Salih Sadir

Salih Sadir
Personal information
Full name	Salih Sadir Salih Al-Sadoun
Date of birth	21 August 1981 (age 42)
Place of birth	Najaf, Iraq
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder, second striker
Youth career
	Al-Najaf
Senior career*
Years	Team
1999–2003	Al-Najaf
2003–2004	Al-Talaba
2004–2005	Zamalek
2005–2008	Ansar
2008–2009	Ahed
2009–2010	Rah Ahan
2010–2011	Safa
2011	Paykan
2011–2012	Al-Najaf
2012–2013	Duhok
2013–2014	Zakho
2014	Al-Zawraa
2014–2015	Duhok
2015	Al-Talaba
2015–2017	Naft Al-Wasat
2017–2018	Al-Mina'a
2018	Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
2018–2019	Naft Al-Wasat
2019–2020	Al-Najaf
Total
International career
2002–2012	Iraq
Medal record
Men's football
Representing Iraq
AFC Asian Cup
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Salih Sadir Salih Al-Sadoun (Arabic: صَالِح سَدِيْر صَالِح السَّعْدُون; born 21 August 1981) is an Iraqi former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.

Previously, Sadir played with Rah Ahan and Paykan in the Persian Gulf Pro League. He also played for the Iraq national football team between 2002 and 2011. He has two younger brothers, Ayad and Qaed, both also footballers.^{[citation needed]}

Club career edit

Sadir started his playing career with Nasour Al-Jumhuriya before joining Najaf FC where he progressed through the youth ranks under coach Zuhair Khadim.^{[citation needed]} In 1999, he was promoted into the first team by Najih Hemoud and became a regular. Under coach Hemoud, Najaf FC became one of Iraq's most entertaining teams with Saleh Sadeer – and captain Falah Hassan, Abbas Wahoudi, Saeed Muhsin, Ali Hashim and Qasim Jalout.^{[citation needed]}

In 2003 after the war, he moved to Al-Talaba where he made several outstanding performances in the Arab Champions League – which earned him a move to Egyptian giants Zamalek SC for next season.^{[citation needed]} After playing one season with Zamalek SC, he joined Lebanon league champions Al-Ansar where he helped them to two consecutive Lebanon league titles.^{[citation needed]} Sadir moved to Zakho on 14 September 2013.^{[citation needed]}

On 11 February 2022, Sadir announced his retirement from football.^[3]

International career edit

Sadir played for the Olympic team in the qualifying rounds – his performances compensated for the absence of Nashat Akram in Iraq's midfield.^{[citation needed]} Before the war, he was named one of the two best players in the 2003–04 season by an Iraqi FA panel and became a regular in Stange's Olympic squad making his debut in the 2–1 defeat to Qatar in the former Oman and Perth Glory coach's first game in charge of Iraq.^{[citation needed]} Saleh Sadeer was one of Bernd Stange's favourite players when the German first arrived in Iraq.^{[citation needed]} He scored an important goal in the 1–1 draw with Vietnam in Hanoi that helped Iraq to progress to the second round.^{[citation needed]}

Career statistics edit

International edit

Scores and results list Iraq's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Sadir goal.

List of international goals scored by Salih Sadir
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	8 September 2004	Zhongshan Soccer Stadium, Taipei, Taiwan	Chinese Taipei	1–0	4–1	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
2	8 September 2004	Zhongshan Soccer Stadium, Taipei, Taiwan	Chinese Taipei	2–0	4–1	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
3	3 December 2004	Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates	Yemen	2–1	3–1	Friendly
4	25 July 2006	Abbasiyyin Stadium, Damascus, Syria	Syria	2–0	2–1	Friendly
5	6 September 2006	Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates	Palestine	1–1	2–2	2007 AFC Asian Cup qualification
6	22 June 2007	Amman International Stadium, Amman, Jordan	Syria	3–0	3–0	2007 WAFF Championship
7	24 June 2007	Amman International Stadium, Amman, Jordan	Iran	1–2	1–2	2007 WAFF Championship