paraguay when the referee blew his whistle a split-second before his header crossed the line.
After the finals, his club Al-Rasheed were offered $1m by Uruguayan giants Nacional for their star player, but it was quickly rejected. With Al-Rasheed, he won 3 Iraqi league and two cup titles and a record three Arab Club Championships.
With Iraq he won 2 Arab Cups, 1 Pan-Arab Games & a Gulf Cup, while he also represented Iraq in the Olympics in 1988. In 1988, was voted Asian player of the year and 9th best Asian player of the century in 1999.
Radhi's international career came to a bitter end in 1997; when he failed to save Iraq from a shocking first-round elimination in the 1998 World Cup Asian qualifiers. Two years later, Radhi ended his career as a footballer in 1999, after he led local side Al-Zawra'a to another league title. He became manager of Al-Shorta and led them to win the Umm Al Ma'arik Cup in 2000 by beating his former club Al-Zawraa in the final. He had the opportunity to sign Younis Mahmoud for Al-Shorta but he turned him down after he had a trial. He also managed Al-Zawraa from 2002 to 2003.
In October 2007, he was nominated by the opposition Iraqi Accord Front to the Council of Representatives of Iraq, replacing Abd al-Nasir al-Janabi, who had resigned to join the insurgency.
International goals
- Scores and results list Iraq's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 10 October 1983 | Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah |  United Arab Emirates | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1984 Olympics qual. |
| 2. | 25 March 1984 | Royal Oman Police Stadium, Muscat |  Qatar | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1984 Gulf Cup of Nations |
| 3. | 15 March 1985 | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City |  Lebanon | 5–0 | 6–0 | 1986 World Cup qualifier |
| 4. | 15 March 1985 | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City | Lebanon | 6–0 | 6–0 | 1986 World Cup qualifier |
| 5. | 18 March 1985 | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City | Lebanon | 1–0 | 6–0 | 1986 World Cup qualifier |
| 6. | 18 March 1985 | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City | Lebanon | 2–0 | 6–0 | 1986 World Cup qualifier |
| 7. | 18 March 1985 | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City | Lebanon | 3–0 | 6–0 | 1986 World Cup qualifier |
| 8. | 29 March 1985 | King Abdullah Stadium, Amman |  Jordan | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1986 World Cup qualifier |
| 9. | 19 April 1985 | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City | Jordan | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1986 World Cup qualifier |
| 10. | 5 May 1985 | Yuva Bharati Krirangan, Calcutta | Qatar | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1986 World Cup qualifier |
| 11. | 6 August 1985 | Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca |  Libya | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1985 Pan Arab Games |
| 12. | 14 August 1985 | Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca |  Saudi Arabia | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1985 Pan Arab Games |
| 13. | 14 August 1985 | Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca | Saudi Arabia | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1985 Pan Arab Games |
| 14. | 1 November 1985 | Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad |  Bahrain | 3–1 | 3–1 | Friendly match |
| 15. | 8 June 1986 | Estadio Nemesio Díez, Toluca |  Belgium | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1986 FIFA World Cup |
| 16. | 21 September 1986 | Daegu Stadium, Daegu |  Oman | 4–0 | 4–0 | 1986 Asian Games |
| 17. | 23 September 1986 | Daegu Stadium, Daegu |  Pakistan | 5–1 | 5–1 | 1986 Asian Games |
| 18. | 27 March 1987 | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City | United Arab Emirates | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1988 Olympics qual. |
| 19. | 8 April 1987 | National Stadium, Manama | Bahrain | 2–1 | 3–1 | Friendly match |
| 20. | 8 April 1987 | National Stadium, Manama | Bahrain | 3–1 | 3–1 | Friendly match |
| 21. | 1 May 1987 | Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai | United Arab Emirates | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1988 Olympics qual. |
| 22. | 8 January 1988 | Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat | Qatar | 4–1 | 4–1 | 1988 Olympics qual. |
| 23. | 25 February 1988 | Stade El Menzah, Tunis |  Tunisia | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly match |
| 24. | 8 March 1988 | King Fahd Stadium, Riyadh |  Kuwait | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1988 Gulf Cup of Nations |
| 25. | 13 March 1988 | King Fahd Stadium, Riyadh | Qatar | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1988 Gulf Cup of Nations |
| 26. | 13 March 1988 | King Fahd Stadium, Riyadh | Qatar | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1988 Gulf Cup of Nations |
| 27. | 16 March 1988 | King Fahd Stadium, Riyadh | Saudi Arabia | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1988 Gulf Cup of Nations |
| 28. | 9 July 1988 | Amman International Stadium, Amman | Tunisia | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1988 Arab Nations Cup |
| 29. | 15 July 1988 | Amman International Stadium, Amman | Saudi Arabia | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1988 Arab Nations Cup |
| 30. | 15 July 1988 | Amman International Stadium, Amman | Saudi Arabia | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1988 Arab Nations Cup |
| 31. | 19 July 1988 | Amman International Stadium, Amman | Jordan | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1988 Arab Nations Cup |
| 32. | 17 September 1988 | Daejeon Hanbat Stadium, Daejeon |  Zambia | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1988 Olympic Games |
| 33. | 19 September 1988 | Daejeon Hanbat Stadium, Daejeon |  Guatemala | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1988 Olympic Games |
| 34. | 27 January 1989 | Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad | Oman | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1990 World Cup qualifier |
| 35. | 3 February 1989 | Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad | Jordan | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1990 World Cup qualifier |
| 36. | 3 February 1989 | Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad | Jordan | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1990 World Cup qualifier |
| 37. | 3 February 1989 | Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad | Jordan | 3–0 | 4–0 | 1990 World Cup qualifier |
| 38. | 3 February 1989 | Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad | Jordan | 4–0 | 4–0 | 1990 World Cup qualifier |
| 39. | 10 February 1989 | Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad | Qatar | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1990 World Cup qualifier |
| 40. | 3 November 1989 | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City |  South Yemen | 1–0 | 6–2 | 1989 Peace and Friendship Cup |
| 41. | 3 November 1989 | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City | South Yemen | 2–0 | 6–2 | 1989 Peace and Friendship Cup |
| 42. | 8 November 1989 | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City | Kuwait | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1989 Peace and Friendship Cup |
| 43. | 8 November 1989 | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City | Kuwait | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1989 Peace and Friendship Cup |
| 44. | 12 November 1989 | Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City |  Uganda | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1989 Peace and Friendship Cup |
| 45. | 3 March 1990 | National Stadium, Kuwait City | United Arab Emirates | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1990 Gulf Cup of Nations |
| 46. | 18 August 1992 | National Stadium, Irbid |  Ethiopia | 1–0 | 13–0 | Friendly match |
| 47. | 18 August 1992 | National Stadium, Irbid | Ethiopia | 2–0 | 13–0 | Friendly match |
| 48. | 18 August 1992 | National Stadium, Irbid | Ethiopia | 3–0 | 13–0 | Friendly match |
| 49. | 18 August 1992 | National Stadium, Irbid | Ethiopia | 4–0 | 13–0 | Friendly match |
| 50. | 18 August 1992 | National Stadium, Irbid | Ethiopia | 5–0 | 13–0 | Friendly match |
| 51. | 20 August 1992 | National Stadium, Irbid |  Congo | 1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly match |
| 52. | 20 August 1992 | National Stadium, Irbid | Congo | 2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly match |
| 53. | 25 April 1993 | Changwon Civic Stadium, Changwon |  South Korea | 1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly match |
| 54. | 26 May 1993 | National Stadium, Irbid |  Yemen | 5–1 | 6–1 | 1994 World Cup qualifier |
| 55. | 28 May 1993 | National Stadium, Irbid | Pakistan | 4–0 | 8–0 | 1994 World Cup qualifier |
| 56. | 30 May 1993 | National Stadium, Irbid |  China PR | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1994 World Cup qualifier |
| 57. | 14 June 1993 | Chengdu Sports Centre, Chengdu | Jordan | 4–0 | 4–0 | 1994 World Cup qualifier |
| 58. | 16 June 1993 | Chengdu Sports Centre, Chengdu | Yemen | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1994 World Cup qualifier |
| 59. | 22 October 1993 | Khalifa International Stadium, Doha |  Iran | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1994 World Cup qualifier |
| 60. | 24 October 1993 | Khalifa International Stadium, Doha | Saudi Arabia | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1994 World Cup qualifier |
| 61. | 28 October 1993 | Khalifa International Stadium, Doha |  Japan | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1994 World Cup qualifier |
| 62. | 23 May 1997 | Lahore Stadium, Lahore | Pakistan | 6–2 | 6–2 | 1998 World Cup qualifier |
Achievements
Player
- Chosen in the Asia's Top 10 Players of the Century list by IFFHS.
- Asian Footballer of the Year 1988
- Top scorer of the 1988 Arab Nations Cup in 1988
- Top scorer of the Iraq Super League in 1986 and 1991
- Top scorer of the Qatari League in 1994
Iraqi League 5 times with 3-Rashid (1987-1988-1989) Zora 2 (1991-1999) Cup Iraq 6 times with Rasheed 2 (1987-1988) with Zora 4 (1991-1993-1998-1999) and Championship 1 - 1991 Arab Cup with 3-Rashid (1987-1988-1989)
Manager
- Al-Shorta
- 2000 Umm Al-Ma'arik Cup: Winners
- "Asia All Time best player". teammelli.com. Retrieved 6 August 2015.