40 Facts About Amjad Kalaf

Amjad Kalaf Mansour Al-Muntafiq is an Iraqi former professional footballer who played as a right winger and sometimes as a striker.

Amjad Kalaf played for Al-Shorta from 2007 to 2016, saving the club from relegation in 2011 with a brace against Al-Naft.

Amjad Kalaf was the club's top scorer and top assist-maker in their league title win in 2013.

Amjad Kalaf scored Al-Shorta's first two goals in the AFC Cup in 2014, and is the club's seventh-highest league scorer in history.

Amjad Kalaf played a few games including 50 minutes of a match against Misan on 25 November 2005,22 minutes of a match against Naft Al-Junoob on 27 January 2006 and the first 60 minutes of a match against Karbalaa on 3 March 2006.

Amjad Kalaf was part of the Iraq U-17 squad and was selected by coach Kadhim Khalaf for the 2006 AFC U-17 Championship.

In total, Amjad Kalaf scored four goals in his debut season, and he extended his contract at the club after the end of the league campaign.

However, Amjad Kalaf said he felt homesick outside of Baghdad and that he had stayed in contact with many Al-Shorta fans while in Erbil.

Amjad Kalaf then had a long conversation with Abdul Khaliq Masood, the vice president of Erbil, asking for his contract to be terminated.

Amjad Kalaf suffered a serious injury which kept him out for months, and in his absence Al-Shorta's results plummeted as they went on a run of 1 win in 12 matches.

Therefore, Amjad Kalaf set a new record for the youngest player ever to captain Al-Shorta in a match at just 20 years old.

Amjad Kalaf was Al-Shorta's top scorer for the second season in a row, again with 11 goals, with his team finishing seventh in the league table.

Amjad Kalaf was linked with a move to close rivals Al-Zawraa in the summer transfer window of 2012 but he ended up staying at Al-Shorta due to his love for the club and its fans.

On 16 June 2013, Amjad Kalaf featured in the 2013 Baghdad Cup final against Al-Zawraa and started the move which led to the cup-winning goal scored by Hussein Karim.

Amjad Kalaf scored 9 goals for Al-Shorta that season, being the club's top scorer for the third consecutive season, and was the club's top assist-provider with 10 assists.

Amjad Kalaf was Al-Shorta's second-highest top scorer this season with four goals, one behind Ali Faez.

Amjad Kalaf was the club's top scorer for the season at the time.

Amjad Kalaf turned up for Al-Shorta's next home game despite his release in order to cheer on his former teammates from the stands.

On 11 January 2017, Amjad Kalaf signed a contract with Al-Zawraa, fierce rivals of his former club Al-Shorta.

Amjad Kalaf supported Al-Zawraa as a youngster and had previously expressed his admiration for the club.

In total, Amjad Kalaf scored eight goals during his time with Al-Zawraa.

Amjad Kalaf left the club in November 2019 citing unpaid wages.

Amjad Kalaf scored his first goal against China in the 2006 Tehran International Championship.

Amjad Kalaf played a part in all three of Iraq's games at the 2006 AFC U-17 Championship, where Iraq were knocked out in the group stage with 2 draws and 1 loss.

Also in 2006, Amjad Kalaf scored against Lebanon in the qualifiers for the Arab Junior Cup.

In 2008, Amjad Kalaf was called up for the Iraq school football team for the Pan Arab School Games in Jordan, and Amjad Kalaf scored two goals against Kuwait in the group stage, with Iraq eventually finishing fourth in the tournament.

Amjad Kalaf made his debut for the senior Iraq national team at the age of just 18 years old when Radhi Shenaishil called him up for a friendly with Saudi Arabia on 22 March 2009.

Amjad Kalaf did not start the match but was subbed on for Halgurd Mulla Mohammed.

On 16 January 2012, Amjad Kalaf played for the Iraq U-23 team in a match against FC Anzhi Makhachkala, with the likes of Samuel Eto'o and Roberto Carlos featuring for the Russian side.

Amjad Kalaf participated in the 2012 Matchworld Cup for the U-23 team which started two days after the match with Anzhi.

Amjad Kalaf was called up for the Iraq senior team's 2012 WAFF Championship squad.

Amjad Kalaf did not play the opening match, but was subbed onto the field on 52 minutes in the second match against Syria.

Amjad Kalaf did not feature in the final group match against China.

Amjad Kalaf was awarded the MVP award for the tournament.

Amjad Kalaf was called up for Iraq senior team's 22nd Arabian Gulf Cup squad in 2014.

Amjad Kalaf was on the bench for all three matches, but was subbed onto the field in the second half of all three games.

Amjad Kalaf was on the bench but was substituted onto the field in the 107th minute.

Amjad Kalaf did not take a penalty in the shootout.

Amjad Kalaf returned to the national team in 2017 when he was called up by Radhi Shenaishil for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Amjad Kalaf is praised for his heading ability as he has scored many goals for Al-Shorta using his head, and his clinical finishing has allowed him to score more than a half-century of goals for his club.