| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Akmal Rizal Bin Ahmad Rakhli | |||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1981-12-12)12 December 1981 (age 43)[1] | |||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Jitra,Kedah, Malaysia | |||||||||||||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | |||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward | |||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||
| 1998 | Kedah FA President | |||||||||||||
| 1999 | RC Strasbourg Academy | |||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||
| 1999 | Kedah FA | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | RC Strasbourg | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | →FCSR Haguenau (loan) | 36 | (10) | |||||||||||
| 2002–2006 | Kedah FA | 53 | (38) | |||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Selangor FA | 39 | (23) | |||||||||||
| 2009 | Kuala Muda NAZA FC | 16 | (3) | |||||||||||
| 2010 | Kelantan FA | 18 | (10) | |||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Perak FA | 45 | (14) | |||||||||||
| 2013 | Kedah FA | 16 | (3) | |||||||||||
| 2014 | Sarawak FA | 5 | (1) | |||||||||||
| 2015 | Kedah United F.C. | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||
| Total | 242 | (107) | ||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||
| 1998–2004 | Malaysia U-23 | 24 | (20) | |||||||||||
| 2001–2008 | Malaysia | 22[2] | (9) | |||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||
| 2019 | PB Melayu Kedah | |||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | Penang (assistant) | |||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Penang U21 | |||||||||||||
| 2023 | Penang (caretaker) | |||||||||||||
| 2024 | Penang | |||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 January 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 December 2013 | ||||||||||||||
Akmal Rizal Bin Ahmad Rakhli (born 12 December 1981) is a formerMalaysian professionalfootballer who played as aforward. He is well known for his finishing ability and good technique. Apart from that, he is one of the batch ofMalaysians to play overseas.[3]
A product of the Kedah youth academy (KedahPiala President), Akmal with pacy and skilful talent, made his way going abroad to joinRC Strasbourg. He made his debut for theRC Strasbourg Academy U-21 which ended in a 3–1 win againstFC Köln II and he successfully scored 2 goals in that friendly match.[4] In 2000, to aid his development, the then 19-year-old forward joinedFCSR Haguenau on loan.[5] He scored 11 goals in 22 games and wonChampionnat de France amateur 2.[6] On 20 May 2000, duringRC Strasbourg tour to Malaysia, Akmal andPeguy Luyindula helped Strasbourg beatGNK Dinamo Zagreb 2–0 in friendly match at theShah Alam Stadium.[7]
He also attracted the attention of formerMainz manager,Jürgen Klopp to signing him for Mainz before he returned toMalaysia and joinedKedah FA.[8]
In 2002, he returned from abroad and played for his former youth academy team senior squad. Later, he won2002 Liga Perdana 2.[9] In2003 Liga Perdana 1, he scoring 10 goals in 24 games and becoming runner-up with the team at the end of the season.[10]
He then played for Selangor starting season2006–07 Malaysia Super League.[11]
In the2009 Malaysia Super League, he joined the new promoted club,Kuala Muda Naza.[12]
On 12 January 2010, he scored his first goal for Kelantan in a 3–0 win againstJohor FA and also becoming runner-up in theleague at the end of the season.[13] Later, he finally won his firstMalaysia Cup in the2010 Malaysia Cup Final after Kelantan beatNegeri Sembilan FA 2-1.[14]
After leaving Kelantan FA, he then joined Perak and reunited with his former national team head coach,Norizan Bakar.[15]
He made his second debut (first debut in 2002) on 7 January 2013, appearing as a substitute in a 1–0 win againstUiTM F.C., and made his full first start for the club in the game againstDRB-Hicom Pos Malaysia FC. On 8 March 2013, he scored his first goal forKedah FA in the 62nd minute againstKuala Lumpur FA.[16] He made 16 appearances withKedah FA before he agreed to joinSarawak FA for the2014 Malaysia Super League season.
On 10 November 2013, Akmal Rizal officially signed a one-year contract withSarawak FA after being released by Kedah FA.[17]
In 2015, Akmal Rizal played withKedah United F.C. in2015 Malaysia FAM League.
He representedMalaysia U-23 for the 2001Sea Games inKuala Lumpur,Malaysia.[18] He also representedMalaysia U-23 for theAfro-Asian Games Hyderabad, India in October 2003.[19]
In 2002, Akmal was called up for an international friendly match against five times World Cup winnersBrazil. He was selected as one of the first eleven to play against Brazilian stars such asRonaldo and Barca'sRonaldinho.[20][21][22]
He has also been called up byMalaysia national football team coachNorizan Bakar for theAFC Asian Cup 2007 in July, co-hosting by 4 countriesThailand,Indonesia,Vietnam andMalaysia.[23]
Akmal Rizal retired from playing professionally in 2016. After retiring, he was the co-commentator for live telecasts of Malaysia football inMedia Prima Berhad television stations. He also opened a youth football academy in his hometown Jitra, while completing his AFC coaching course, and as of 2017, he holds 'B' license in this course.[24]
In June 2019, he finally completed his AFC coaching course and earned AFC 'A' license.[25]
On 27 December 2019, Akmal was hired to become assistant head coach forPenang FC in2020 Malaysia Premier League.[26]
In 2022, he then became head coach forPenang U-21.[27]
On 7 November 2023, he then becamePenang caretaker for remaining of the2023 Malaysia Super League season.[28] He were appointed as the permanent head coach of Penang for the2024-25 season.[29]
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 8 March 2001 | Hong Kong,Hong Kong |  Hong Kong | 2–0 | Won | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) |
| 2. | 8 March 2001 | Hong Kong,Hong Kong | Hong Kong | 2–0 | Won | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) |
| 3. | 25 March 2001 | Doha,Qatar |  Palestine | 4–3 | Won | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) |
| 4. | 25 March 2001 | Doha,Qatar | Palestine | 4–3 | Won | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) |
| 5. | 11 December 2002 | Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia |  Cambodia | 5–0 | Won | Friendly |
| 6. | 18 December 2002 | Singapore,Singapore |  Singapore | 0–4 | Won | 2002 Tiger Cup Group Stage |
| 7. | 20 December 2002 | Singapore,Singapore |  Thailand | 3–1 | Won | 2002 Tiger Cup Group Stage |
| 8. | 12 July 2004 | Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia | Singapore | 2–0 | Won | Friendly |
| 9. | 21 June 2007 | Petaling Jaya,Malaysia |  United Arab Emirates | 1–3 | Loss | Friendly |
FCSR Haguenau
Kedah FA
Selangor FA
Kelantan FA
Malaysia U-23
Penang U-21
silver 2022[31]
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