# Hanafi Akbar > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Hanafi_Akbar > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Hanafi_Akbar.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanafi_Akbar > Source revision: 1340526607 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{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}} | birth_place = [Singapore](/source/Singapore) | height = | position = [Midfielder](/source/Midfielder) | youthyears1 = 2008–2013 | youthclubs1 = [National Football Academy](/source/National_Football_Academy_(Singapore)) | years1 = 2014–2017 | clubs1 = [Balestier Khalsa](/source/Balestier_Khalsa_FC) | caps1 = 12 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2020–2023 | clubs2 = [Jungfrau Punggol](/source/Jungfrau_Punggol) | caps2 = 0 | goals2 = 0 | nationalyears1 = 2021— | nationalteam1 = [Singapore](/source/Singapore_national_football_team) | 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](/source/Singaporean) professional [footballer](/source/association_football) who plays as a [midfielder](/source/Midfielder_(association_football)). == Career == === Youth career === Hanafi represented the Singapore national under-14 team at the [2009 Asian Youth Games](/source/Football_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](/source/Football_at_the_2010_Summer_Youth_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Boys'_tournament).{{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](/source/Football_Association_of_Singapore)|access-date=23 November 2014|date=15 June 2009}} He attracted interest from [Tottenham Hotspur](/source/Tottenham_Hotspur_F.C.) and [Juventus](/source/Juventus_FC) for his exploits at youth level.{{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}} However, he failed to capitalise on his talents, choosing the influence of bad company instead, Hanafi skipped training with the [National Football Academy](/source/National_Football_Academy_(Singapore)) and quit the team in 2013.{{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](/source/The_Straits_Times)|date=14 April 2013}} === Balestier Khalsa === He eventually signed a two-year contract with [S.League](/source/S.League) club [Balestier Khalsa](/source/Balestier_Khalsa_FC) in December 2013 after being written off as a "rebel" by many coaches.{{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](/source/The_New_Paper)|date=29 November 2013}}{{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](/source/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}} However, he was arrested for drug use in 2015 and was eventually sentenced for a year's imprisonment.{{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}} Hanafi rejoined the Tigers in 2017 after his release and made his return to football in a [S.League](/source/S.League) game against [Garena Young Lions](/source/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](/source/Hazzuwan_Halim), who squared the ball for Myanmar forward [Aung Kyaw Naing](/source/Aung_Kyaw_Naing) to slot home the winner from close range. == Honours == '''Singapore U15''' * [Summer Youth Olympics](/source/Summer_Youth_Olympics): bronze medalist, 2010 == 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 {{Singapore-footy-bio-stub}} --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Hanafi Akbar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanafi_Akbar) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanafi_Akbar?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.