{{short description|Singaporean professional footballer}} {{EngvarB|date=November 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2014}} {{Malay name|Hanafi|Akbar}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Hanafi Akbar | image = | image_size = | caption = | fullname = Mohamad Hanafi bin Mohd Akbar | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|02|07|df=yes}}<ref name=ayg09/> | birth_place = Singapore | height = | position = Midfielder | youthyears1 = 2008–2013 | youthclubs1 = National Football Academy | years1 = 2014–2017 | clubs1 = Balestier Khalsa | caps1 = 12 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2020–2023 | clubs2 = Jungfrau Punggol | caps2 = 0 | goals2 = 0 | nationalyears1 = 2021— | nationalteam1 = Singapore | nationalcaps1 = 0 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | club-update = 02:57, 23 November 2014 (UTC) | nationalteam-update = }} '''Mohamad Hanafi bin Mohd Akbar''' (born 7 February 1995) is a Singaporean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder.
== Career ==
=== Youth career === Hanafi represented the Singapore national under-14 team at the 2009 Asian Youth Games, and was part of the national under-15 team which won the bronze medal at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics.<ref name="ayg09">{{cite web|title=Singapore finalises squad of 18 for AYG|url=http://www.fas.org.sg/news/singapore-finalises-squad-18-ayg|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141123021451/http://www.fas.org.sg/news/singapore-finalises-squad-18-ayg|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 November 2014|publisher=Football Association of Singapore|access-date=23 November 2014|date=15 June 2009}}</ref> He attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus for his exploits at youth level.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://tnp.straitstimes.com/sports/singapore-soccer/hanafi-akbar-arrested-drug-offences|title=Hanafi Akbar arrested for drug offences|date=2015-01-30|work=The New Paper|access-date=2017-04-05|language=en}}</ref>
However, he failed to capitalise on his talents, choosing the influence of bad company instead, Hanafi skipped training with the National Football Academy and quit the team in 2013.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wang|first1=Meng Meng|title=Hanafi's making up for lost time|url=http://news.asiaone.com/print/News/Latest%2BNews/Sports/Story/A1Story20130412-415564.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215013008/http://news.asiaone.com/print/News/Latest+News/Sports/Story/A1Story20130412-415564.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 December 2013|access-date=23 November 2014|work=The Straits Times|date=14 April 2013}}</ref>
=== Balestier Khalsa === He eventually signed a two-year contract with S.League club Balestier Khalsa in December 2013 after being written off as a "rebel" by many coaches.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="tnp1113">{{cite news|last1=Kasim|first1=Ali|title=A new beginning for Hanafi|url=https://www.asiaone.com/new-beginning-hanafi|access-date=23 November 2014|work=The New Paper|date=29 November 2013}}</ref><ref name="bk13">{{cite web|title=Balestier Khalsa Football Club have signed playmaker Mohamad Hanafi Bin Mohd Akbar from NFA Under-18 squad for 2014 football season|url=http://www.balestierkhalsafc.com/news/322-toa-payoh-26-nov-2013-balestier-khalsa-football-club-have-signed-playmaker-mohamad-hanafi-bin-mohd-akbar-from-nfa-under-18-squad-for-2014-football-season|publisher=Balestier Khalsa FC|access-date=23 November 2014|date=26 November 2013|archive-date=6 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406021953/http://www.balestierkhalsafc.com/news/322-toa-payoh-26-nov-2013-balestier-khalsa-football-club-have-signed-playmaker-mohamad-hanafi-bin-mohd-akbar-from-nfa-under-18-squad-for-2014-football-season|url-status=dead}}</ref>
However, he was arrested for drug use in 2015 and was eventually sentenced for a year's imprisonment.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://tnp.straitstimes.com/sports/singapore-football/hanafi-impresses-return-after-3-year-absence|title=Hanafi impresses on return after 3-year absence|date=2017-04-03|work=The New Paper|access-date=2017-04-05|language=en}}</ref> Hanafi rejoined the Tigers in 2017 after his release and made his return to football in a S.League game against Garena Young Lions on 2 April 2017. Coming on as a half-time substitute, Hanafi showed his early promise by playing a part in his team's solitary goal of the game. Hanafi controlled the ball on his chest before sending a glorious cross-field volley to teammate Hazzuwan Halim, who squared the ball for Myanmar forward Aung Kyaw Naing to slot home the winner from close range.<ref name=":1" />
== Honours == '''Singapore U15''' * Summer Youth Olympics: bronze medalist, 2010 <ref name=bk13/>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{soccerway|mohamad-hanafi-bin-mohd-akbar/331135}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanafi Akbar}} Category:1995 births Category:Living people Category:Singaporean men's footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Balestier Khalsa FC players Category:Singapore Premier League players Category:Footballers at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics Category:Footballers at the 2017 SEA Games Category:SEA Games competitors for Singapore
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